BagsID is a Gold Sponsor of FTE Global – the “CES of Aviation” taking place in Los Angeles on 28-30 October 2024 – and is looking forward to connecting with progressive companies, organisations and individuals that want to help advance the aviation sector. “As a truly global industry, events like FTE Global help to unite the different experiences, successes and lessons learned from across the world,” shares Richard Camman, Chief Executive Officer, BagsID. “Starting with the FTE Baggage Innovation Working Group (BIWG), for which we are Strategic Partners, it is a tremendous opportunity to engage in detail on the latest and greatest solutions or approaches. From the stage, we anticipate the conference to help stimulate our awareness on connecting the passenger, baggage and facility needs and improvements together. Diversity and connecting the dots is core to our vision as a company. No new innovation can be done in a bubble and we recognise the value of events and networking to help stitch all the processes together to create the seamless passenger, and baggage journey. As important, the active discussions on the floor and exhibition always provide great insight that we can integrate into our approach and value add focus.”
The BIWG is an excellent forum not only for ideas but also to create tangible outputs. Indeed, BagsID is participating in the largest BIWG Proof of Concept (PoC) to date, which is in deployment in Canada. “Deploying our BagBridge product in Toronto and Vancouver, the PoC aims to demonstrate how specialised Computer Vision Technology (CVT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be leveraged to deliver overall efficiency to the handling system,” Camman explains. “Recognising the multiple stakeholder needs of the industry, the PoC also connects the baggage tracking from Toronto across to Vancouver. Integrating with the core handling systems and solutions already in place, the PoC will prove how the new tracking solution can be an incremental value-add to the current system while also adding new baggage intelligence that the airport and airline can use to have further insight into overall handling. For too long, the industry has been forced to accept the standard performance. Now we aim to demonstrate how improvements can be made in short order. Stay tuned for new updates in the coming weeks! Please do connect with our partners in the project from the respective airport authorities in Toronto and Vancouver.”
Leveraging technology to automate solutions, and improve accuracy and resilience
BagsID has been able to demonstrate the 99%+ accuracy for its BagBridge matching and tracking algorithm. The recent improvements have been focused on integrating key operational elements to ensure that technical performance and the operational impact are fully aligned. With the multiple deployments, it has enhanced BagsID’s product deployment capability to ensure a simpler and faster activation at new locations.
“Since the last FTE Global event, we also introduced our CarryOn product that is now available,” says Camman. “Introducing dynamic monitoring of the items that a passenger can carry on, we are now able to detect, count and measure the items without manual intervention. Therefore, creating an awareness for airlines to better staff and anticipate the boarding process. Airlines and airports will now have the opportunity to adapt current processes and communication with targeted passengers based on actionable intel instead of generic or random selection processes.”
In 2023 there were almost 40 million mishandled bags, costing the industry billions of dollars and millions of stressed passengers. As an industry, we need to leverage new technologies and capabilities. “Recognising the importance of business resilience and continuity, we know radical change cannot occur overnight,” Camman shares. “This is where our digital bag products can be introduced on top of existing systems without disruption. The new benefits can be used to adapt and inform pricing strategies, improve the planning process and most importantly decrease stress and anxiety for passengers. Computer vision has proven to be able to work in parallel with existing ATRs and integrate the digital representation of the bag with the existing industry standard LPNs to bring tracking capabilities to 99%+. Recognising the infrastructure won’t change overnight, it was fundamental to demonstrate how airports, airlines and authorities can benefit now to improve systems and processes without dramatic changes.”
Commenting on key trends in the baggage space, Camman notes that human resources are extremely difficult to recruit, retain and ensure safe conditions across the industry, especially in baggage handling areas. “Overall, we see a trend towards autonomous operations, leveraging technology to automate solutions, improve accuracy and resilience during normal and irregular operations,” he says. “From solutions like ours to better track, plan and automate decision-making, we are also excited to see the progress in autonomous movement and transport of baggage across the industry. Similarly, the industry has long been preparing passengers to be ready to fly from home. Now we see the opportunity to also support the passenger that comes with baggage. Together we can leverage our products and capabilities for passengers to fly with a calmer, more relaxed and informed position.”
At FTE Global 2024, BagsID will be represented by CEO, Richard Camman and COO, Aaron Beeson – both of whom have many years of experience in the industry and will be able to connect with old friends and colleagues and meet new like-minded innovators. “We look forward to seeing the exciting updates of other initiatives we can learn from and align with, as well as new opportunities to leverage our products and capabilities,” Camman adds. “FTE has proven to be an excellent forum for us through the annual events, as well as the BIWG that helped to stimulate the active PoC in Canada. We expect great outputs and stories from the event!”
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