The Digital World of Baggage
Imagine arriving at your destination, eager to start your holiday or attend an important meeting, only to discover that your luggage is missing!
This scenario, unfortunately, is a reality for many travellers and underscores both the greatest feature and the greatest weakness of modern baggage handling: the digital world of baggage, linked by the 10-digit barcode.
The Birth of a Revolutionary System
In the 1980s, a revolutionary system was born. The concept was simple yet brilliant: assign a unique 10-digit number to each bag, send messages with that number over telex, and bags were processed efficiently.
This system was a game-changer, drastically improving how luggage was handled worldwide and allowing airports to cope with the growing baggage volumes.
Understanding the 10-Digit Barcode
Historical Context:
- Introduced in the 1980s to streamline baggage handling.
- Each number corresponds to a series of messages initially sent via telex, and now through modern digital communication methods.
Current Use:
- This 10-digit number is the lifeline connecting your bag to a series of Baggage Information Messages (BIMs), such as Baggage Transfer Message (BTM), Baggage Source Message (BSM), and Baggage Processed Message (BPM).
- These messages ensure your bag is sorted, tracked, and delivered correctly.
Structure and Constraints:
- Despite its brilliance, the system has constraints: only 10 million unique baggage numbers per airline, with frequent reuse leading to potential conflicts.
- The reserved leading digits 1 (fallback tags) and 2 (RUSH tags) further reduce the number of unique identifiers, complicating the tracking of mishandled bags.
Privacy and Security:
- The identifier contains information about the bag, raising privacy concerns in today’s digital age. Want to know an airline’s baggage volumes? Just grab every message with their BTIC in it.
- There is no error correction, making the system vulnerable to read errors.
The Messaging System
RP1745 details a how baggage messages are formatted. You can get a copy in the IATA Passenger Services Conference Manual, and if you make baggage systems then you should always have the most recent version. Here are the key message types and their purposes:
Baggage Transfer Message (BTM):
- Sent to the receiving carrier at a transfer station with details of incoming baggage.
- Ensures smooth transitions for bags moving between different airlines.
Baggage Source Message (BSM):
- Contains detailed information about the bag, including its origin, destination, and handling instructions.
- Serves as the initial message sent from the airline's DCS to the departure station’s systems, including the tag printer.
Baggage Processed Message (BPM):
- Indicates that a bag has been processed through a particular stage in the handling system.
- Helps in tracking the real-time status of the bag.
The Challenges We Face
Despite the ingenuity of this system, it’s not without its challenges:
- Message Versions: The baggage messaging system, defined in RP1745, encompasses various versions. If a message is sent with the wrong version or contains unexpected data, it can be rejected by the receiving system, preventing automatic processing.
- Message Delivery: Sometimes messages are not received at all. The messaging infrastructure depends on up-to-date routing tables, and when these tables are outdated—especially during airport infrastructure changes like terminal shifts—messages can be misrouted. Additionally, physical disruptions, such as workers accidentally cutting cables, have caused significant baggage handling chaos.
Overcoming the Obstacles
The solution seems straightforward: update the system.
Discussions about implementing a new baggage identifier, such as a UUID, are ongoing. The .M element in the current messaging system can accommodate UUIDs, and RFID technology provides a ready UUID via the Transponder Identifier.
However, the journey to modernisation is fraught with challenges. Updating the physical representation of the baggage identifier and rolling out such changes globally would be a massive and complex undertaking. The Sort Allocation Computers in the BHS systems, critical for baggage handling, would need substantial updates to support this transition.
Yet, despite these hurdles, the potential benefits—enhanced tracking, fewer lost bags, and improved security—make it a challenge worth tackling. The world of baggage handling may still have a long way to go, but with continued innovation and collaboration, overcoming these adversities is within reach.