Cargo check-in goes self-service at Swissport

Swissport has introduced self-service check-in kiosks for airfreight at its cargo warehouses at Brussels Airport and Amsterdam Airport, in order to expedite freight handling processes.

The newly developed system, which will be rolled out across Swissport’s core cargo stations over the next 24 months, will reduce truck waiting times and increase the quality of airfreight documentation, the handler said.

Drivers present their identification at the kiosk, scan relevant documentation and then receive a text message indicating which truck gate they should use to drop off their cargo.

Forwarders can enter shipping information into the system via a web portal, and customers can link their IT systems with Swissport’s database via an API interface.

The kiosk system is also connected to the EU’s regulated agent database, which verifies the security status of each shipment during the document check.

“Our new kiosks support the paperless eFreight initiative by IATA and at the same time accelerate the import and export processes for our customers significantly,” said Hendrik Leyssens, vice president global operations cargo at Swissport International.

“Truck drivers benefit from minimal wait times and faster turnarounds,” he added.

Also at Brussels Airport, work is currently under way on Swissport’s new air cargo facility. It will consist of a 25,000 sq m warehouse, a material handling system, office space and 3,620 sq m of end-to-end facilities, and will feature extra space for pharmaceutical products. Construction began in January 2019 and will take about two years to complete.