Schiphol Collaborates with Incheon and Avinor Airports to Innovate Baggage Handling

At this year's Future Travel Experience conference in Dublin, the BOOST programme was officially launched. This initiative, spearheaded by Royal Schiphol Group, Future Travel Experience, and innovative consultancy firm nlmtd, brings together airports to collaborate on cutting-edge technologies and improvements in robotics and automation for baggage handling.

Innovative Collaboration for Enhanced Baggage Handling

Schiphol, Incheon (South Korea), and Avinor (Norway) are the pioneering airports in this project, each addressing specific challenges to automate the baggage process. Dennis van Kleef, Programme Lead Baggage, emphasized the collaborative spirit:

“Our ultimate goal is to lighten the physical workload and improve working conditions for baggage employees. Information and insights will regularly be shared with the other key partners, meaning everyone can benefit from the various pilots without having to carry them out independently.”

Specific Technological Challenges

Each airport in the BOOST programme is focusing on unique technological advancements to enhance baggage handling:

• Schiphol Airport is further developing the COBOT, a collaborative robot designed to assist in baggage handling. Additionally, Schiphol is introducing Eltonomous, an alternative robotic loading solution to compare its effectiveness with the COBOT.

• Incheon Airport is creating an automated handling concept specifically for odd-sized baggage, aiming to streamline the process and reduce manual handling.

• Avinor Airport is testing a new digital planning system designed to improve efficiency, minimize manual labor, and accelerate the overall baggage handling process.

Goals and Benefits of the BOOST Programme

The BOOST programme aims to achieve several key objectives:

• Reduce Physical Workload: By incorporating robotics and automation, the physical demands on baggage handling staff will be significantly reduced.
• Improve Working Conditions: Enhanced technologies and systems will create safer and more efficient working environments.
• Increase Efficiency: Automated systems will streamline the baggage handling process, reducing delays and improving passenger satisfaction.
• Shared Knowledge and Innovation: Regular sharing of information and insights among the partner airports ensures that each can benefit from the collective advancements without the need for independent trials.

This collaboration marks a significant step forward in the aviation industry’s efforts to innovate and enhance the efficiency and safety of baggage handling processes. The BOOST programme exemplifies how airports can work together to leverage technology for mutual benefit, setting a precedent for future collaborative innovations in the industry.