Baggage Tracking Implementation Guide

The IATA, A4A and ACI Baggage Tracking Implementation Guide issue 3, has been developed by members of the Implementation sub-working group and approved by the IATA Airport Services Committee, during its meeting ASC/4 in Johannesburg, 13th November 2017.

It is important to remember that this document is intended to provide guidance on how an airline might meet their obligation, and how an airport might support their airlines in doing so. It is a guide; it is not a set of instructions.

This document is therefore aimed at airlines, airports, or any other party with an interest in helping airlines to meet their obligations under Resolution 753/30.53. It attempts to help the reader break down the overall topic of ‘network wide baggage tracking’ into a set of manageable topics, and to address each of them in turn:

• What is meant by ‘Baggage Tracking’; what data needs to be recorded, the timeliness of that record and the potential methods to be used
• How the data can be exchanged with other parties; including a Data Charter outlining the sharing of information, as well as a discussion on who might record data, when that data might be exchanged and the technologies that could be used for this exchange
• A discussion of how tracking and data exchange can be used to achieve the benefits outlined in the resolution
• A look at how a member carriers airport, interline and ground handling partners can work together to implement a cost effective compliance to the resolution
• A discussion on Best Practice, and how tracking strategies could be evaluated

Download the Joint IATA-A4A-ACI Baggage Tracking Implementation Guide by completing the form below.  

For more information about the guide, please contact baggage@iata.org

End to End baggage program

The End to End baggage program enables airlines and industry stakeholders to simplify the current complex baggage environement, promotes innovaition and encourages best preactices to be adopted. It has the following 5 areas of focus:

• Baggage tracking (linked to the implementation of IATA Resolution 753)
• Baggage XML messaging
• RFID
  

BWG and its sub-working groups

The BWG sub-working groups are:

• Baggage Information Exchange sub-woking group
  
• Electronic Baggage Tag sub-working group (EBT)
• Prorates sub-working group
  
• RFID sub-working group
  
• Automation sub-working group
  
• Update of resolution 743D and Lost and Fount items sub-working group
  
• Prohibeted Wildlife in Baggage sub-working goup
  

For more details on these sub-working groups, please visit the BWG page.

Calendar and meetings

Explore the latest scheduled meetings in the Working Groups Calendar.

For additional information please contact us at baggage@iata.org

Baggage Handling Services and Systems

Learn to recognize baggage handling problems at the source and enhance your service efficiency by incorporating improved processes, infrastructure, and service management in your organization. Analyze the various airline service models and how to apply them to check-in, ramp and baggage claim procedures. Learn more about Baggage Handling Services Training .

Baggage Claims and Proration:

Learn baggage pro-rate from the moment of payment of passenger claim until the agreement is made and the settlement of pro-rate amounts between respective carriers takes place. Learn more about Baggage Claim Proration Training.

Baggage Tracking:

This training is based on the requirements of IATA Resolution 753 for participants to learn and explore the different options to track baggage, as well as how tracking data could be exchanged with other parties; who would record tracking data; when it would be exchanged; and the technologies that could be used for this exchange. You will also investigate how member carriers, airports, and ground handling partners can work together to implement baggage tracking in the most effective and cost efficient manner. Learn more about Baggage Tracking Training.

Consultancy

IATA provides different types of consultancy, from big airport development projects with the IATA team to ad hoc consultancy delivered by the baggage subject matter experts.

If you are interested in knowing more about our consultancy possibilities, please contact us at baggage@iata.org

Publications

Electronic Bag Tag Implementation Guide - Issue 1 (EBT): A roadmap for airlines that wish to implement Electronic Baggage Tags. The guide highlights the basic components and functionalities of EBT tags, as well as key activities that an airline should consider for their implementation plans in terms of the user interface.

Baggage Reference Manual (BRM): is a publication designed to provide insight into the key features of baggage operations, it presents potential issues that might occur along a generic baggage chain and ways to overcome them.

Passenger Services Conference Resolutions Manual (PSCRM): All the resolutions and recommended practices that have been universally agreed upon by airlines to process passengers and baggage in the international interline environment are contained in this manual.

See the Passenger Services Conference, 39th edition's (pdf) table of contents and key changes (pdf).

Baggage ID Chart

IATA member airlines have developed a set of codes to represent baggage by color and type. A standard baggage identification chart includes the most common baggage types. As per Resolution 743b, airlines, airports and ground handlers should use the baggage identification chart to describe the correct type of mishandled baggage in any automated baggage tracing system. There should be an original hard copy of the baggage identification chart present at every baggage claim office. Purchase the Baggage ID Chart

Lost and Found Property Items Chart

The Lost and Found Property Items Chart is a brand new chart that identifies belongings that passengers frequently lose as carry on items. It helps to facilitate the conversation between passengers and Lost and Found office agents and thus speed up the repatriation of the item back to the client.

Approved by the IATA Baggage Working group in June 2017, it forms the Recommended Practice 1756. Additional information here.

WorldTracer Distribution Network (WTDN)

The WorldTracer Distribution Network (WTDN) is an IATA-SITA initiative, aiming to increase user friendliness, and simplify the distribution of the WorldTracer documentation. Since its creation, the system has experienced different transformations and enhancements, aiming to improve the network

In June 2016, IATA and SITA launched the new WTDN platform, which is the system to access the documentation for the SITA WorldTracer Modules supported by IATA systems. More on WTDN