For the past year, we’ve been working with our friends at WestJet to launch the first 100% self-service check-in and bag tag process for an individual airline in North America. WestJet passengers (affectionately known as WestJetters) can now walk up to the kiosk at YVR, check-in, get their luggage tag and go straight to the agent to scan their bag, drop it off and away they go. Too easy! What’s great for WestJetters is now there’s little time wasted waiting in line to tag and drop off luggage.
WestJet is the first airline in North America to have 100% of their passengers tag their own bags, and YVR is the first airport to host the new system.
Check out WestJet’s video below to see how the new process works. Happy travels!
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
Uh this is not remotely factual. I’ve been doing this at Pearson in Toronto on half a dozen flights in the last two months.
The problem there and the problem with YVR is that you still need an agent and the lines now for baggage drop off are growing in leaps and bounds. It’s ass-backwards.
This and the confusion from those that don’t travel much on which line to get into and what they can and cannot do themselves has in fact made the airports worse in the last few months.
Hi Kerry –
Thanks for your comment. What’s new about this process at YVR is that now 100% of WJ passengers will use the self tagging. As seen in the video, passenger go and see an agent, but unlike before, the agent quickly scans the bag before dropping it off. Since this new process launched at YVR whereby each passenger does their own self bag tagging, we’ve seen considerably shorter line ups and wait times. And to help with any confusion, there are plenty of staff walking around the kiosks to help. I was in the terminal earlier today during the morning rush and saw how it’s making things easier and faster here.
Hi Todd –
Thanks also for your feedback. One of the biggest challenges for any airport is how to get people through the travel proceses quickly and easily. We’re proud of the new process because we’ve seen how it helps speed up check-in wait times here at YVR. I mentioned this in an earlier reply, but there are plenty of staff monitoring the kiosks to lend a hand.
Westjet is not the first airline to offer 100% self-tagging. Even at that, if you have trouble at the kiosk, you can go left and join another lineup where the westjet agent does it for you. I find this insulting as Air Canada has had this system in place at YVR for over a year and this article is written like Westjet is the innovator…hardly the case here.
Hi Mike,
WJ is the first to have 100% of its passengers use the self bag tagging during check-in at YVR. My understanding is that other airlines provide the option of using self tagging, but they don’t have all 100% of their passengers use it.
Hi Alisa
I sure hope you get some nice friendly positive comments on here soon, what a bunch of nit picking whiners.
Just remember one thing all you Impatient travellers, If you wait 5 minutes to check In or 30 minutes, It does not matter, the plane leaves at the same time, so just relax and dont be In such a big rush to be first on the aircraft.
I hope to fly Westjet one day and try this out, from the video, It looks like a great Idea.
Have a fantastic day Alisa
My Car was damaged by the Gateway VALET at YVR. I travel a lot, and I enjoy the service I get from the Valet, but not if they cause damage.
What should I do in the future to avoid this?
Hi Matthew –
Sorry to hear about your car. My suggestion would be to call our customer care line at 604.207.7077. They’ll best be able to direct you to the appropriate person who can help with your question about Gateway.
Cheers,
Alisa
Alisa,
I was mistaken on the slight technicality, sorry for coming across bluntly there. I thought Westjet would have had a desk where agents tagged the bags in case guests had problems with the machine.