Abu Dhabi Airport to deploy Latest Baggage Handling Technology

The Abu Dhabi Department of Civil Aviation (ADDCA) and the Airlines Operations Committee, recently held a meeting to brief senior airline executives, and officials from Abu Dhabi Airport, on a major new project to deploy the latest baggage handling technology – the first of its type in the Middle East. Bayanat Data Processing Systems, one of the UAE’s leading IT systems integrators, has been awarded the Dh19 million contract to install the solution by the ADDCA.

The next phase of technological development at Abu Dhabi Airport will make it one of the most advanced facilities in the world. Senior officials from airlines operating out of the airport heard how the new IT system would save their businesses time and money, as well as providing the airport with enhanced security regarding baggage reconciliation and retrieval.

The technology from SITA, the global air transport IT service provider, is designed to reduce airline delays, lost baggage and enhance security. This significant project will be completed by Bayanat-DPS Aviation Engineering Division by May 2005.

During the meeting held at the Millennium Hotel in Abu Dhabi, industry representatives were briefed on how the new systems will improve efficiency for the five million passengers who use the airport each year. Executives from Bayanat-DPS and SITA conducted a series of presentations about the technology, followed by a question and answer session.

“Abu Dhabi Airport will be the first in the Middle East to implement a total baggage handling solution,” said Georges Hannouche, managing director, Bayanat-DPS. “This deal represents a significant investment in the IT infrastructure of the airport, and will place it amongst the world’s best for passenger service and safety.”

“Managing passenger baggage from check-in to arrival is a complex problem that involves many different people. With this new IT system, airline and airport staff will be able to locate where a passenger’s bag is immediately, saving time and money for the airlines,” added Hannouche.

The new software and hardware package will include the Common Use Terminal Equipment (CUTE), Passenger Handler System (PHS) and Baggage Reconciliation System (BRS). New flat screen workstations, boarding pass and bag tag printers and boarding gate readers will also be installed, to transform the operations of check-in and baggage handling.

“Passengers using Abu Dhabi Airport will have an unsurpassed experience, once this new baggage handling system is operational,” said Kinly Nassour, Client Manager of SITA “As well as serving the customer, it will also greatly assist airline and airport staff.”

The solution will match each passenger to their baggage, and assign specific slots for loading on the aircraft, allowing for fast retrieval in emergency situations, reducing the delay in departure of aircraft.

“This is a major project update, and it is important that the people using the technology on the frontline, understand how it will benefit them both practically and financially,” said Alan Bourjeily, Technical Director, Aviation Engineering Division, ayanat-DPS.

“This is a world-class system that fully complies with the security requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), and Bayanat-DPS is honored to have been selected by ADDCA to deploy the system,” he added.