GERMANY. Hamburg Airport has become the first in the world to carry out the full launch of ‘intelligent’ wayfinding shopping trolleys developed by Denmark-based development company Intelligent Track Systems (ITS). In travel retail, ITS is marketed and distributed by Copenhagen-based business development agency Blueprint.
As reported, ITS first introduced the trolleys at Hamburg Airport as a pilot in March. The full rollout follows previous pilot installations at five airports including Nice Côte d’Azur Airport, Oslo Gardermoen Airport, Vienna Airport, Riyadh King Khalid International Airport and San Diego International Airport.
Hamburg Airport Commercial Director Lutz Deubel said, “The pilot phase was very successful and we believe ITS ‘intelligent’ baggage trolleys give our passengers an enhanced shopping experience at the airport. The trolleys fit well with our overall digitalisation strategy which supports seamless travel throughout the airport.”

The decision comes as traffic at the German airport continues to revive. Passenger numbers more than doubled last year to 11.1 million from the low 4.56 million footfall during the pandemic in 2020.
ITS CEO Morten Pankoke commented: “We are delighted to extend our collaboration with Hamburg Airport. We are grateful for the opportunity which allows us to roll out additional trolley capabilities. This is the moment we have been working towards for the past 18 months.
“The full launch allows for the introduction of insights workshops facilitated by ITS, to take a deep dive into how airport travellers shop; explore current trends that are shaping airport retailing; and compare industry benchmarks.”
ITS introduces the concept to airports in phases: the pilot lasts for two to three months and after that, the airport and ITS can choose to prolong it or initiate a full launch.
The trolley includes innovative features that improve passenger experience and boost concessionaire revenue
In the second phase, both parties implement the entire range of capabilities of intelligent trolleys. These include segmented heatmapping, mystery shopping surveys, extensive advertising on the trolley tablet screens, and other useful features benefitting passengers, concessionaires and airport. The trolley colours can also be changed to reflect those embraced by the airport.
Blueprint Partner Thomas Kaneko Henningsen remarked: “Hamburg Airport is a first mover when it comes to full rollout – this speaks volumes about the airport’s commitment towards constantly elevating the passenger experience and sharing commercial tools with concessionaires. It is a great win for all stakeholders.”
The free-to-use trolleys have a high level of engagement with travellers and are of particular value to the commercial side of the airport business.
Henningsen added, “As airports gradually return to growth mode, they are increasingly looking to lift the customer experience and shopping revenue – ITS trolleys offer a new route to achieving that.” ✈