Cibo Express will bring Amazon cashierless store platform to airports

Airport visitors will soon be able to “just walk out” of select Cibo Express Gourmet Markets stores with their purchases.

The airport convenience store chain, operated by hospitality group OTG, is deploying the “Just Walk Out” technology platform from Amazon to offer a cashierless shopping experience. The platform, currently in use at Amazon Go convenience and grocery stores, combines computer vision, sensor fusion, and machine-learning algorithms.

Starting on March 16 at Terminal C in the Newark Liberty airport in New Jersey, and followed later by additional stores at Newark Liberty and LaGuardia (New York) airports, travelers can purchase food and beverage items at Cibo Express Gourmet Markets without stopping to check out. After identifying themselves with a credit card, customers will have items that they pick up automatically added to a virtual shopping cart. If they return an item to a shelf, it will be removed from their virtual cart. Their credit card will be billed for any items they take with them when they leave the store, without having to scan a barcode or wait in a checkout line. 

“We’re incredibly proud to be integrating Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology into the OTG airport experience,” said Rick Blatstein, CEO of OTG. “OTG has always embraced technology as a means of optimizing the airport experience so that we can give our guests their time back. By using the world’s most advanced shopping technology in our Cibo Express Gourmet Markets, we’re doing just that by putting our guests in full control of their time.”

“We’ve found that shoppers truly appreciate checkout-free retail experiences, so we’re thrilled to be working with an innovative company like OTG to bring our proven Just Walk Out technology to their airport stores,” said Dilip Kumar, VP, physical retail & technology at Amazon. “Starting next week, travelers in the busy Newark Liberty Terminal C will no longer have to assess store lines to determine if they can quickly grab that snack, bottle of water, or travel essential they need before their flight – OTG’s Cibo Express Gourmet Markets featuring Just Walk Out technology will let them quickly grab what they need and get on their way without standing in line to check out. We can’t wait to hear how travelers like the experience.”

Media reports initially indicated Cibo Express was planning to implement Amazon Just Walk Out cashierless technology in September 2019.

OTG operates more than 350 restaurants and retail locations across 10 airports.