I love this! What a great idea KLM, and I hope this becomes more than just a test. First things first let’s notice what KLM tells us about these units on their web site:
“Good news for weary travelers: no more waiting in line at the entry desk to access KLM Crown Lounge 25 at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. From December 2016, KLM will conduct a pilot program with 2 electronic self-service stands that will allow travelers quicker access to the lounge.
The new self-service stands will make access to the KLM Crown Lounge a fast and smooth process so that you’ll have more time to relax between flights. Simply scan your boarding pass at the stand and get the green light to enter the luxurious lounge where you can take a shower, use the fast free Wifi and enjoy a variety of drinks and snacks.
KLM Crown Lounge 25 is available for Business or First Class passengers and to Flying Blue Elite Plus members transferring from or departing to a European (Schengen) destination and traveling on flights operated by SkyTeam’s airline partners.” – Flying Blue News
Nice! There are so many times you really don’t need to interact with an agent – that is, if all the relevant information is already coded into your boarding pass and all you need is a quick scan and go.
For us Delta flyers, via your phone or a paper boarding pass, if this were to expand and Delta were to implement something like this, your Sky Club membership barcode inside your Fly Delta App would work (or even just your SkyMiles number works as well if you say have the Delta AMEX Reserve card tied to your account).
You may have noticed Delta sometimes is doing a human version of this “self check-in” as at LAX I have seen a rep standing to the side to help check folks in via a hand scanner when they don’t need to swipe say the non-Delta AMEX Platinum card to get in (this is not tied to your Delta account).
I really appreciate a kind reader snapping the shots above from the KLM Crown Lounge and hope they expand this idea to other clubs and Delta also takes notice and thinks about the same automated units. What do you think? Like the idea? – René
Responses are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
Brain no-er. Not sure how many jobs will be lost to this. But without checking IDs there really isn’t a reason. Just how are they thwarting fraudulent access +2s etc?
Rene,
Alaska has been using a fingerprint reader for over two years. Just scan your index finger, indicate the number of guests with you and you’re done
@Steve – Alaska is so smart – they even will NOT “upgrade” you to a middle seat C+ (maybe Delta can borrow some of their IT folks for a while before the divorce in May?)!
This is only because European labor laws are very anti-business. It doesn’t make sense to pay an employee to sit behind a desk and only scan boarding passes. In Norway and Sweden, they even have automated boarding gates because cost of labor is so high. This is the same reason why McDonald’s has self-order kiosks in France, Sweden, etc.
Glad this is working for delta fliers now . I tried to use it in early January and system was not yet working for non KLM elites. I’ll try it on Thursday to see if I have better luck now!
@Sterling – As mentioned in post, the important part is the relevant data is coded into the boarding pass QR code that is scanned.
Hope the implement this starting in LAX which is like trying to get into a vault. Employees are “policing” the entry way with a tough and negative attitude. I understand it is overcrowded since they sell too many memberships but don’t make it like getting into see the Pope.
This is commonplace in Australia too. Every VA lounge I’ve visited and some QA.
A BA employee scans boarding passes at the entrance to their lounges in T5 Heathrow. It is somehow very British to be welcomed with a cheery “Hello Sir” as you go in. Having a human scan the pass may not cut costs but it certainly cuts down on time.
I’m all for automation, but… will the scanner inform me of the status of my flight? Tell me where the restrooms are located? Tell me the password to the wi-fi? Stop me from bringing in my “emotional needs elephant”? and lastly, SMILE????
No, I like saying “Sawasdee Kop” to the rep at the Terminal D Skyclub at LaGuardia.
Keep the personal touch!!!!
I very much like the person touch of lounge agents checking in. And I think in the US many people would try and walk right by the kiosk.
With regards to comment about the LAX dragons, I have never seen so many people try and access a lounge with domestic first tickets, or with economy tickets, or with other airlines’ tickets… I don’t envy the job of those agents.
To man scammers and cheats here in America. Simply print multiple boarding passes (like you have taught us, for other reasons tho) and pass them to our friends.
@Greg – Uh I say print for bumps not to scam Sky Club. Plus, don’t think you can check in over and over like you suggest.
Virgin Australia has used this system for years and years. Fantastic easy way to access the lounge.
“With regards to comment about the LAX dragons, I have never seen so many people try and access a lounge with domestic first tickets, or with economy tickets, or with other airlines’ tickets… I don’t envy the job of those agents.”
@C: To be fair, Delta markets its domestic first-class and international/transcontinental business-class (aka Delta One) as premium products that it isn’t surprising that people have either unfair expectations when flying Delta on other routes or don’t understand that domestic first-class for Los Angeles-Salt Lake City isn’t the same as transcontinental business-class between Los Angeles-New York J.F.K.
Also, Delta really should have a separate lounge for Delta One in Los Angeles. The lounge is rather pathetic, if you ask me. The worst part are the showers, which are never clean. That’s because the shower cleaners are unionized airport workers. Delta has zero control over them. I’ve seen a Sky Club agent go in and personally clean the floor free of pubic hair because the unionized airport cleaner wouldn’t clean the bathroom any better.