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Experience Masterplanning icon
Experience Masterplanning
A major UK airport image

A major UK airport

Improving passenger experience at airports by developing a proof of concept

A great way to improve customer experience

Customer Service A major UK airport

Services: Human Factors & Ergonomics, Behavioural Design, Experience Masterplanning

A major UK airport is in the process of enhancing its bag drop process by dynamically using mobile-based check-in for select passengers. This allows airlines to process passengers faster with fewer queues and a better experience. Currently, the airport is trialling this technology with one airline. However, the new system uses existing airline apps, a shift from the traditional person or screen interaction. Mima was commissioned to study the trial, identifying what works and what doesn’t, to enhance the design of physical check-in units and improve user adoption of this new bag check-in method. The goal is to create a more intuitive experience, facilitating smoother transitions for passengers and airlines alike.


Our Task

Mima was appointed to research the current trial system and redesign a new bag drop unit for an improved customer experience. We observed the bag drop units over two days and interviewed users to identify confusion points and improvements. Three key focus areas emerged: seamless transition between phone use and bag tagging, easy bag positioning on scales, and intuitive process steps. Using AI generation, CAD, and physical modeling, we designed a new unit and tested its feasibility with experts in access, wayfinding, and human factors. Our solution considered accessibility, modularity, and materials. The design was then used to communicate the concept of a dynamic bag drop system to internal stakeholders.


A photo of the Mima team working with the client, facing towards a wall with annotated imagery from the bag drop, considering form, function and materiality and how this was all part of the communication to the user.
A photo of the Mima team working with the client, facing towards a wall with annotated imagery from the bag drop, considering form, function and materiality and how this was all part of the communication to the user.
A graphically designed image of the grouping of our concepts in the 5 refined routes and the selection of a final route based on our requirements specification.
A graphically designed image of the grouping of our concepts in the 5 refined routes and the selection of a final route based on our requirements specification.
A photo of the Mima team running user testing with a number of potential configurations to gain knowledge on usability and accessibility.
A photo of the Mima team running user testing with a number of potential configurations to gain knowledge on usability and accessibility.
An image of the graphically designed summarised design challenges that would need to be addressed around the implementation of the who system by illustrating 3 user journey and highlighted the potential barriers.
An image of the graphically designed summarised design challenges that would need to be addressed around the implementation of the who system by illustrating 3 user journey and highlighted the potential barriers.

Our Solution

Our design addressed challenges with the intuitiveness of the bag drop units by creating a new interface that provided more space for instructions and guided users through their first action with the app. Our unit has a booth-like design, which creates more personal space for users in a busy airport environment. Our design also makes it easier to understand how to flow through the check-in process by creating clear sections. The material currently being explored is recycled plastic, which has the potential to utilise commercial waste streams from within the airport, making the manufacture of these materials a fully closed loop. Alongside the design of the bag drop unit, we produced a journey outlining what needs to be considered in the end-to-end experience for users.

Next, the airport aims to prototype and test our recommendations. The intent is to build and test 6-12 units with multiple airlines. We aim to work on how each unit can be enhanced for multi-airline use and evaluate how the design enhances the overall customer experience across the airport.


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