Consolidation in Seamless Travel World as SITA Buys Bag Drop Tech

Bag drop technology is set to become a standard feature of tomorrow's seamless journey, by simplifying the baggage-check process.

To get ahead of demand projected for these technology solutions, aviation industry technology leader SITA has announced that it has acquired Type22, a privately held Dutch company responsible for installing user-friendly automated kiosks and baggage systems at world leading airports.

Established in 2006 and based in Delft, The Netherlands, the ease of use of Type22's systems has led many of the world's leading airlines, as well as airport management companies like Aeroports de Paris, Finavia, Hong Kong International, and Incheon Airport, to adopt their kiosk systems for check-in. The firm won a Red Dot design award in 2013 for its Scan&Fly baggage handling solution.

Roel Reijnen, Managing Director of Type22, said of the acquisition: "At Type22 we have been entirely focused on self-service bag drop solutions since 2011 and our team has the technical experience as well as a keen understanding of the needs of the customer. With an established strong customer base in Europe and Asia, we look forward to continued growth in these and other markets adding to the SITA success story."

SITA's passenger trends surveys have previously identified the check-in process as one of the pain-points of travel, predicting growth in this area. At present, 20% of passengers who check bags use bag-drop systems around the world. SITA has predicted this number will rise to 31% of passengers by next year, and believes demand for these systems will continue, with 62% of passengers using self-service bag drop by 2017.

Even airports which have previously relied on personal check-in desks see automated systems as integral to growth. Singapore Changi Airport Group recently said that it is rushing to install more automated systems as it continues to grow ahead of demand.

The acquisition of Type22 will strengthen SITA's position as a market leader of end-to-end air travel technology solutions that enhance the passenger experience. Type22's self bag drop solution portfolio, which includes Scan&Fly and Drop&Fly, complement SITA's existing suite of intelligent airport IT solutions which cover the passenger process from curb to arrival hall.

"SITA has been providing its 'Self BagDrop' solution since 2010 with several successful deployments worldwide," said Francesco Violante, CEO of SITA. "Recognizing the tremendous potential in the market made acquiring Type22 a logical next step that will make us leaders in self-service bag drop integrated with common-use systems. The addition of Type22's product portfolio and expertise will provide SITA's customers with automated self-service bag drop solutions that are perfect for both new airport terminals as well as retrofitted into existing desk environments."

SITA has also committed itself to continued development of Type22's products, and to supporting Type22's existing customers.