Baggage Processes

This chapter will be of particular interest to Airlines, Baggage Handlers, and Baggage Systems personnel, who would like to understand the processes and messages in the context of the Baggage Information Exchange. Detailed guidance is provided on the Baggage Main Processes, Baggage Journey and Baggage Handling functions with associated roles and message types. This will enable interested parties to understand better:

• How Baggage Journey relates to Main Baggage Processes and how Baggage Tasks fit in

• What each process classification means in the context of Baggage Journey steps, and how they can be mapped onto an existing organization’s processes and procedures.

• What each role represents, and how they can be mapped onto an existing organization’s roles, which are likely to have widely varying titles and responsibilities.

• What each baggage message type means, and under what circumstances they should be produced.

Overview

Baggage handling involves processes that support bags departing from their original location, arriving at the destination, and where applicable, arriving and departing at a station to transfer from one vehicle to another e.g. when a bag transfers from one flight to another. Often bags are moved in a baggage cart, or in a baggage ULD.

Throughout the journey, a bag, a baggage cart, a baggage ULD undergoes many different processes, usually under the control of multiple parties at different stages, which may include one or more of: the Passenger, Crew, Airline carrier, Baggage handler, Airport operator, Baggage security operators, Courier companies, Customs officials and other regulatory bodies.

Each party plays a significant role in the baggage journey. It is important to recognise that a particular organisation may play more than one role, or that different organisations may play the same role. E.g. in some Airports, the Airport operator provides the Baggage system as a community facility, in others, it is the Airline to provide; in some Airports Ground Handlers offer services, in others it is the Airline to provide the staff and resources.

In order to cater for the many different scenarios, generic roles have been defined. These can be carried out by a primary player or can be delegated to a qualified third party. These roles provide clarity on who has control and what is happening to the bag at any time.

In customer perspective the Airline is providing a service to the owner of a bag (Passenger or Crew Member): take custody of bag at departure to return bag to owner at arrival of journey. This service is realized with help of baggage handlers (mechanized baggage handling system, baggage screeners, baggage ground handlers) who together perform the baggage processes. A service delivery may require collaboration between multiple airlines when the journey is interline or even collaboration between multiple transportation service providers where journey is intermodal.

When a bag (or cart or ULD) is handed over between two handlers that work for same airline, “control over baggage item” is transferred. When a bag is dropped by owner to airline or handed over between two airlines in interline context, custody over the bag changes, conform Baggage Tracking Resolution 753. In exceptional cases one may see a baggage ULD being handed over between two airlines.

In the service provision to the customer, the Airline is bound to respect Personal Data confidentiality

In the process rendering of Handler to Airline, the Handler is bound to respect Commercial confidentiality towards the Airline including Personal Data confidentiality as instructed by the Airline. Interline (intermodal) arrangements determine how Data Security is managed between multiple transportation providers. Authorities may request Airlines for information as per applying regulations. As rule of thumb, handlers should not report on baggage to other parties than the custodian Airline (unless explicitly mandated by that Airline)

Next to guiding the Handler on handling the baggage, the custodian Airline may notify peering airlines and, subject to regulations, may be obliged to notify authorities

Airports usually are busy places so utilization of resource is an important consideration. Handlers may share baggage flow information amongst one another on condition it does not impact Personal Data or Commercial confidentiality

Three tiered Baggage Process

Open

Figure 1 perspective of bag

Cart and ULD journeys are a subset from bag journey

Cart moves between makeup (Package) to be packed and aircraft stand(Load) to be merged. There is the reverse travel from aircraft stand (where cart is packed) to an injection point to terminal (where cart contents are merged into the terminal infrastructure). And in more exceptional cases a cart moves tail to tail.

ULD typically is packed in make-up area, loaded/flown/unloaded and then merged into terminal infrastructure. In exceptional cases a baggage ULD may arrive at Transfer Station, be handed over, and depart from Transfer Station (hub-container).

Tier one

The Baggage Processes at an Airport can be grouped along two axes: outbound or inbound transportation, and interaction with owner (passenger/crew).

This leads to the top level processes of

• Originating or Local joining baggage (acquired into airline custody from Passenger or Crew, loaded into a departing aircraft)

• Terminating baggage (unloaded from an arriving aircraft and returned from airline custody to Passenger or Crew)

• Arriving transfer baggage (unloaded from an arriving aircraft and delivered into airline custody of next interline airline in transfer)

• Departing transfer baggage (acquired into custody from delivering interline airline and loaded into departing aircraft)

Tier two

In another perspective bag, baggage cart or baggage ULD can be followed in its journey

For a bag

• Is Acquired through a check-in process or from transfer airline

• Is Screened on departure to enforce aviation security mitigations

• Is Packed into cart or ULD by segregation in the make-up area (to facilitate handling upon arrival)

• Is Loaded in an aircraft (usually brought to aircraft as a group of bags on a baggage cart or in a baggage ULD)

• Is Unloaded at arrival from aircraft (usually moved from aircraft to terminal in groups on carts or in ULD by segregation)

• Is Inspected in a customs process on arrival

• Is Delivered in a reclaim process or to a transfer airline

For a baggage cart the journey is much shorter as the cart does not leave the airport

• Is Packed with bags in make-up area (or under aircraft while unloading)

• Is Merged into aircraft (or other cart/container/injection point)

For an ULD the journey comprises

• Is Packed with bags in make-up area

• Is Merged into other cart/container/injection point

• Is Loaded into an aircraft

• Is Unloaded from an aircraft

• May be Screened on departure or Inspected on arrival in case of “hub container”

• May be unloaded at a transfer injection point for resortation

Tier three

Within the perspectives of Main Baggage Process and Baggage Journey one may distinguish tasks performed on a bag, a cart or an ULD as identified through the framework of logistics and conformance functions (see list of tasks in chapter 7 for details on recommended values; the messaging standard allows for customization here)

Tier one and baggage journey steps

Originating Departure

The Originating Departures use case comprises of two primary actors, the Airline and the Passenger. The Airline delegates physical rendering to handling parties

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Arriving Transfer

The Arriving Transfer use case comprises of two primary actors, the Airline and the Customs Authority. The Airline delegates physical rendering to handling parties

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Departing Transfer

The Departing Transfers use case comprises of a single primary actor, the Airline. The Airline delegates physical rendering to handling parties

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Terminating Arrival

The Terminating use case comprises of four (4) primary actors who in this instance are the Airport Operator, Airline Operator, Regulatory Authority and the Passenger.

At terminating bag is a bag arriving at the final point in the journey, when it is delivered back to the Passenger. This typically occurs at the Baggage Reclaim carousel at the destination Airport, but increasingly occurs at other locations as required by the Passenger, such as a hotel.

Open

Baggage Tasks at tier three

Tasks

Following best practices in logistics, we decompose logistics activity in tasks(atomic actions²). Any logistics activity can be described as a sequence of these tasks.

Most tasks can be performed on a baggage item, i.e. on a bag, or a baggage cart, or a baggage ULD.

Tasks serve to provide really fine grained process identification.

Tasks are grouped for easy recognition in three types of logistics activities (movement, packaging, loading) and a single type of conformance activities (security)

Logistics Functions

Movement is about acquiring, routing, tracking and delivering a baggage item

Acquire, Receipt, Claim

Acquisition is the function of obtaining a baggage item from another party or facility. Bag Acquisition typically occurs at interface points, for example

• Courier picks up bag from Passenger home

• Party accepts baggage item at Transfer input facility

• Party accepts baggage item at Arrival docks

• Party accepts bag at Out of Gauge (non-conveyable items) desk

For example, when a Passenger drops the bag at a bag drop facility in the Airport, the Airline acquires the bag from the Passenger, and the Airport acquires the bag from the Airline once the bag is injected into the baggage system. When a courier picks up a bag from a Passenger at their home or hotel, the courier is said to acquire the bag from the Passenger.

Acquire always indicates a change of control over the baggage item (control shifts to the acquiring party).

A special case of acquire is change of custody as defined in IATA Resolution 753. Acquisition from and delivery to the bag owner is a custody change, as well as a delivery/acquisition between two interlining airlines in the bag journey. Acquisition for owner may include the issue or activation of a receipt. Acquisition by owner may require the presentation of such a receipt (a Claim)

Delivery

Delivery is the physical function of delivering a baggage item to a party or a facility by another party or facility. For example, a baggage ULD is delivered to Ramp from Make-Up area. In a home pickup, a courier will typically deliver the bag to a collection point, from which the bag will be directed to a flight. In the BHS, the bag is typically delivered to a sorter output point:

• Transfer output point

• Out of Gauge (non conveyable item) output point

• Make-up output point

• Designated courier collection point

Route

Routing is the function of routing a baggage item along a specified course (typically within an Airport Baggage Handling System, or over the Platform, but increasingly via other routes). Baggage items may be routed ‘tail to tail’ at an Airport, or by trucking for home-collect/hotel-delivery over a shorter distance flight.

The Logistics and Conformance system will select (calculate) the optimum route for a baggage item based on the details held for the baggage item (Flight numbers, Destination, Class of travel) and utilization of baggage infrastructure.

This routing behavior may be repeated at each decision point (i.e. whenever the baggage item has a choice of direction to take). If there is a modification to the baggage item details or in the availability of the resources assigned to it, the route would be recalculated to take into account the new details.

Track

Tracking is function to record the physical location of a baggage item and its tracking state. Baggage Tracking events can be observed as often as the handling party requires. Parties responsible for the handling of the baggage can specify as many tracking points as they require, based on cost effectiveness. A high number of tracking events provides more observations of the baggage and gives better visibility of the route of the baggage.

A message may be produced whenever a Baggage Tracking event occurs e.g.:

• Whenever a tracking observation is made by a Party or system

• Every time the item enters a Process Area

• Every time the item has been observed making a full circuit around a sorter

• Every time the tracking status is changed (mis-tracked/tracked)

The Track function should be used for “generic track events” and not for specific cases for which other types of functions exist, such as delivery, reclaim etc.

Baggage handling parties, whether an Airport or a third party provider of Baggage logistics services, will have baggage storage capabilities. These may be fully automated baggage storage facilities, or simply a secure storage room. These satisfy a number of requirements:

• They can be used to store Early Bags (Transfers and Departures)

• They can be used to store problem type bags (e.g. bags that have missed their flight, are not yet Authorised to Load, etc.)

• They can be used to reduce peak demand for chutes and automated load cells

• They can be used to allow a just in time delivery philosophy to optimise valuable resource usage such as chutes or robotic handling facilities

There are a number of basic functions that apply to the storage of bags as described below.

PutAway

The PutAway Function is typically executed when a bag enters an input point of a bag store, or a baggage cart/ULD is diverted to cold area.

Withdraw

A Bag Withdraw function is typically executed when a bag exits a bag store (a counterpart of Bag Receipt function).

Pack

Pack is a function of packing a bag into a baggage cart or ULD to persist segregation of bags and prepare for movement to aircraft.

Segregation prepares for efficient handling at destination. Criteria include final destination in case of multiple leg flights, transfer bags at destination, bags with an exception code, terminating, cold, hot and tail to tail bags.

Build

Pack is a function of building up a baggage cart or ULD to persist segregation of bags and prepare for movement to aircraft or injection

Unpack

Unpack is a function of unpacking a bag from a baggage cart or ULD.

Load

Loading is the function of physically placing a bag or UL into an aircraft hold (loose or containerized load)

Unload

Unload is the function of unloading a bag or ULD from aircraft hold.

Merge

Unload is the function of transferring all bags from a cart into aircraft hold or different cart/ULD.

Conformance Functions

Open

Opening is the function that makes a cart or ULD available for packaging, typically in the make-up or build area or aircraft parking position.

Close

Closing is the function that ends availability of a cart or ULD for packaging, typically in the make-up or build area or aircraft parking position.

Seal

Sealing is the function that secures content of ULD to unauthorized tampering.

Verify

Verification is the function that checks the baggage item against relevant policies e.g. to ensure that the weight and physical dimensions are within the constraints specified by the Baggage Handler (such as Airline, Airport, Courier). The function records that the weight and physical dimensions (e.g. length, width and height) of the baggage item have been checked against the baggage input statement. The content could be passed between organisations to exchange features of the baggage item that can be used to identify it, such as weight, size, colour.

Screen

The Screening function records the outcome of a screening decision for a baggage item. The BHS typically consists of a Hold Baggage Screening (HBS) system which is capable of sending the HBS results to the BHS. This information can be used by the BHS for information purposes or as part of its Bag qualification process.

Inspect

Customs Inspection is acknowledged as step in baggage journey, but outside mandate of airline to perform. The Inspect function is place holder for possible future development

Reconcile

Reconciliation is the function that reconciles a baggage item actual location/position against plan and authorizations. This information is required and held as part of regulatory processes.

Remove

Removal is the function that takes a baggage item away or off from the position occupied. As an example, this could be the role assigned to a Baggage Handler for performing the task of removing a bag as a result of it being non-reconcilable with a Passenger inventory (e.g. at Aircraft Stand when a Passenger fails to board the flight.)

A Removal event is an exceptional event (as opposed to Unload), in response to a request from Airline to have the bag removed from the process.

Messages

Three gestures are distinguished in baggage messaging as reflection of communication patterns between parties

The airline in custody of bag (and by extension cart and uld)

• Provides instructions to initiate and refine agreed baggage processes for a specific baggage item

• Receives results on baggage processing from its handlers

• Notifies interline/intermodal partners and authorities

Instructions are typically provided when a bag is registered with the airline (i.e. when owner indicates she would like to have a bag transported), and may be refined as a flight is prepared for departure (e.g. to authorize a bag for loading as passenger has boarded). Instructions typically refer to coarse grained process, only use tier one identification

Results are typically produced at completion of a fine grained baggage process (e.g. a bag is packed into a ULD during the Package step, three tiered identification of process) and provide baggage tracking points to the airline

Notifications report on bag process progress in perspective of the custodian airline and are used in peer to peer communication (e.g. in interline journey context, or in notification to owner or authorities)

Baggage messaging recognizes nine message types from combination of the baggage items (bag, cart, uld) with the gestures (instructions -RQ-, results -RS-, notifications -NotifRQ-).

¹

² Tasks are atomic activities relative to the context. Context of this implementation guide is data exchange between parties. In a different context a “task” may loose its atomic-ness. E.g. to route a bag assumes the handler has recognized the bag, inspected the plan for the bag and decided on required activity (route). But these are steps from the perspective of internal handler processes. Not steps that can be separately advised to an airline. In case there is no immediate action, the observation can be shared as a tracking of the bag (to track a bag)

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