Article from BTNews 20 JUNE 2016
Star Alliance ‘hub’ for better handling
Further improvements in baggage handling at airports are being promised after the Star Alliance chief executive board (CEB) approved a multi-million dollar investment in what it calls an “IT Hub” to speed up communications.
Retiring CEO Mark Schwab said the system would enable alliance members to coordinate more closely the hundreds of millions of messages being transmitted across the group.
In so doing, it would and improve baggage handling in problem areas such as those involving short connection times, dealing with priority bags and reuniting mishandled luggage with passengers.
Schwab also said the alliance board had agreed to develop a set of standards for airport automation processes, such as off-airport and self-service checking, self-baggage tagging and automated document validation.
Describing the initiative as an industry first, Schwab said the standards would reduce infrastructure requirements and handling costs at the 1,300 airports used by alliance member airlines.
Schwab is stepping down as the alliance chief executive and will be replaced by Jeffrey Goh, presently the group’s COO and general counsel. Goh will take up the role in January.
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