For the people behind IATA’s Baggage Improvement Program (BIP), much of ’09 was spent on planes. The team visited 25 airports around the world. During these visits the team looked into the baggage processes, systems and teamwork between the airport, airline and ground handlers.

There have been several impressive airports. Barcelona has a great new system. Sydney’s innovative baggage transfer inject solution fixes problematic bags before they enter the airport’s main baggage system.

But there was one airport a cut above the rest. This airport examines inbound flights to identify bags that require a little extra help in making their connections. The identified bags are given dedicated routes through the airport baggage handling system, along with teams of staff dedicated to ensuring those bags make their connections. The airport and the airline baggage performance teams are co-located in the same office, and work together closely to analyse and resolve the issues that lead to mishandling. The baggage system itself allows for the delivery of bags to aircraft stands, as well as providing a central baggage re-flight area where bags for all carriers can be processed.

It was clear during the BIP team visit that all airport staff are committed and dedicated to making the performance of the airport better every day.

That airport is none other than Germany’s largest airport – Frankfurt! Together with Lufthansa, they demonstrated the power of airline and airport cooperation in achieving baggage handling excellence. This is certainly paying off as Lufthansa’s mishandling figures at the airport fell by 28% in 2008.

Congratulations to Fraport and Lufthansa!

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