Siemens to supply BHS for biggest airport in Northwestern China

Siemens Mobility has been awarded an order from the China West Airport Group, one of China’s major airport operators, for a baggage handling system in the new Terminal 3 of Xi’an Xianyang International Airport. The order is worth Euro 20 million (US$27.2 million). Siemens is to supply the BHS, including the departure and arrival systems, together with the material flow IT system. The project is due to be completed by early 2012.

Covering an area of over 5km², Xi’an Xianyang International Airport is physically the largest airport in Northwestern China. It is in Shaanxi Province and currently serves 79 national and international destinations. In 2008 the airport handled nearly 12 million passengers. Terminal 1 was built in 1991, with Terminal 2 following in 2003. Due to increasing passenger numbers the China West Airport Group is planning to build a third terminal. From 2020 Xi’an Xianyang will be able to handle up to 31 million passengers a year a year. The operating company is owned by the People’s Government of Shaanxi Province and runs a total of 11 airports in China.

The BHS will include a departure and arrival system as well as an early bag store with a 1,000 bag capacity. The departure system will comprise four check-in islands with a total of 80 counters and three check-in counters with integrated hold baggage screening. Two tilt-tray sorters covering an overall handling distance of 1km will ensure 100 percent fail safety of the sorting system. It will feed 27 terminal points and four make-up carousels. Nine inclined carousels will be installed in the arrivals hall of the new terminal.

A separate transfer line will transport transit passengers’ bags reliably and securely straight from their incoming airplanes to their connecting flights. The whole baggage handling system will be controlled by Siemens’ material flow IT system.

8 February 2010