The Airports Authority of India (AAI), which manages 125 airports across the country, has implemented a new baggage management system at Chennai International Airport and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata.
The technology, provided by air transport technology provider SITA, gives real-time information on the status of passengers’ baggage, which helps to reduce mishandling issues. SITA’s BagManager system can help reduce mishandled luggage by 20%, leading to a better passenger experience for many travelers. In 2014, mishandled bags cost the global air transport industry a total of US$2.4bn.
Ravi Prakash, executive director, AAI, said, “Every passenger expects their luggage to arrive with them at their destination but sometimes weather, or other adverse conditions, can mean that bags don’t make flight connections. The implementation of SITA’s baggage technology will minimize disruption and provide better service to passengers. Kolkata and Chennai are the first of 38 airports where this world-class system has been implemented. This is part of a strategic partnership with SITA to implement state-of-the-art ICT solutions at airports to cope with the growth of passenger traffic in India, which is expected to be the third largest aviation market by 2023.”
More than one hundred handheld devices have been issued to workers at the two airports, which will allow them to scan baggage tags anywhere and provide information on the location of each and every bag. SITA’s system will help AAI to determine which passengers have boarded and which bags have been loaded, producing reports to highlight mismatches. The system will ensure proactive monitoring of the baggage process, enabling problems to be identified and resolved before a flight departs.
Maneesh Jaikrishna, vice president, India and subcontinent, SITA, said, “SITA’s baggage management solution is in use at more than 150 airports worldwide and is proven to cut the rate of baggage mishandling by as much as a fifth. The successful implementation at Kolkata and Chennai are the first in this major phased roll-out for the AAI.
“Investment in this system demonstrates the AAI’s dedication to improving the passenger experience with better baggage management. It also means that airlines operating at these AAI-run airports will be better able to comply with the new international regulation from IATA (Resolution 753) which requires bags to be tracked throughout their journey.”