Gone in 60 seconds – new check-in counters at Hong Kong airport smooth the journey

Bosses at Chek Lap Kok unveil road map to more automation and self-service

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Airport Authority chief executive Fred Lam demonstrates the self bag drop. Photo: Dickson Lee

Published: 8:56pm, 11 Mar 2016Updated: 8:56pm, 11 Mar 2016

Travellers departing from Hong Kong International Airport on locally based airlines will need just one minute to drop their bags starting from next month with the launch of a new self-service system.

Passengers can also look forward to new mobile check-in counters that will gradually extend from Asia Airlines and Hong Kong Express to other companies.

There will also be a new tagging system to make it easier to collect bags on arrival at the airport.

Under the new system passengers will print their boarding passes and put bags onto the conveyor belt themselves. Photo: SCMP Pictures

The announcement came as the Airport Authority unveiled its road map to a “smart airport” on Friday, detailing objectives that included increasing automation, enhancing personalised services and maximising self-service.

Authority chief executive Fred Lam Tin-fuk said these new features would also form part of the new third runway terminal and facilities, and they would be further developed based on trial runs within the existing infrastructure.

The suite of new features include 20 self bag drop machines installed at the counters of Cathay Pacific, Dragonair, Hong Kong Express and Hong Kong Airlines.