Airlines aim to lose fewer bags with new RFID baggage tags

By Chris C., June 12 2019
Airlines aim to lose fewer bags with new RFID baggage tags

Whether taking a non-stop flight or transiting from one aircraft to the next, having a barcoded tag attached to your baggage is a staple of travel the world over: but that could soon change, with new contactless RFID baggage tags set to replace the humble barcode.

According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA) – which represents some 290 airlines spanning 82% of global air traffic – changing to RFID baggage tags will not only make it easier for airlines to keep track of baggage, it’s also expected to reduce the number of bags that go astray.

RFID is the same wireless technology used by Qantas with its Q Bag Tags on Australian domestic flights, although IATA’s planned implementation would be as universal as the current baggage barcodes: being both recognised and readable by airports and airlines across the globe.

“We’ve been able to improve the processes of baggage to a certain point,” shares IATA’s Senior Vice President Airports, Passenger, Cargo & Security Nick Careen at the IATA AGM in Seoul, “but to be able to get to the next level, we need to track them 100% of the time.”

“Passengers want to arrive with their bags, and on the rare occasion when that does not happen, they want to know exactly where their bag is,” adds Alexandre de Juniac, IATA's Director General and CEO.

Switching to contactless baggage tags would assist airlines and airports not just in locating and loading bags faster, but also identifying potential baggage ‘mishandlings’ – such as when a bag is left behind, or has been sent towards the wrong aircraft – by triggering alerts at the airport and with the appropriate ground handling staff, who could take immediate action to get the bag back on-track.

IATA shares that in 2018, less than 0.06% of the estimated 4.3 billion bags carried by airlines were mishandled, with 99.9% of mishandled bags returned to their owners within two days.

When fully-utilised, the change to RFID baggage tags – combined with those airport-based alerts – would further reduce the industry’s error rate by 25%, says IATA, representing a quarter of all bags currently delayed or lost simply arriving on the belt as planned in the future: and when bags are delayed, would help locate and return them more quickly.

That said, it’s ultimately up to airlines and airports to roll out the technology, and while IATA anticipates this could be achieved globally within four years, the industry body has not set a firm rollout timeline for its members.

“All of our airlines want to do this,” continues Careen. “So instead of putting hard dates on it, as the business case is sound, and our customers want it as well, we believe that’s it not necessary to set a date.”

Chris Chamberlin attended the IATA AGM in Seoul as a guest of IATA.

Chris C.

Chris is a a former contributor to Executive Traveller.

Singapore Airlines - KrisFlyer

14 Jan 2014

Total posts 341

The preverbal “holy grail” of lost bags? One would hope so, however I still have my doubts about this being implemented seamlessly.. imagine some sort of duel system with backup barcodes in place for many years still to come.

Delta Air Lines - SkyMiles

16 Oct 2017

Total posts 157

How do you get a RFID bag tag from a check-in kiosk?

Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards

13 Dec 2015

Total posts 30

Great idea. However, carousel baggage pickup still seems too trust based. Maybe someone can develop a more secure system.

07 Jan 2014

Total posts 42

HKG has been using RFID tags for years. The chip is imbedded in the unexposed adhesive part of the tag.

QFF

19 Sep 2013

Total posts 203

It wouldn't be too difficult to embed a programmable contactless tag within each new case sold, and this tag could be programmed with airline and flight details at the airport. So no tags to fall off and be lost.

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

25 Nov 2016

Total posts 65

RFID chips are cheap and easy. Same as the ones used on parcels that are shipped, scanned and delivered throughout the world. Why not baggage? I'm told the majority of lost baggage is due to human error. One Singaporean baggage handler is doing time for purposely misdirecting bags. Regarding trust at the carousal, a tourist was recently arrested in BKK airport for stealing bags. Bring on the RFID tags.


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