Baggage being loaded onto the conveyor of an Airbus A319 of EasyJet

A baggage handling system (BHS) is a type of conveyor system installed in airports that transports checked luggage from ticket counters to areas where the bags can be loaded onto airplanes. A BHS also transports checked baggage coming from airplanes to baggage claims or to an area where the bag can be loaded onto another airplane.

Although the primary function of a BHS is the transportation of bags, a typical BHS will serve other functions involved in making sure that a bag gets to the correct location in the airport. The process of identifying a bag, and the information associated with it, to make a decision on where the bag should be directed within the system is known as sortation.

In addition to sortation, a BHS may also perform the following functions:

• Detection of bag jams
• Volume regulation (to ensure that input points are controlled to avoid overloading system)
• Load balancing (to evenly distribute bag volume between conveyor sub-systems)
• Bag counting
• Bag tracking
• Redirection of bags via pusher or diverter

[edit] External links

• How Baggage Handling Works (howstuffworks.com)