Manual quality
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A $250 million automated luggage system at Denver International Airport is being mothballed in favour of a manual process.
It was supposed to be the future of airport baggage handling systems, but it ended up just being too prone to mangling the suitcases it was supposed to protect. Now the $250 million automated luggage system at Denver International Airport is being mothballed in favour of a manual process.
The system - run by United Airlines - was supposed to place luggage in carts capable of communicating with computers as they sped around miles of track, delivering them speedily to their destination. Too often the luggage was misplaced or mauled. "We have come to the conclusion that a manual process is best," says Pete McDonald, United's chief operating officer.
It is a salutary warning to any business evaluating RFID chips. Part of the problems with the luggage system is that computers intended to orchestrate the delivery of bags were often overwhelmed by the data coming from the cars. Sometimes automation causes more problems than it solves.
