How can we fix our baggage issue?

[Fly4Free]

I propose we mark every bag with a RFID tag. Have each bag connected to the network at all times through the baggage process. Of course, this would only be active when in an airport. PAXs can track their baggage using terminals and entering in their baggage RFID number (one tied to their bag) and have it display a location onscreen.

That is my vision of the future, to curb our baggag woes.

 

[Harry Callahan]

How about hiring enough people to get the job done & getting our contracts taken care of for starters.

 

[Fly4Free]

How about hiring enough people to get the job done & getting our contracts taken care of for starters.

What's wrong with RFID tracking the bags too? At least we'd be able to tell a pax "OH, your bag is in China!" when they are going to Arkansas.

 

[Prince of PAWOBs]

RFID is a good choice, but an airport must have the technology available to read such a tag. Although having the technolgy at some airports is better than no airports at all...

At PIT, everyone on the ramp, gates and operations, from management down to the agents, has made it their mission to know a few items:

- How many bags are expected for a flight

- Where the bags are coming from (i.e. local or connecting)

- If the connecting flights are delayed, and then whether the flights need to be held to connect those bags and passengers

- How to read a SABRE PNR, and then determine if the bags that are missing are actually coming to PIT at all

This is all done without RFID, and we tend to have empty baggage carts at the end of the day. It's going to be a big concern when SHARES takes off this weekend, because of the unfamiliarity most agents have with the software. From my perspective, SHARES seems a bit limited in what it can tell you about where passengers and bags actually are.

I will reserve judgement on SHARES until I actually see it in action. The Training Department in PIT has sent out manuals, but without a training class agents will be left to their own devices. I hope we can figure it all out quickly, or else it's going to be quite a mess.

 

[Hope777]

It is only my opinion, but I think the Baggage problems will only get bigger when we turn off Sabre and go to Shares. What I base my opinion on is simple. In Sabre, when a customer checks a bag, the bag claim number goes into their PNR. I am sure this also happens in Shares, but where the difference begins is durring a reroute. In Sabre, when the passenger gets rerouted, an automatic message is sent to a designated printer (normally in the baggage makeup room)where an agent gets the message and reroutes the bag. Under the Shares system, this requires a phone call to be made thus slowing down the rerouting process. Due to all of this, our Passengers will incurr a much longer wait to be processed by an agent and the chance of the bags being rerouted in a timely manner is slim to none.

Again just an opinion from someone that does the job day after day for 25+ years.

 

[PHL]

After reading comments that the bag situation has improved in PHL, I was optimistic on a return flight from LAS yesterday. We arrived on time, but the bags took 40 minutes to make their way down to baggage claim.

We're all waiting at assigned carousel E and nothing happens. Some other bags start coming out with flight numbers that, according to the monitors, are assigned to caroussel F. Then we hear an announcement that our bags are coming down corousel G. Even RFID wouldn't have helped that situation much....

 

[BuffaloJoe]

After reading comments that the bag situation has improved in PHL, I was optimistic on a return flight from LAS yesterday. We arrived on time, but the bags took 40 minutes to make their way down to baggage claim.

We're all waiting at assigned carousel E and nothing happens. Some other bags start coming out with flight numbers that, according to the monitors, are assigned to caroussel F. Then we hear an announcement that our bags are coming down corousel G. Even RFID wouldn't have helped that situation much....

How to improve Baggage problem is easy, Carry-On Only. You don't need 10 outfits for every day. The train makes you carry-on, in the Northeast that is. If you check in luggage and have to wait 40 minutes to an hour, it at least arrived with you. You could Fed Ex it! Save the backs and knees of the ramp workers,they are doing that cause the job pays well..................(LOL)

 

[JMM]

Pay enough to get high quality workers that care about the success of the airline and stick around long enough to learn the ropes ..... also, the simple act of having enough employees might actually help too! IMHO

 

[AP Tech]

Hey, at least the bags made it to the correct city!!!!

Just finished up my latest copy of ATW and a few articles on airlines and their mishandled baggage problem. Had a piece on U and their Phl operation and how much it was improving. Still have a long way to go!!!

 

[muircross]

After reading comments that the bag situation has improved in PHL, I was optimistic on a return flight from LAS yesterday. We arrived on time, but the bags took 40 minutes to make their way down to baggage claim.

We're all waiting at assigned carousel E and nothing happens. Some other bags start coming out with flight numbers that, according to the monitors, are assigned to caroussel F. Then we hear an announcement that our bags are coming down corousel G. Even RFID wouldn't have helped that situation much....

We, PHL, can't do redeyes anymore. Management changed the offloading procedure, which used to be done by overnight crews, to AM shift crews who don't get their assignments usually 'til after the A/C has arrived. And God forbid it should arrive early.
Also, the A/C from Vegas are stuffed. It's hard to get 200+ bags to the belt in a timely manner. Will they ever learn?

 

[PHL]

How to improve Baggage problem is easy, Carry-On Only. You don't need 10 outfits for every day. The train makes you carry-on, in the Northeast that is.

Amtrak doesn't restrict the liquid and gels you can take on board. Carry on used to be a cinch before last September. It's tough for some people to pack 3.4 oz or less products in a single 1 quart bag.

 

[ClueByFour]

I propose we mark every bag with a RFID tag. Have each bag connected to the network at all times through the baggage process. Of course, this would only be active when in an airport. PAXs can track their baggage using terminals and entering in their baggage RFID number (one tied to their bag) and have it display a location onscreen.

That is my vision of the future, to curb our baggag woes.

That's interesting. After 9/11, CO went to handheld barcode scanners for every handler (to comply with PPBM mandates, at the time). I'm assuming they still do it, which means they should (in theory) know where any given bag is at any time.

I know UA scans the carryons going for gate check on express flights--don't know if they scan all mainline bags or not.

 

[Dog Wonder]

That's interesting. After 9/11, CO went to handheld barcode scanners for every handler (to comply with PPBM mandates, at the time). I'm assuming they still do it, which means they should (in theory) know where any given bag is at any time.

I know UA scans the carryons going for gate check on express flights--don't know if they scan all mainline bags or not.

And US Airways scans mail but not bags.

 

[Fly4Free]

http://www.rfid-weblog.com/50226711/rfid_f...ge_tracking.php

http://www.silicon.com/research/specialrep...39128136,00.htm

Intersting reads.