Flyers will overwhelmingly use web check-in by 2010, just added by Wizz Air

(paul prescott)

Airports Council International (ACI) released a survey November 3 which revealed that passenger self-service will be the primary channel for passenger check-in by 2010.

The data comes from ACI's sixth annual Airport IT Trends survey, which queried 172 airports worldwide and 56 of the top 100 busiest airports.

The survey found that 40 percent of the world's top 100 airports already utilize web check-in for the majority of their passengers, with that percentage expected to double by 2010.

The presence of automated kiosks -- whether for check-in, passport scanning or bag-tag printing -- is expected to rise from 63 to 90 percent in airports worldwide by 2012, another boon to expediting the travel process.

And 52 percent of airports rated the introduction of electronic documents as having the most significant impact at airports in the near future, as technology steams toward genuinely paperless travel.

With web check-in a passenger prints his or her boarding pass at home, to be presented either at the gate or, if they have luggage, at the check-in desks.

Wizz Air, the low-budget air leader in Central and Eastern Europe, announced their introduction of web check-in on November 3, which will extend to all the airports they serve by spring 2010

The pre-registration available at wizzair.com allows passengers to avoid long lines by allowing web check-in from seven days up to three hours before a flight's departure. Passengers need to present themselves at the boarding gate no less than 30 minutes before departure time.