Baggage handling systems at airports use conveyor belts and computer networks to route bags to the appropriate flights. They can handle thousands of bags per hour and require specialized maintenance. These systems have improved efficiency and reduced lost baggage.
One of the first things most travelers do upon arriving at the airport is check in all their bags. Tags are added at the baggage check-in desk, bags are placed on a baggage carousel, and that’s the last time most people see their bags until they arrive at their destination. Depending on the system in use at a particular airport, a baggage handler may simply provide support to human baggage handlers by moving the baggage closer to the planes. Alternatively, the baggage handling system can be almost fully automated and not only move bags, but can also provide tracking and tracing information and assist in locating specific bags.
A baggage handling system is essentially a series of conveyor belts that move bags through the airport to designated points. In more advanced systems, the bags are routed by a computer network that identifies the tags placed on the bags at check-in. These tags provide flight information, and the computerized system sends each bag to the appropriate baggage handling point for each flight. Baggage that needs to be transferred when passengers change planes is grouped together and can be quickly unloaded and redirected to staging points.
Most passengers have a very simplified view of what a baggage handler is made up of, based on the little bits and pieces they see at the check-in counter and arrival area. A baggage handler at a major airport may have miles or miles of belts, may be two or more stories tall, and is capable of handling many thousands of bags every hour. The belts transport the bags to the appropriate destinations where everything is loaded into containers which are then loaded onto the planes.
Maintaining an airport’s baggage handling system is a highly specialized and complex task. The Siemens system that was installed in Madrid in 2006, for example, has over 12,000 parts that need regular maintenance. It also has about 59 miles (about 95 km) of belts, including over 1 mile (about 1.6 km) of belts running through a tunnel between buildings. If one part fails, the system is configured with enough redundancy to allow bags to continue moving to their destinations with minimal delays.
Highly efficient computerized baggage handlers are essential for most modern airports, especially those with terminals handling dozens of flights at a time. Such systems have transformed baggage handling from a logistical nightmare where each piece of baggage was handled by hand into a simple and easy-to-manage activity. The result is fewer lost bags and fewer planes able to leave on time.
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