QCOSTARICA — Some 365,949 transactions have been carried out at the self-check-in kiosks at the Juan Santamaría International International Airport (SJO), in San Jose, a considerable increase of 45.7% over the same first semester in 2022, when the figure was 251,188.
“As a leading airport in the region, we aim for airport digital innovation, agile both
in response times and in the solutions we provide to users. When
we assure that the SJO is the gateway to pura vida experiences, it is precisely because of practical examples such as our self-check-in kiosks, which of course contribute to the competitiveness of the country, but, primarily, to make the passenger experience more pleasant,” said Ricardo Hernández, executive director of AERIS, the manager of the main air terminal in Costa Rica.
Aimed at being a digital airport, the Juan Santamaría currently has 30 self-check-in stations (auto chequeo in Spanish), which allow travelers to scan their air ticket and register with the airline in less than 3 minutes.
In addition, thanks to the articulated work between AERIS, with about 10 institutions, and the airlines that fly to and from the terminal, it is anticipated that in the coming months, the inclusion of self-check-in stations will be announced.
“We are pleased to learn that more and more passengers become familiar with self-check-in posts. We are convinced that articulated work with the airport community is what brings revenues for the operation, and that is why, thanks to it, we will continue to apply innovation for the benefit of users,” said Juan Belliard, Director of Operations and Security at the air terminal.
How to use the kiosks?
For those who wish to use any of the kiosks, in the first instance, they must validate with the corresponding airline for their flight if it has the option of using the self-check-in.
If this is the case, with the passport at hand and the reservation number, once at one of the kiosks, the first thing the system will ask you is to indicate the corresponding airline you will be traveling with; In both Spanish and English, an explanatory message will appear explaining the requirements to use this system, for example, if you leave the country, it reminds you that you must first make sure that you have paid the corresponding departure tax at the terminal in case of that this cost was not included in the air ticket.
Then, you must enter the reservation number, after which, your data will be displayed, which it is recommended to read carefully to ensure that it is correct.
You will then be given a variety of choices, like printing tickets, altering seating (if available), and checking bags. Subsequently, you must enter the passport into the slot of the machine. The system will then print the boarding pass and baggage tickets.
Once the procedure is complete, you can go to deliver your luggage at the airline counter. You should consider that, depending on the destination, other checks will be requested by the airline, such as the visa, if required for travel to your destination.
“Another useful possibility is the web check-in, which on the one hand serves to confirm to the airline, as its name says, on its website, that you are indeed going to fly, and allows them to confirm the passenger’s data in advance, seating and boarding pass,” Belliard added.
