Qantas plans 'Airport of the Future,' premium service upgrades

Qantas plans to introduce an Airport of the Future concept in major domestic markets next year that it said will reduce dramatically time spent at check-in and in security queues and speed baggage collection.

Domestic passengers will be issued new RFID cards that will replace both the standard boarding pass and baggage tags and give instant recognition to security agents.

Addressing the National Aviation Press Club in Sydney yesterday, QF CEO Alan Joyce said the A$40 million ($37.1 million) Airport of the Future is just the start of a host of new offerings under a three-year "Q Future" program designed to reestablish the airline as a world leader in premium travel. "I can assure you that the reports of the death of premium travel have been greatly exaggerated," he told media. "Sure, demand for premium flying has been affected during the global downturn, but our research confirms that there is now, and will continue to be, an appetite for premium travel among both domestic and international travelers."

A key part of the strategy is to remove that "point of pain" at airport check-in, Joyce said. "Check-in takes too long, causes too much stress and our customers want speed and ease. Passengers will simply swipe their card on a reader and head to a radically simplified baggage drop or straight through a smoother security process to the lounge," he said. The new boarding product is modeled on an Air New Zealand initiative launched last year (ATWOnline, Nov. 3, 2008).

Joyce said Qantas aims to be the first "next-generation" premium carrier and will unveil more initiatives soon. "Modern premium flying is about going through an important evolution to maximize its position in a more sophisticated and segmented marketplace," he said. "Qantas is our iconic, premium airline brand and we are focused on reinforcing it."