Off-Airport Passenger Check-in Facilities at Satellite Terminals: A Review

Abstract

In many regions, satellite (i.e., remote, off-airport) terminals that provide baggage check-in and baggage claim would provide several advantages to air travelers, including the ability to avoid parking at the airport or asking a relative or friend to drive to the airport, once to drop off and once to pick up the passengers; congested airline ticket counters and long lines at the skycap podiums; and traffic congestion on the way to the airport and at the airport curbsides. In some regions, such as Boston and Los Angeles, the benefits of satellite terminals have already been demonstrated, even though these terminals currently do not provide baggage check-in or baggage claim. In the United States, satellite terminals that provide baggage check-in and baggage claim serve only passengers traveling on a single airline or a distinct group of airline passengers (e.g., only passengers disembarking a cruise ship). However, baggage check-in and baggage claim for the general public is provided at several satellite terminals that serve overseas airports. The two most significant challenges to be overcome are satisfying FAA security requirements and justifying to airlines that the benefits of providing baggage check-in and baggage claim at a satellite terminal outweigh the associated costs.