Emirates Partners With Three Airports to Trial RFID Technology

Emirates Airline has announced that it is partnering with London Heathrow, Dubai International and Hong Kong International airports, to trial the latest radio-frequency identification technology in baggage handling.

Emirates will be investing close to AED2 million, to test the effectiveness and benefits of radio-frequency identification (RFID) against the existing barcode tracking system. Some half a million bags on Emirates flights will be tagged with RFID chips over the six-month duration of the trial.

The chips are read as they pass through the airport’s baggage system, enabling effective sorting, security screening and delivery to the aircraft. Arriving bags are read on entry to the baggage system and receipted into the system for effective tracking. Essentially, the chips will enable bags to be tracked at every stage of their journey, and minimize the possibilities for mishandling baggage.

Dale Griffith, divisional senior vice president of airport services at Emirates, said: “This is about embracing the latest technology for the benefit of our customers, and we are very glad to be able to embark on this extensive trial together with our airport partners. Our investment in this project is a small price to pay to give our customers greater peace of mind.”