International Airport
O.R. Tambo
Handling Efficiency in the Bag Hall
In 2012 Virgin Airlines, an end-user of UltraTRAK in South Africa, brought to our attention a couple of issues with their BRS operations: reconciliation was becoming increasingly problematic; bags were being placed in the wrong ULDs; and loading was taking twice as long as it should, causing flights to be delayed.
Through getting involved in the handling process, and using UltraTRAK, our locally based subject matter expert was able to establish the root of the problem after just two days of on-site investigation.
Reduced Delays; Optimized Resources
By selecting ‘Rejected Scans’, we discovered that bags were being scanned for loading multiple times, causing them to be mishandled. Handlers using the scanners were not loading the bags immediately after a scan was performed, resulting in confusion as to which ones had been scanned and which hadn’t when it came to loading the bags. This process was made more inefficient by the eight personnel all trying to scan bags at the same time, increasing the confusion.
So, we recommended that they used the ‘Load Where’ strategy available within UltraTRAK, which tells the handler where to load the bag, rather than providing a ‘yes/no’ answer for a single ULD. We also suggested that they only use two personnel at a time to load a flight, reducing confusion and mishandling.
“The Ultra BRS system has consistently delivered significant benefits to the airline community in South Africa. We’d like to express our gratitude to the team both in the UK and locally in South Africa; their contribution plays a huge role in allowing us to use UltraTRAK to its full potential.”
National Operations Manager, ACS
