BAA and Emirates Invest in RFID Technology to Transform Baggage Handling at Heathrow

    Feb. 14, 2008
    Heathrow has begun a 6-month trial of RFID technology for Emirates passengers.

    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

    ((M2 Communications Ltd disclaims all liability for information provided within M2 PressWIRE. Data supplied by named party/parties. Further information on M2 PressWIRE can be obtained at http://www.presswire.net on the world wide web. Inquiries to [email protected])).