Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport has launched a trial run of a color-coded baggage management system to improve ground crew efficiency in delivering luggage to arriving passengers, with plans to launch the full system in the second quarter of next year.
The system scans bar codes on luggage and groups bags from the same airplane under a corresponding color that airline companies will choose themselves, the airport said.
The luggage are then transferred onto a conveyor belt and LEDs placed along the carousel light up in the corresponding color, the airport said, adding that it spent NT$5 million (US$165,415) for the test system.
Photo: Tony Yao, Taipei Times
Compared with the traditional method in which ground crew manually check luggage tags and place the bags on conveyor belts, the system will hopefully expedite the sorting process, as ground crew will be able to recognize flights by their color, the airport said.
Currently, ground crew can sort luggage coming from up to three airplanes, it said.
The new system can sort luggage coming from up to six airplanes at a time, the airport said.
The system can process luggage during peak hours at a considerable speed, the airport said.
Peak arrival time at Terminal 2 is between 6am and 9am, and comprises 40 percent of daily baggage handling, the airport said, adding that every luggage carousel services two to three airplanes during the period.
The system has been installed on a carousel in Terminal 2 for a trial run, the airport said, adding that a entire system for the entire airport, including the lights, would cost NT$100 million.
The system would be able to indicate misplaced baggage using a red light and notify ground crew by displaying a picture of the misplaced baggage, so they can respond immediately, the airport said.
The trial phase has been smooth so far, but whether the system would be able to process baggage at full capacity would be determined on the day it is implemented, the airport said.
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