Every year, football fans from all over the world travel to attend “the big game” for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The sharp influx of world-wide tourists inevitably places pressure on the host city’s airport capacity, specifically on the Monday after the game. In 2019, the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport set a single-day record by screening over 102,000 passengers the day after “the big game”.
Although this year’s attendance was projected to be lower than the average attendance of over 70,000, the Tampa International Airport (TPA) wanted to provide passengers returning home on Monday with a stress-free experience while creating a socially-distanced environment and decreasing the amount of congestion in the airport lobby.
To accomplish this mission, the airport partnered with Bags, a subsidiary of SP+ focused on Making Travel Easier for guests at major airlines, cruise lines, and world-famous hotels and resorts. Attendees of “the big game” flying home on Monday via Tampa International Airport were able to take advantage of Bags’ new Check ‘N Fly™ service.
The Check ‘N Fly service provided travelers with airline and baggage curbside check-in with a red carpet-like experience Instead of waiting in line at the airline ticket counter, passengers traveling on American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines, or United Airlines passengers were able to start their flight home with a stress-free and socially distanced check-in experience.
While implementing a pop-up service can be logistically challenging, the Bags team was able to strategize and collaborate with TPA before the big day to ensure all systems were ready to go and travelers were provided with best-in-class customer service Bags clients have grown to expect.
“We were very pleased that Bags offered this service and provided our passengers with greater convenience, while also helping us to decongest our terminal and promote greater social distancing,” said John Tiliacos, Executive Vice President of Operations and Customer Service at Tampa International Airport.
Check ‘N Fly is a service offered to SP+ airport clients through Sphere Express™, the aviation/hospitality-specific travel solution launched under a new suite of technologies named Sphere™, Technology by SP+.
