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BAA: BAA and Emirates invest in RFID technology to transform baggage
handling at Heathrow
(M2 PressWIRE Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge)
RDATE:13022008
BAA and Emirates Airline today announced the launch of the UK's largest
RFID (radio-frequency identification) baggage trial, which could
revolutionise the way bags are tracked and monitored at Heathrow
Airport.
As part of BAA's ongoing investment plans, Heathrow, the world's
busiest international airport has begun a 6 month trial of RFID
techonolgy for Emirates passengers. The new system tracks bags at every
stage of their journey and is an enormous step forward in baggage
handling and a UK first.
The GBP150,000 trial will test the effectiveness and benefits of RFID
against the airport's existing barcode tracking system. The trial is
expected to track around 50,000 bags per month for passengers
travelling with Emirates to and from Dubai, and transferring through
Heathrow. A duplicate of the Heathrow system has been installed at
Dubai Aiport.
Stephen Challis, Head of Product Development, BAA Heathrow said, "We
are committed to working with the airline community to develop
innovative baggage handling solutions for Heathrow.
"We are extremely excited by this project which will track bags at
every stage of their journey and could significantly improve the
efficiency of Heathrow's baggage system, delivering an improved service
to both passengers and airlines alike. In partnership with the airline
community, the technology could be rolled out across the airport,
transforming the way airlines handle baggage."
Vic Sheppard, Emirates Vice President for UK and Ireland, said: "This
trial enables us to embrace the latest technology for the benefit of
our customers. The volume of baggage processed at airports is
increasing with more people around the world flying each year, and it
is important to Emirates that we look at innovation and using new
baggage handling and tracking systems, to help give that extra level of
reassurance for our customers."
"We are delighted to participate in this trial with BAA, and believe
our investment in this trial is a small price to pay to give Emirates'
customers greater piece of mind both now and in the future."
RFID equipment has been installed at nine Emirates check-in desks, with
staff applying tags containing RFID chips to bags as part of the normal
check-in process. The chips contain stored information including the
passengers name and route. In addition to the embedded RFID chips,
these tags will also continue to display the traditional bar code.
The chips are read as they pass through Heathrow's baggage system,
enabling effective sorting, security screening and delivery to the
aircraft. Arriving bags are read on entry to the baggage system and
receipted in to the system for effective tracking.
Departing passengers will be invited by BAA staff to voluntarily
register their mobile telephone details, which will enable them to
receive a text message alert on arrival at Heathrow with details of
their baggage reclaim belt.
About RFID
-- Heathrow will be the largest European airport to test the technology
and the first in the UK.
--RFID stands for radio-frequency identification. It has many
different applications and has been used in logistics management and
retail amongst others.
--Trials at other airports are encouraging and have proved that RFID
tags almost emlinate misreads, significantly improving the efficiency
of the baggage system, helping the airline to track bags end to end and
improve the passenger experience.
--There is the potential to further enhance the effetiveness of RFID
with a higher capacity chip that can store more information than the
basic model. This could mean that each bag will travel with its own
RFID passport' containing extensive passenger data.
--The enhanced chip will not be introduced in the initial trail but
could be used in future applications, if RFID is extended at the
airport.
About Heathrow's existing baggage system
--Heathrow airport currently uses traditional barcode readers to track
bags (an industry standard across the world).
--Paper tags, with bar codes, are attached to bags at check-in and
read by barcode readers to determine key data including the bag's
route, passenger's name, airline etc. This ensures the bag reaches the
aircraft on depature and the correct baggage reclaim belt on arrival.
--The current barcode system results in a small number of bags being
misread and requiring further action - i.e. a manual check by BAA and
airline staff. This does not result in a lost bag - it simply requires
additional processing by an airport or airline member of staff.
--The number of bags that are misread, requiring additional
processing, significantly rise for transferring bags.
--Misreads occurs for a number of reasons -for example, the tags can
become creased, damaged or wet and are unable to be read or poor print
production of the label at the issuing airport.
--Misreads are costly for both BAA and the airlines as additional
infrastructure and staff are required to double handle' bags.
--It is hoped that RFID will almost eliminate misreads - improving
efficiency, reducing lost bags and delivering an improved service to
passengers.
CONTACT: BAA press office
Tel: +44 (0)208 745 7224
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