Delta Airlines to track client baggage using RFID technology
Delta Airlines to track client baggage using RFID technology

Delta Airlines recently announced its intention to adopt RFID technology via a $50 million (USD) investment to enhance baggage tracking at 344 stations worldwide.

Instead of the traditional way of using hand barcode scanners to determine where the bag needs to go, RFID chips will be inserted into the tags which will automatically be read through the monitoring RFID scanners. This technology will lead to smoother tracking and greater transparency.

As a result of the introduction of RFID technology from Q4 2016, passengers will now be able to track when their baggage has loaded and unloaded onto an aircraft using the Fly Delta mobile app. Delta Airlines has stated that based on early uses and testing of the RFID technology, a 99.9 percent success rate has been reached.

Although RFID technology has been adopted in the past at McCarran International Airport and Hong Kong International Airport for luggage tracking purposes, Delta Airlines recent RFID technology investment is the biggest by an airline to date.

Bill Lentsch, Delta’s Senior Vice President-Airport Customer Service and Cargo Operations, said Delta’s goal after investing such a large sum of money into RFID technology is to reliably deliver every luggage piece on every flight accurately. Delta Airlines, will have greater data and more precise information throughout the bags journey, as a result of RFID technology according to Lentsch.

Tim Mapes, Delta’s Chief Marketing Officer believes that in the same way that customers want information about flight changes immediately, these same customers will also want to know exactly where their checked bag is at any given time. Mapes is convinced that the tracking app is the first step towards the reliability of baggage location. He looks forward to the growth and usage of Fly Delta mobile app.

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