Airports are under increasing pressure to provide more efficient Hold Baggage Screening (HBS). Whilst the space and capacity available to airports remains fixed, the needs of passengers and airlines are growing as the number of passengers travelling through airports rises year on year.
AiQ Consulting have been able to work with several leading airport operators and contractors in order to improve Hold Baggage Screening at some of the world’s busiest airports. Our experienced team, along with our bespoke modeling tools and stakeholder management skills, has seen us recognised as an worldwide authority in baggage systems.
How can airports improve Hold Baggage Screening?
There is a lot to consider when improving HBS, including new technology, automation, Early Bag Stores (EBS), and the ECAC Hold Baggage Screening security standard 3, which needs to be in place in all airports by 2018. How do airports decide what to put in place? How can they manage the transition to new machinery, passenger flows, and possible disruption to schedules?
One example of where forward thinking technology was introduced in a considered and effective way is the T3 Integrated Baggage Facility (T3IB) at London Heathrow . This modern, unique facility provides the latest baggage handling system technology, the first of its kind in the UK. Hold baggage is built using automation, along with conventional methods, increasing capacity, flexibility, and efficiency throughout the terminal.
As operational planners for the T3IB project, AiQ Consulting planned the transition of all airlines and ground handlers based in the old baggage hall into the new state of the art facility over a 12-month period.
The new facility meant adapting to new ways of working, stepping away from traditional conventional baggage building to new compressed baggage building. As well as allocating flights and handlers in dedicated parts of the hall whilst protecting the ‘Live Operation’, planning also had to take place to build flights using semi and full automation within the new automation facility.
Find out more about Hold Baggage Screening
Automation is just one option to improve HBS. Our new whitepaper, ‘New Ways of Thinking’ reviews developments in HBS and explores the benefits and challenges that they bring. We look at the typical baggage handling process, the challenges that impact the efficiency and capacity of a baggage handling system and how Early Bag Stores can improve performance and customer experience. Request your copy now .