Baggage Debate - Most efficient methods? (Processing times & delivery to stand)

Hey all,

Quite a simple query really. A large airport say across half the length of the large map size, or most the way across the smaller size. Imagine the terminal at one side, the stand is at the other (either remote, or satellite gates)

Which open is most efficient for ensuring baggage loading is on time and prevents a delay?

Option A - Baggage bay is nearer the terminal. Short baggage conveyor belt journey, but longer baggage truck drive to the stand

Option B - Baggage bay is nearer the stand. Long baggage conveyor belt journey, but shorter baggage trust drive to the stand.

Also, what are your experiences of the baggage truck assigned to a stand or a depot, one or multiple baggage trucks per stand, also avoiding it from taking the arrival baggage to the bay and driving back, without being timed nicely to bring the departure baggage back to the stand in one return trip back and forward :wink:

I’ve experimented with these different set ups, curious which you find most efficient for avoiding delays with turnarounds, particularly in larger airports where 10-20 game minutes can make a big difference to a backlog.

I find option B works best - passengers are checking in long before the aircraft even arrives, so the additional conveyor belt journey time for departing bags doesn’t matter. It does mean for arriving bags passengers will be waiting at the baggage claim, but this is also true for the other option

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It is realistic! (I have a history of long waiting times)


I agree, plan B is better, and you should see some of my baggage belt lengths

I prefer the bays below the main building/baggage claim area.
Most stands have a own baggage cart for arrival bags and for departure bags, several carts are parked next to the baggage bay.

I have no issues with delays for departing bags. They have straight direct routs with less courves to reach the stands.

Reason for the centralized baggage area: the ramp agent shift change. I dont want them to walk across the entire terminal, they are coming from a close by staff room which is also used for serving the remote service car stops.

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Probably option B - high-speed belts are a thing for the long conveyors to/from the terminal facilities…

I find one baggage car per stand, stored in parking lots, are an adequate quantity to have available.

So I have tested and re-tested the baggage system and I found that tilt trays are a very sophisticated piece of the conveyor system

For the big airports, I employ the ‘silicon baggage chip’. Using the smart tilt trays, you can actually have baggage that is departing AND arriving on the same belts.

Here is my latest baggage area. Note the square ‘chip’ in the middle - That chip accepts all the incoming baggage and all the incoming baggage and distributes it using the tilt trays,

I have 20 baggage bays, 24 baggage claims and 56 check in desks and self checkin kiosks attached to this one ‘chip’

Try using something like that and you baggage systems will become a lot more organized and efficient

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