Sheremetyevo International Airport starting Wednesday will launch a service it says will be the first in the world -- video flight check-in via Skype. The airport forecasts that between 15% and 20% of all the passengers will be using the Internet-based video phone service.

Passengers will be able to call Sheremetyevo on Skype using its "svo_checkin" Skype username. During a video call, passengers will be asked to state their last names and flight details and to display their passports, and they may print out their boarding passes at the end of the session. Registration will begin, depending on an airline, between six to 24 hours prior to the flight.

Passengers going through Sheremetyevo will be able to check in to 20 airlines serving Sheremetyevo, according to the head of passenger traffic at Sheremetyevo, Andrey Nikulin, without specifying the names of the airlines. Sheremetyevo is currently negotiating with OAO Aeroflot, Russia's flag carrier, to have it included in the new service. The airport said in a statement later that Skype will be available for check-in at Transaero, Air Astana, Royal Air Maroc, China Eastern Airlines, Estonian Air, Hainan Airlines, Hong Kong Airlines, Iran Air, Jat Airways, Turkish Airlines and other carriers.

"The main problem [for traditional Internet check-in] is lack of communication with a real person, as a passenger is afraid to do something wrong. Here you will have straight communications, so there will be no fear during registration," Mr. Nikulin said.