The future of baggage handling for Delta Air Lines is tied up in RFID - and by investing heavily in this area, Delta will try to iron out the existing wrinkles in the baggage delivery process.
Lost luggage costs the sector an enormous sum every year and even though SITA's latest baggage report makes for optimistic reading, the spectre of the lost or mislaid bag still haunts the industry.
Delta carried nearly 120m checked suitcases last year and collected US$25 in fees, each way, for most of the domestic bags that it carried. Travellers, of course, expect their bags at their destination and any shortfall or delay heavily impacts the carrier's reputation. By adopting RFID, Delta feels that its future will be one of even fewer mislaid items of luggage. The idea, though, isn't new and in stations as far apart as McCarran and Hong Kong fliers can find RFID processes alive and well - and working very satisfactorily indeed. But here, it's the airline taking the initiative - and if it proves successful, other carriers seem likely to follow suit.
