Operation of an Automated Baggage Handling System

Features of the installation :

Passengers flying to the U.S.A. from Montreal, complete their customs formalities before departure ; thus Montréal airport has to comply with the demands of the American authorities in terms of security. The system must keep track of all passengers and their baggage at each stage of the process. In all cases, bags that have completed conventional security controls successfully are kept in an Early Bag Store until the passenger has been cleared by a US Customs officer. Should the Customs officer need to inspect the bag, it is automatically delivered to his station.

The maximum continuous flow is 1440 bags/hour, with peaks up to 1800 bags/hour.

Contract :

ALSTEF invested CAD 46 million to secure the exclusive operation rights. Funding was organised by RBC (Royal Bank of Canada) through the issue of bonds rated as A2 by Moody’s credit reference agency.

Costs related to operations and debt repayments are charged directly to Airline Companies each month, according to their passenger numbers.

Human Resources :

A team of 85, including :

• Company Vice-President
  
• Technical Director,
  
• Operations Director,
  
• Shift Leaders, Operators, Maintenance Technicians, and Baggage Support Staff.
  

Mission :

The full operation is covered by two shifts per day ; each of 10 hrs.

Each shift has a team including ; 1 Team Leader, 1 Operator, 1 Maintenance Technician, and 1 Maintenance Assistant.

These are assisted by a team of between 10 and 16 people throughout each day on different shift patterns to meet the varying flight schedules. 

Functions :

• Assistance with baggage drop-off.
  
• Piloting of the full process from a central control room,
  
  • allocation and control of flight destination chutes,
    
  • updating control and flight information based on local conditions.
    
  • Monitoring and controlling the full Baggage Handling System.
    
  • BAGWARE® : The software package developed by ALSTEF manages the full operation of the installation.
    
• Handling and control of all “out of gauge” bags,
  
• Performance of scheduled, preventive, and corrective maintenance for equipment including :
  
  • 105 D.C.V. (Destination Coded Vehicles)
    
  • 2 carousels.
    
  • 45 sortation chutes.
    
  • An early bag store with 452 individual locations.
    
  • 17 drop off points utilizing 6 baggage elevators.
    
  • 110 conveyor sections.
    

See more