Kansai Airports trial SITA robot KATE to slash queues and reduce wait time

Kansai Airports, the operator of Kansai International Airport (KIX) and Osaka International Airport (ITAMI), is working with SITA on a trial of KATE – SITA’s intelligent check-in kiosk. KATE will autonomously move to congested areas in the airport with the aim to reduce check-in queues, promising to relegate check-in queues to the past.

KATE was presented to a packed media crowd at a press conference held at Kansai International Airport, where its capabilities were demonstrated to an impressed audience. With the help of artificial intelligence and geo-navigation – the kiosk moved seamlessly to areas of the airport where additional check-in services were required. KATE’s collision avoidance technology, combined with various data sources, decides where it should be – whether at a busy area to ease congestion or to a docking station to recharge when power runs low.

The trial with KATE at Kansai will run for one month starting in February at Terminal 1, with many airlines including Air France, Air China, Cathay Pacific Airways, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, KLM, All Nippon Airways, Asiana Airlines and United Airlines.

Sumesh Patel, SITA’s president of Asia Pacific, shares his thoughts on the trial: “Japan has always been a forerunner in robotic innovations and intelligent technology. It is no surprise that Kansai Airports is leading the industry with the trial of SITA’s intelligent check-in kiosk, KATE. SITA has been the technology partner of Kansai Airports for the past three years, and we are thrilled to be partnering with the airport to introduce intelligent machines to improve the passenger experience. We will work with Kansai Airport to evaluate how this new technology is able to provide an even better traveller experience at the airport.”

Check out SITA’s video below to learn more about the helpful robot.