The experience that passengers have checking in and claiming their baggage can profoundly impact their overall opinion of their travel experience and the smooth functioning of the baggage handling system (BHS) is crucial to airport operations. Yet, decisions about BHS equipment and technology are often based solely on initial capital investment without consideration of the total cost of ownership (TCO). Understanding the factors that contribute to TCO could open the door to longer term cost savings, as well as opportunities for innovation, energy efficiency, automation and a positive passenger experience.
The Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP), a division of the Transportation Research Board, commissioned ACRP Research Report 252: Airport Baggage Handling System Decision-Making Based on Total Cost of Ownership, to help stakeholders understand impacts on operation and maintenance costs, establish a comprehensive governance structure, and consider procurement options and equipment selection in the context of TCO factors.
The report was authored by Studdiford Technical Solutions, LLC (STS) with contributions from Amir Neeman Consulting, LLC, TransSolutions, LLC, and VTC. The research was overseen by an expert panel, including Rohini Kumarage, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (Chair); Bhaskar Chopra, Siemens Logistics; Jaspreet Fervaha, Toronto Pearson International Airport; Stuart Mathews, Port of Seattle; Denise McElroy, Southwest Airlines; David McNamara, Faithful+Gould; Christina Nutting, FAA Liaison; and Paul James Eubanks, Airports Council International.
The Transportation Research Board is one of seven major programs of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The mission of the Transportation Research Board is to provide leadership in transportation improvements and innovation through trusted, timely, impartial, and evidence-based information exchange, research, and advice regarding all modes of transportation. The Board’s varied activities annually engage about 8,000 engineers, scientists, and other transportation researchers and practitioners from the public and private sectors and academia, all of whom contribute their expertise in the public interest. The program is supported by state transportation departments, federal agencies including the component administrations of the U.S. Department of Transportation, and other organizations and individuals interested in the development of transportation.