Retail in Asia

In Shops

Airports looking to cash in on our “dwell” time

Automated check-in kiosks are on average 25 percent faster than human interaction while automated bag drop machines process 60 per hour versus 24 per hour the old-fashioned way, according to research by airport technology provider SITA.

For the airports, that means passengers will have more "dwell time" – the industry term for the amount of time available that can be spent shopping and dining before a flight departs. Every extra minute of dwell time could translate into extra retail revenue for the airport, which is particularly focused on adding options that appeal to high-spending Chinese shoppers.

The investment in technology can help the airlines save on staffing costs. And for passengers, the reduction in queues is the primary benefit.