The UK’s first ‘video ticket office’ called NextAgent has been opened at Stansted International Airport in London.
Transport provider Abellio and Cubic Transportation Systems (CTS) trialled NextAgent as a latest solution to improve ticket purchasing service for rail passengers.
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CTS, a business unit of America-based Cubic Corporation, is the developer of the innovative NextAgent.
NextAgent will provide a walk-up ticket office to passengers, connecting them to an Abellio Greater Anglia ticketing expert through a live video-link.
The facility can use the inbuilt camera to validate documents of the passengers. It can also provide journey-related information to them.
A wide range of UK destinations and train services are also available.
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By GlobalDataAt present, NextAgent at Stansted Airport sells only magnetic tickets, which cover several UK destinations and train services, to the passengers.
It is also capable of providing all the facilities available at a staffed ticket office, including vending a comprehensive range of media such as paper barcodes, smart cards, e-ticketing, magnetic tickets and mobile ticketing.
Abellio commercial development head Jeremy Whitaker said: "Abellio aspires to be at the leading edge of an innovative customer service that constantly improves to deliver a door-to-door service and provides passengers with what they want, when they want it, and to a high quality.
"We are pleased that NextAgent offers our customers another step on this door-to-door journey through this exciting innovation which will help people arriving at Stansted Airport to simplify the process when purchasing train tickets for their onward journey, with the reassurance of a member of staff on hand via the video link."
NextAgent was first introduced in October 2015.
CTS Europe executive vice president and managing director Roger Crow said: "Abellio’s introduction of NextAgent represents a unique way to provide high-quality customer service and is another example of how we are bringing our NextAgent vision to life."
