Major Bagage Handling Glitch Again

[kalaminsa]

New airport encounters major glitch

Automated baggage handling system crashes twice at Suvarnabhumi

By Amornrat Mahithirook

The baggage handling system at Suvarnabhumi Airport encountered a major technical glitch yesterday, leaving over 6,700 outbound luggage items stranded at the airport. Suvarnabhumi Airport director Somchai Sawasdeepol said the automated system crashed twice, between 6.00-6.20am and 9.00-10.00am, resulting in 6,722 pieces of luggage missing their flights.

More than 20 flights, both domestic and international, were affected, he said.

Of the total, 760 items should have been loaded onto Thai Airways International aircraft, which made two domestic and 14 international flights yesterday.

According to Mr Somchai, the glitch had something to do with the automated sorting system and the barcode reading.

The cause of the problem had yet to be determined.

''There is no problem with the main conveyor belt system. This is something about the database of the server used for baggage sorting,'' said Mr Somchai.

He said the airlines were alerted of the technical problem and advised to switch to a contingency plan which required them to reconfirm the number of check-in baggage pieces.

Many members of the airport staff had no idea what to do in such a situation, resulting in piles of unloaded baggage.

According to Mr Somchai, baggage would continue to be handled manually until 12pm on Monday _ when the automated system is expected to return to normal and resume operations.

Kawasaki Co, which was contracted to install the baggage handling system, has been called in to solve the problem.

Manual handling takes 15 seconds longer than the automated system to clear each piece of luggage, he noted.

The airport director saw the glitch as a minor problem, saying that at least it did not cause any flight delays.

THAI yesterday assured that all but those aboard the flight to Sydney would receive their baggage within one day. Those departing for Sydney would get their belongings today.

Chokechai Panyayong, THAI vice-president for ground services, said about 30 soldiers were also deployed to help sort the baggage manually.

''They would sort the items, reading their barcode tags attached to the bags which will be returned to the owners at their flight destinations,'' he said.

Mr Chokechai said he would call a meeting with the Airports of Thailand Plc and Kawasaki Co and the airlines to sort out the problem.

Baggage handling problems have cost THAI millions of baht in compensation since the commercial opening of the airport on Sept 28, he said.

The luggage service mess on the first day saw Pethai Boonyaves, THAI managing director for ground support equipment services, shifted to an inactive post. Delays in luggage handling have continued to dog the airport, partly due to poor management and inadequate communication facilities.

He said baggage handling problems were beyond expectations.

''We anticipated problems at 0.6%, but the figure, to say the truth, is 10%,'' he said.

In a related development at the airport, AoT president Chotisak Asapaviriya, dismissed as sheer rumours a report on sexual assaults at the airport premises.

It was reported that an employee of King Power, which operates duty-free shops, and a staff of China Airlines were raped.

Mr Chotisak said security authorities had checked surveillance video footage and found nothing suspicious.

He also called on the media to verify reports as it may tarnish the airport's image if published.

http://www.bangkokpost.net/News/08Oct2006_news01.php

[danone]

friend of mine should leave sat at 2300 hrs to amsterdam - plane left at 0500 the next day ...