Today, Spirit Airlines unveiled a self-bag drop and biometric photo-matching system at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). By introducing these solutions, Spirit is looking to streamline the check-in experience for its customers.

New technology available

Low-cost Spirit Airlines has been introducing its self-bag drop and biometric technologies across several airports in the United States. The objective is to improve the passenger’s experience by reducing check-in times. The self-bag drop systems allow for self-service, so passengers can check bags directly without working with an agent. These options are widely used at many airports and have seen growing acceptance in the US.

In addition, Spirit’s machines are also equipped with a biometric photo-matching system that compares a scan of government-issued identification with a photo of the passenger for verification.

Spirit will operate a small initial testing period at LAX for the biometric technology, during which it will have both manual ID check and biometric opt-in. After a while, the newest technology will eliminate the need to hand the identifications to an agent when checking baggage.

Airport innovation

Spirit first introduced its biometric photo-matching solution for domestic air travel in 2019. The airline worked with its partner Materna Intelligent Passenger Solutions North America.

This system is capable of analyzing key physical features on more than 50,000 forms of ID from nearly 200 countries.

Currently, Spirit technology is operating at New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA), Chicago O’Hare (ORD), Dallas Fort Worth (DFW), and Atlanta Hartford-Jackson International (ATL).

Mike Byrom, Vice president of Airports & Crew Services for Spirit Airlines, said,

“Our guests are tech-savvy, and they appreciate options for controlling their travel journey. Another reason why the technology is advantageous for guests is that it complements our staffing and helps preserve the consistency of our service. We are on a mission to find innovative opportunities to continue improving every facet of the experience.”

Spirit passengers currently check an annual daily average of about 2,700 bags in Los Angeles. Testing data has shown Spirit’s new technology drops average processing time to just 70 seconds per passenger, reducing time spent at bag check by 30%.

LAX airport authorities are looking to make this hub the first digital-first airport, leveraging the latest technology and amenities to provide passengers with a fast, efficient, and secure travel experience from the curb to the gate, said Justin Erbacci, Los Angeles World Airports CEO.

Spirit at LAX

Spirit Airlines operates about 207 weekly flights from Los Angeles, according to data provided by Cirium.

The low-cost carrier flies to 20 destinations from LAX, including two international routes to Puerto Vallarta and San José de Los Cabos in Mexico.

Spirit’s most important routes from LAX connect directly with Dallas Fort-Worth (35 weekly flights, or five per day), Las Vegas (four daily flights), and Chicago O’Hare (three daily flights). Los Angeles represents just 4% of Spirit’s weekly flights. Currently, Spirit operates around 5,000 weekly flights putting up for sale nearly 920,000 seats.

Have you used Spirit self-bag drop and biometric technology? Did you find it easy to use? Let us know in the comments below.