ACRP Problem Statement No. 14-07-01 Recommended Allocation: -- ACRP Airport Baggage Handling Opportunity ACRP Staff Comments: US Airways is now offering real-time baggage tracking to their customers. The proposed research should consider ACRP Report 30: Reference Guide on Understanding Common Use at Airports; ACRP Report 41: Current Status and Future Implications of Passenger Self-Tagging; and ACRP Report 61: Elimination or Reduction of Baggage Recheck for Arriving International Passengers. The scope and budget of the proposed research are significantly greater than those of a typical ACRP project. Recommend limiting the effort to exploring the need, benefits, challenges, and feasibility of implementing the proposed approach to tracking baggage, and reducing the funding to $300,000. TRB Aviation Group Committees Comments: AIRCRAFT/AIRPORT COMPATIBILITY: An expensive study to develop a proprietary product. A study of baggage handling methodology would be more appropriate to ACRP. AVIATION SECURITY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT: Not supported. The Research Proposed focuses on research to develop a working model of a baggage handling system using Smart Bag Tag which will track bags, assist in locating bags, alert staff if baggage not loaded correctly, identify a bag for security personnel to track, and change the flight itinerary on the tag. This is a massive, multi-agency RESEARCH project. This should be proposed to the FAA Tech Center Atlantic City, not to TRB as an ACRP project. AIRPORT TERMINALS AND GROUND ACCESS: Not supported. A tremendous amount of research has already been done on this topic. Yes, a common global baggage system based on RFID technology would be useful, but TRB doesn't manufacture hardware and create software to run it as was suggested in the proposal. In addition, something like this needs the written support of the A4A, IATA, and ACI in order to legitimately move forward in a TRB setting. The problem statement is seeking funding to implement a demonstration of a baggage handling concept apparently developed by the person submitting the problem statement. This is the function of venture capital firms, not the ACRP. Furthermore, the funding level appears totally unrealistic for what is being proposed, and the idea that the baggage handling challenges that cost the airline industry over $1 billion per year can be easily solved through the use of readily available technology is rather naive. Review Panel Comments: Not recommended. The scope of this problem statement is broad, the budget and time seem unrealistic, and the objective is to develop a product, which isn't what ACRP does. Additionally, who would own the developed software and hardware? How would this benefit airports directly? How would it integrate into airline operations?
ACRP Airport Baggage Handling Opportunity Summary: ACRP Problem Number: 14-07-01 This is a project to move passenger baggage handling into the 21st century. While baggage handling performance is presently at an all time high, it is unlikely to get significantly better using the technology that airlines use today. This project will develop a baggage handling system which can be used worldwide, and will enable customers, airlines, and interested agencies (such as CBP, TSA, Security personnel, etc.) to track baggage as it moves through hubs and airports. Most importantly, it will enable airlines to change baggage itineraries at the same time that they re-route their owners - without searching for the bags and rewriting the tags. The bag tags will update simultaneously with the passenger PNR (Passenger Name Record), and with the issuance of new boarding cards. This project is being promoted in the airport community as more airlines move into Common Use Terminal Equipment (C.U.T.E.) provided by airports, and it will give airports an advantage in handling customers while generating more revenue for airports. (Note - since this is an industry-wide system rather than a system for one airline or group of airlines it will have a greater impact on the travelling public. It will have a significant return on investment (ROI) for airports)
1 A project to move passenger bag handling into the 21st century to assist Law Enforcement, customers, airlines and airports totally eliminate the Lost Bag. 2 While baggage handling performance is at an all time high there are still far too many incidents where bags are lost, delayed, mis-routed or cause security incidents the technology exists today to eliminate virtually all of these problems, especially during episodes of major disruption, such as natural disasters, storms, hurricanes, tornadoes, etc. (The cost incurred by airlines as a result of delayed / lost / disrupted baggage in 2005 was $3Bn (not a misprint!)) The present day bag tag is designed for one time use. Locating that bag after entry into baggage handling systems is difficult, and changing the itinerary on the tag requires manually locating the bag, writing over the information already printed on the tag, or issuing a new tag. All of these processes are labor intensive. 3. A Smart Bag Tag, similar in appearance to presently used bag tags but incorporating recent innovations, such as electronic paper and RFID systems will track bags, assist in locating them, alert loading staff if the bag was not loaded correctly, quickly identify the bag for security personnel who could physically but remotely track the bag, and automatically change the itinerary on the bag tag if required by the passenger or airline as in the case of flight disruptions. Such a system would have significant benefits to all parties involved - Airports, Security, (Customs and Border Protection, TSA, local police, and other branches of Law Enforcement), airlines, and customers. 4 Develop a working model in a hub airport of a system to demonstrate the capabilities inherent in this proposal. More specific details follow.
5 The estimated funding required to develop this project, manufacture the hardware, create the software, write the procedures and processes for all affected parties listed above and measure the benefits is estimated to be approximately $800,000.00. Funding is required to build the hardware and software for the following elements:- a) Bag tag printers b) Bag tag readers c) Build airport infrastructure either separate to, or co-located with present airport automation. c) Manufacture electronic paper bag tags, with RFID capability d) Provide each airport and/or airport terminal with a Local Area Network (LAN) to support that specific airport baggage handling system, and to communicate with other world-wide systems. e) Develop Baggage Handling Procedures compatible with each airlines, airports, and government agencies requirements. f) Develop training materials for all users (Airlines, Airports, Agencies) g) Write software for baggage handling system to communicate with airline computer (reservations) systems. h) Obtain airline approvals. i) Obtain CBP, TSA, and appropriate agency approvals. It should be noted that the technology and equipment needed to accomplish the objectives here all exist today. Electronic paper is widely used. An electronic boarding pass, similar in concept to the proposed bag tag is is use in a major European airport today. RFID tags are in common use. The radio frequencies required for the link between the bag tag and the airport computer systems are also in use, and meet F.C.C. and F.A.A, requirements. 6 It is expected that this project will take approximately 2 years to bring to fruition.
7 The problem is well known amongst customers, airlines, airports and agencies. Airlines have studied this problem for years. Industry trade groups, such as the International Air Transport Association (IATA) have also worked on this problem. Proposals have been rejected because they were a) too expensive, b) respective airlines couldn t agree with each other on a common approach, c) the available technology was deficient. This project will succeed because it will bring all interested parties to one common table, and it will eliminate a multi-billion $ problem 8 This project is the work of one consultancy -. Principal - Edward J Jacob 9 Submitted by: Edward J Jacob Principal.