Baggage Handling System for Small Airports

2007-Aug-23 |   The city of Sibiu in Romania is getting ready for a boost in tourism after the conclusion of its term as European Capital of Culture in 2007. To this end, Siemens is currently installing in the city’s airport a new baggage handling system developed especially for the needs of small airport facilities. The system’s setup allows airport operators to expand it at any time using prefabricated modules, thus eliminating the need to individually plan extensions in a long drawn-out process. The baggage handling facility in Sibiu will go into operation this October. Rapidly increasing passenger volumes have stretched even small airports to the limits of their capacities over the last few years, as such airports experience annual growth rates ranging from six to 11 percent. Unlike large airports, which can accommodate major long-term projects without any problems, projects at smaller air travel facilities must be planned and implemented in a relatively short period of time. In addition, all installed systems at small airports need to be low-maintenance. The Sibag Smart baggage handling system from Siemens Industrial Solutions and Services (I&S) will enable Sibiu International Airport to accommodate an increasing number of tourists. Sibag Smart includes ten check-in counters, 75 meters of conveyor belts, a pier belt for loading and unloading baggage, and two carousels for arriving luggage. Though not very extensive, the system nonetheless stands out through its modular design and flexibility.

All the various module types in the Sibag Smart series are aligned with one another in terms of length and function. Obtaining the components is thus similar to ordering from a catalogue. Customers simply search for the modules they need, place an order, have the prefabricated modules delivered, and then either install them immediately or integrate them later on. All of the new elements are then linked to the WIN CC control and visualization software that theoretically enables employees in Sibiu to manage and monitor the entire system with just one computer.

Sibiu, which has a population of 150,000, is currently building a new international flight terminal at the city’s airport in a project resulting from Romania’s entry into the European Union this year. The city’s airport is the first in which Siemens is installing the Sibag Smart System, which the company unveiled at Passenger Terminal Expo 2007 in Barcelona last March.