The latest step in the use of UHF RFID technology for airport baggage

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has passed a resolution supporting the global deployment of RFID to track checked airline baggage. The resolution is for the use of UHF RFID tags on passenger luggage. The vote was held at the 75th Annual Meeting of the IATA organization in Seoul, South Korea in early June. The latest step in the use of UHF RFID technology on airport baggage!

The transition to RFID is a broad collaboration between all stakeholders in the entire baggage industry, including airports, airlines, baggage handlers and technology suppliers. In the next three years, RFID technology will be applied to 80% of airline baggage checked. This means that more and more airports are deploying RFID Reader infrastructure.

RFID provides a faster and more accurate automated method than barcode scanning. Airports read the RFID tags applied to baggage before and after each flight, and can identify and track bags without human intervention. Passive Class 1 Gen 2 UHF RFID is the frequency used by the aviation industry. Passive tags do not interfere with flight systems when bags move through airports or in the baggage compartments of aircraft. By reading RFID tags, airports will be able to collect and manage analytical data for operational planning.

The current increase in the number of bags and passengers travelling by air will put pressure on existing baggage handling systems, so improving baggage handling operations is critical to ensure the industry is ready for the expected growth. Airlines will work to transition from barcode bag tags to tags with RFID Inlays. Use RFID data to identify mishandled bags and develop processes with airports and ground staff to prevent mishandling. RFID reader infrastructure will facilitate the use of readers to read tags applied to bags when passengers check their bags at the airport.

The industry has begun to develop, and some airlines are already planning to deploy RFID technology. Airlines can assess gaps in the collection and exchange of baggage tracking data. Some airports are already developing RFID business cases for pilot or rollout deployments. RFID deployment activities are driven by four main pillars: general awareness and education of RFID tailored to the airline baggage business, engagement and coordination of all key stakeholders, development of Tools and materials to support global rollout, and long-term monitoring of deployment. Use RFID technology to improve baggage handling accuracy. Believe in the investment in RFID technology and the ability to continuously improve. Continue to experience the results of RFID bag tags with reliable scanning technology.

With the rapid development of airports and the continuous increase in the number of passengers, how to manage the piles of luggage and effectively improve the handling efficiency will be an important issue that will be faced soon. Someone made a vivid metaphor for the baggage sorting process: "The baggage system of an airport is like the road traffic planning of a city." With the continuous increase in airport passenger and cargo volume, people's requirements for the service quality of airports are getting higher and higher. Large airports at home and abroad have also gradually used RFID technology to improve the production operation and service efficiency of airports.