Modeling passenger choice between staff and self bag drop and its effects on queueing dynamics

Abstract

This study investigates passengers’ service choices between staffed check-in counters and self bag drop (SBD) facilities and examines their implications for airport queueing dynamics. A questionnaire survey was conducted to explore passengers’ perceptions, willingness to use SBD, and choice behavior under different waiting-time scenarios. The estimated binary logit model shows that passengers are generally more sensitive to waiting-time differences under short waiting conditions, while their sensitivity decreases during congested periods. The survey results were then used to calibrate a discrete choice model based on waiting times. The estimated choice behavior was embedded into a discrete event simulation (DES) model to evaluate system performance under varying arrival rates and service configurations. The findings provide useful insights for airport operators to balance service allocation, improve SBD promotion, and enhance passenger experience in the context of airport digitalization.