Denver Intl Airport

Denver International Airport Baggage Management System

ABSTRACT

Denver International Airport (DIA) was the first airport to be built in the United States in over 20 years. One of the major part of the construction of the airport was the one of the top class automated baggage handling system that was said to be considered as the largest and most sophisticated system in the world and was designed to provide high-speed transfer of baggage to and from aircraft, handling originating, terminating and transfer baggage, thereby facilitating quick turnaround times for aircraft and improved services to passengers.

But on the contrary, there was significant mechanical and software problems that plagued the baggage system during system tests. It had many problems like bags being misloaded, misrouted, or fell out of telecarts, causing the system to jam. The automated baggage handling system that was to provide unified handling of baggage for all airlines contributed to a delay in the opening of the $4.2 billion airport by 16 months. Instead of opening in October of 1993, as planned, the faulty baggage handling system delayed that date until February 28, 1995. The delay cost both airlines and the city of Denver roughly $1 million dollars per day (Analysis of the Denver). This document discusses events at the new Denver International Airport that resulted in opening delays of the airport. The scope is limited to the automated baggage handling system, which was the primary source of failure warranting the airport's several opening delays.

Overview:

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the reason for the failure of Denver International Airport’s Baggage Management System project. Ten years ago, the new Denver International Airport (DIA) marched boldly into the future with a computerized baggage-handling system that immediately became famous for its ability to mangle or misplace a good portion of everything that wandered into its path (JOHNSON, K., 2005). The $3.2...