|
|
 |
 |
| |
The state-of-the-art baggage handling systems in place at Terminal 5 are the pride of both BAA and British Airways. This system for baggage at Heathrow Airport Terminal 5 is the largest operational system in the whole of Europe. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Baggage at Heathrow Airport Terminal 5 forms the basis for the design and the construction of the airport building, which is set to handle 12,000 bags an hour. This makes Terminal 5 one of the largest single terminal baggage handling systems in Europe, and the largest to go live in Europe.
Reliability is the key to the success of this complex baggage handling system. As such, two identical systems are in place for dealing with baggage at Terminal 5 - one acting as a reserve should the first experience a technical fault.
This Baggage at Terminal 5 guide provides interesting information on the journey of a passenger’s baggage when flying from this new and exciting terminal.
• Baggage Classification
• Baggage at Terminal 5 - its' journey
• Benefits for the Passenger |
| |
|
|
| |
|
Baggage Classification... |
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
All baggage at Heathrow Airport Terminal 5 is classified in the following ways: either as early, on-time – meaning the usual 2-3 hours pre-flight check-in – or as time critical. Then, each bag is processed in a separate way, optimizing performance and convenience to the passenger.
Baggage that is classified as on time are immediately sent to the baggage hall where it makes its way to the aircraft.
For those pieces of luggage that are early, these are routed to the airport’s early bag store, housed in the basement of Terminal 5, until they are required for loading onto the aircraft. The early bag store has space for 3,800 bags that are stored in separate racks. Using high speed cranes, an automated system then retrieves the luggage when ready for the boarding.
Any bags that are late, classified as time critical are automatically given priority and are taken straight to the aircraft, pending take-off, using the terminal’s network of high speed destination coded vehicles, that run along aluminium rails, travelling at up to 10m/s, known as DCVs. |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
Baggage at Terminal 5 - its' journey |
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
Baggage checked-in at Heathrow Airport’s Terminal 5, whether it’s been checked-in in one of the airport’s regular check-in desks or at one of the fast-bag drops, each piece of luggage is checked that is fits within the guidelines for length and height by a volumetric scanner. The luggage then joins a conveyor belt and is tipped onto its side where it is then scanned and given an individual bar code. The luggage then moves on to be security screened, after which it is loaded by British Airways handlers onto baggage tugs and then loaded onto the aircraft. |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
Benefits for the passenger... |
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
This innovative baggage handling system is made up of 17km of conveyor equipment that is controlled by a complex network of 140 computer servers processing baggage quantities of 12,000 per hour. What’s more, in its early design phase £2 million was ploughed into testing the system.
This system, and pre-operational testing, therefore provides the following benefits for passengers:
- Bags that arrive late, classed as time critical, can be delivered direct to the plane
- Larger pieces of luggage, such as golf clubs and skis, can be handled more easily and with more care
- The larger ‘early bag store’ can hold luggage with longer transfer times |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
