BAGGAGE

HANDLING
In this in-depth focus, we hear from two leading airports on how optimisation has
increased the utilisation of the baggage infrastructure at the airport, allowing for
future growth, and IATA’s Resolution 753 which is due to come into effect this year
and how it will help minimise loss of luggage and optimise work environments.

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 IN-DEPTH FOCUS | BAGGAGE HANDLING

The challenges of the new

era of baggage handling

Sara Branco, Baggage Handling Expert at Geneva Airport, looks back

on 2022’s baggage chaos and discusses IATA’s Resolution 753 which is
due to come into effect this year.

S
Since 2023, airports UMMER 2023 is coming and with it the I recently received an invitation to speak about
have lost workers various globetrotters that are longing to the risk management in baggage handling at the
with the expertise, take their flights to see the wonders this 10th Emergency Management for Airports Summit
know-how and the world has to offer. and this is a summary of what I had to say:
capability of problem From check-in, to baggage handling, from ramp
to cargo, crews and staff, all the right people at Summer of 2022
solving. Consequently,
the right place make sure that you can fly! And After a two-year slowdown in the industry, we
we had to face the although the well-known quote, “Not all those that were eager to fly again and meet one another,
return to normality wander are lost” fits perfectly to the majority of our but unfortunately, those where not the images
without those guests, we can’t, unfortunately, say the same about broadcasted last summer.
precious resources their luggage! Instead, we saw images of baggage pile ups at

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 International Airport Review | Volume 27, Issue 02

Above: Lost and delayed luggage

airports around the world on the news. have lost workers with the expertise, know-how and
is very upsetting for passengers.
How can we explain those images of hundreds of the capability of problem solving. Consequently, we
pieces of luggage left lying around the terminals? had to face the return to normality without those
Hundreds of passengers expecting their bags precious resources.
at arrival not understanding the reasons why The path followed since has allowed us to
they made it to the other side of the world, but reinforce those weak strings and go back to the
their bags did not. Anticipating the wait, the routine numbers that we were used to in 2019.
time and the bureaucracy that Lost & Found It has also allowed us to train and properly regain
procedures take, the heavy height of this brought the expertise and knowledge needed to perform
several airports to a level of emergency that was efficiently.
unexpected. These levels of expertise and know-how are
How could this return to normalcy so severely powerful tools that can only be obtained by
affect daily operations? Why didn’t we anticipate analysing, testing and putting to exercise what
According to SITA,
the risk of this much-wanted recovery after was learned. That means that workers cannot only
two years of pandemic-induced travel bans? be taught, they need to learn, test and put into baggage systems
The aftermath of this troubled news is as heavy to practice! and baggage teams
carry as the 23kg bag to be charged in the last row handle more than
of an ULD container. The numbers 4.5 billion bags every
How can we learn, anticipate and recover from According to SITA, baggage systems and baggage
year. These numbers
it? Is it unpreparedness? Is it a lack of staff? Is it the teams handle more than 4.5 billion bags every
that are expected to
lack of trust or faith in the industry retrieval? Why year. These numbers that are expected to grow
didn’t we anticipate it? Well… We did! and by double by 2036, according to IATA. This will grow and be double
Almost one year later, in the aftermath, we create a strain on the existing systems and teams by 2036, according
can easily identify the root causes and manage will need to find ways to work more efficiently and to IATA. This will
the disruption before it turns into chaos; what effectively. create a strain on
happened last summer will not be repeated. In June, IATA’s Resolution 753 will require its
the existing systems
members (83% of the global air traffic) to comply
and teams will need
The analysis with baggage tracking until the end of the year.
Despite the continuous cycle of planning, This adds a layer of difficulty to ground operations, to find ways to work
organising, equipping, exercising, evaluating and due to the heavy need of understanding and more efficiently
training to improve activities, since 2020, airports rebuilding that the new compliance demands. and effectively
@IntAirport
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IN-DEPTH FOCUS | BAGGAGE HANDLING

Piles of unclaimed luggage at the Montreal Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (YUL). September 2022.

However, it also allows airports, airlines and ground We, as a connected all, will
handlers to be more effective, resourceful and definitely provide a deeper
liable. This resolution will permit us to follow and
understanding of the integrity of
track the bags at key points and respond efficiently
the baggage handling system, be able to grant
to baggage disruptions.
According to a recent report by flight a better service, reduce the numbers of
compensation firm Claim Compass, 5% of the mishandled bags, and perform at our best
4.8 billion bags handled are irretrievably lost.
This is a huge amount of bags that will never get
to arrivals. traceable. The recollection of the data provided
The implementation of IATA Resolution 753 by those key points of tracking can be easily
allows us to collect data that will be combined, shared with the airline, ground handlers and even
at one point, with the newest, most powerful passengers so you can effectively know where your
and efficient AI tools. These tools will allow us bag is at all times.
SARA BRANCO to minimise loss of luggage and optimise work In today’s fast-paced and over-connected world,
environments, enabling us to track the bags travellers, airlines and ground handlers expect
From check-in to gate,
systematically, treat the information, and give a seamless experience from booking to arrival.
from supervision to
management, from a
it effectively to the airlines. Therefore, we, as Airports must therefore adapt, upgrade and follow
multi-national ground a connected all, will definitely provide a deeper the trends to be as responsive as they are expected
company, to a Geneva understanding of the integrity of the baggage to be. For that, airports must adapt, convene,
Airport employee, Sara handling system, be able to grant a better service, and modify procedures and infrastructures, and
has more than 10 years
reduce the numbers of mishandled bags, and increase the capability of response to follow-up the
of expertise in aviation.
Her expertise is required
perform at our best. demands and mobilisation that this IATA resolution
in the challenging The four key points of tracking, per Resolution 753 compliance demands.
project of implementing 753, are check-in, ramp, delivery to transfer and Moreover, we surely will do, so our passengers
a new baggage system arrivals. This means that as soon as you give your and airlines, as well as our ground handlers, can
compliant with the new
bag at check-in, until it returns to you at arrivals at rely on us to connect travellers throughout the
security standards.
your final destination, your bag will be tracked and world without the worry of losing their bags!

4 internationalairportreview.com
 ALIX: THE AI-POWERED SOLUTION
FOR UNIDENTIFIABLE LUGGAGE
ALIX provides each bag with an augmented digital tag. This enables operators to quickly
identify bags that have lost their physical tags using the bag’s photo. ALIX is scalable,
rapidly operational in the field, and interfaces with existing IT systems.

All elements are securely

combined to create the
augmented digital tag
Photo of the bag

Travel data

The barcode of
the physical tag

Contact us to learn more:

https://www.idemia.com/get-touch/
 IN-DEPTH FOCUS | BAGGAGE HANDLING
© CPH

Below: Optimised ATR scanners in CPH.

Optimisation of baggage
infrastructure at
Copenhagen Airport
Samuel í Hjøllum Rude, Senior Director at Copenhagen Airport, shares how optimisation
has increased the utilisation of the baggage infrastructure at the airport, allowing for
future growth without adding physical infrastructure.

C
Based on machine OPENHAGEN AIRPORT’S (CPH) of growth was absorbed using the same
main sortation facility for outbound main sortation facility. In an earlier article
learning, the algorithm
baggage turned 25 years old in April. for International Airport Review, we showed
predicts when the
When taken into operation in 1996, how we combine change management and
first- and the last bag CPH had 16.8 million passengers. In 2019, algorithms to optimise. In this article, I will
is off-loaded at more than 30 million travelled through CPH. show how we have maximised utilisation of the
the belt. In other words, thanks to optimisation, 80% baggage infrastructure.

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 International Airport Review | Volume 27, Issue 02

© CPH
1 2 3 4 5 6

 Check-in &
bag-drop
Baggage
take away
Hold Baggage
Screening
Storage &
Sortation
Chute & hall
operation
Baggage delivery
to aircraft 
11A EU transfer via BHS EU transfer Tail-to-Tail
Odd size: Bag-drop
8
11B Odd size: Transfer
12
Transfer offload & Track &
take away Trace
11C
Odd size: Make-up

11D Odd size: Arrival

7 9 10

 Baggage delivery
from aircraft
Arrival offload &
take away
Presentation &
reclaim 

Old, but well maintained aircraft is at the stand. Ideally, from a capacity
The baggage infrastructure in CPH is conveyor utilisation perspective, the arrival belt had been
based. Our main facility has lane-based Early assigned when the baggage was ready to be
Baggage Storage (EBS) and two double-stacked tilt off‑loaded. However, many airports use fixed rules
tray sortation machines from Crisplant (Beumer). when allocating arrival belts, i.e. the flights are
The sorters have been re-controlled, so we are now at the same belt day after day. At Copenhagen
using a high-level control from Vanderlande. On the Airport, an algorithm is doing the job. Based on
arrival side, we have six belts available. machine learning, the algorithm predicts when
the first- and the last bag is off-loaded at the belt.
LEAN is at the heart of our operation Using this prediction, the arrival belt is then assigned
The most important part of our optimisation by an advanced algorithm in real time. We aim to
journey is not technical solutions, but the minimise instances with overlaps, i.e. more flights on
introduction of our morning LEAN board meetings. the same belt simultaneously. A user interface shows
Here, representatives from the baggage department the result to the control room operator in a Gannt
gather to evaluate the daily KPIs. An essential chart. It allows us to act and implement any special
purpose is also to share information and coordinate needs in the allocation. As a result, the capacity is
maintenance and projects to be executed in used most effectively, and the passenger experience
a structured manner. The setup is simple and used is improved.
in many other industries. However, I have yet to see In addition, a nice feature we have developed
it in airports other than CPH. with our supplier is a ‘what-if scenario tool’. This tool
The idea is that we have five KPIs, all reflecting allows us to ‘play’ with future scenarios. For example,
critical steps crucial to the quality of our delivery. we can see what impact changes in flight schedules
If a KPI is below the target (red), we have supporting or infrastructure have on our capacity and service
numbers leading us to the root cause, which is then level. The scenario tool has been valuable in
addressed by an action. This approach helps us planning our upcoming Terminal 3 Airside project.
to build a data-driven culture where we base our In this project, we also extend the model to include
solutions on facts rather than gut feeling. It also helps the allocation of off‑loading transfer stations to
us build operational standards and share knowledge minimise minimum connection time.
across the team to optimise effectiveness and
quality incrementally. This is useful for control room Optimisation from check-in to sortation
operators and management in our department. It is Arrival allocation is just one example where the This approach
not only the culture which has become more data- process has been optimised in the existing BHS. helps us to build
based, but also our approach to allocating resources. In addition, more initiatives have been taken when a data‑driven culture
looking at the baggage process, such as:
where we base
Allocation of arrival belts ● At check-in, an algorithm has been
When a plane arrives at an airport, the passenger implemented on the PLC level. It maximises the
our solutions on
must know where to pick up their luggage. utilisation of the takeaway belt while balancing facts rather than
Therefore, airports allocate arrival belts when the and minimising the wait time for passengers gut feeling
@IntAirport
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 IN-DEPTH FOCUS | BAGGAGE HANDLING
© CPH

Optimised ATR scanners in CPH

Learnings from our work with optimisation

Copenhagen Airport's 25-year-old main sortation facility. As I mentioned earlier, the main sortation
facility has now turned 25 years old. I have
given some selected optimisation examples
from Copenhagen Airport, which have allowed
We can see what impact us many years of growth without adding
changes in flight schedules infrastructure.
or infrastructure have on our Some of the main learnings we have made along
capacity and service level the way, are how important it is to build a culture
pushing optimisation forward. Having a close and
honest dialogue with the ground handlers at the
● The tracking on the conveyor-based system airport has also been paramount to our success.
has been improved by adding extra cameras Lastly, we have benefitted from using ideas outside
SAMUEL Í HJØLLUM RUDE to the Automatic Tag Readers (ATRs) and more our own industry.
ATRs in critical places. This has also improved
Samuel is Senior Director the read rate, which reduces the volumes for Terminal 3 Airside Project – the
at Copenhagen Airports
manual encoding upcoming expansion of CPH
responsible for baggage
● We have implemented Optical Caracter Everything is not optimisation, however.
operations, maintenance,
and automatisation. Recognition (OCR) and remote video coding on During COVID-19, we added a small sortation
Before joining Copenhagen manual encoding facility; we expect to have a departure capacity of
Airport, Samuel worked ● When allocating make-up positions, we use 35‑40 million passengers.
with operations in the
an algorithm for tactical planning. Using this, On arrival, we are executing one of the most
parcel delivery industry for
we forecast the expected baggage volumes on significant projects in CPH’s history. It will add
companies such as DPD
and PostNord. He holds future flights; this determines the number of approximately 2.5km of conveyor belts to our
a Business Administration make-up positions and the opening time existing system. Our reclaim hall has expanded
diploma and an Executive of the chutes, which the algorithm distributes significantly, and we will add five more reclaim
MBA from Copenhagen
in the baggage sortation facility. This maximises carousels and a new solution for transferring
Business School.
how we utilise our main sortation facility. baggage – building CPH for the next generation.

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 IN-DEPTH FOCUS | BAGGAGE HANDLING

EXPERT VIEW
Investing in tech to tackle lost luggage
Laurent Ismert, Product Manager at IDEMIA, discusses how an AI-based technological
solution provides value to the air travel industry to enhance luggage handling.

I
T’S NO SECRET that luggage handling remains Innovative technology is here to solve the
a major issue for travellers, airlines, and problem. The move to an AI-based baggage system
airports. In the 2022 IATA Global Passenger that provides each checked-in bag with its unique
Survey Highlights, baggage collection continues augmented digital tag is proving to be a cost-
to be a source of both stress and dissatisfaction in efficient and high-reliability solution for both airlines
air travel. And for good reason–of those surveyed, and airports. Augmented tags automate the lost-
two in five have had their bags mishandled. luggage search process and dramatically increase
When one in five express dissatisfactions with the repatriation of lost luggage to their owners.
the luggage services provided by the airlines and We’ve seen impressive results in our partnership
airports, it is understandable why travellers are with Air France in developing an innovative, AI-
either avoiding checking in their bags altogether powered solution for unidentifiable luggage: ALIX™
or taking matters into their own hands by placing (Augmented Luggage Identification eXperience). LAURENT ISMERT
Bluetooth tracking devices inside their luggage. This brand-new solution is built around two
Laurent has worked in the
In an era of extraordinary advancements in components: ALIX™ Arch, a high-quality image
engineering, programme
artificial intelligence (AI), luggage handling has capture device that helps create the augmented and product management
unfortunately been left behind for too long. digital luggage tag by taking images of the bag, in his over 20 years at
Today, the industry is primed for a major shift and ALIX™ Core, a cloud-based SaaS platform that IDEMIA. He designed and
in how luggage is handled, tracked, and secured identifies the bag and retrieves the augmented managed the delivery of
biometric solutions for
throughout its complex travel journey. digital luggage tag.
governmental agencies
Using luggage tags embedded with RFID chips In 2022, Air France began testing the ALIX™ in the public security and
(for radio-frequency identification) improves tracking solution at CDG. The airline’s trial of ALIX™ increased identity sector throughout
and security. However, this technology solution alone luggage identification at a fraction of the costs of the world. The variety of
doesn’t solve the most critical issue–the more than manual processes. By automating the process, Air its projects went from
large scale biometric
one million pieces of luggage lost worldwide. France employees could quickly process luggage
identification systems
True, baggage tracking is a welcome service that had lost its physical tag and repatriate them for person identification
appreciated by air passengers, but the benefits are lost to their owners faster. The trial was so successful to biometric passenger
when the physical tag goes missing. This is when the that Air France is expanding the solution to cover all facilitation solutions for
real headache for all parties gets even tougher to solve. checked-in luggage at its hub platform in CDG. airlines and airports. More
recently, he launched ALIX,
Annually, at Air France’s hub in Roissy Charles de As we’ve seen in the development and
an innovative solution for
Gaulle (CDG) Airport in Paris, more than 20,000 bags deployment of ALIX™, the key to success is the luggage identification for
lose their physical tag. Even after a complex seamless integration of the hardware and software the air travel industry.
investigation by the airline to locate their owners, solution within existing IT operational systems and
several thousands of bags remain definitively baggage handling areas. The ALIX™ solution aims
unidentifiable. to address issues of baggage handling and to fill in
Unidentifiable bags incur substantial costs in the gray areas of current technical solutions.
employee manpower and compensation to travellers, Airlines and airports invest heavily in improving
in addition to the negative impact on brand image and the reliability of baggage handling systems.
customer satisfaction. And as witnessed post‑COVID, Complementary and innovative solutions such as
travellers are speaking out and demanding a ALIX™ will allow them to address the many use
technology-based approach to luggage management. cases related to the issues of baggage handling.

@IntAirport 9