Home > Industries > Baggage Handling > References > Singapore Changi Airport

Major international hub cuts connection times

Inter-terminal tunnel accelerates baggage transport

A faster, more efficient BHS

As an ultra-modern, award-winning airport, Changi International was the first airport in Singapore to accept the A380. The major aviation hub in Southeast Asia, now has 19 Airbus A380-compatible gates, with eight gates in the new Terminal 3. A fully automated Baggage Handling System (BHS) ensures that the airport achieves minimum connection times and has the capacity to support hub traffic with enhanced security, efficiency and reliability.

To deliver on these priorities the BHS combines two tilt-tray sorters with the first CrisBag® system to be installed in Asia. The 13-kilometre tote-based transport system links the three terminals and Early Baggage Store (EBS) through a tunnel which has twin tracks in both directions.

Each bag remains in the same tote throughout transportation and storage to achieve a short baggage processing time from check-in to make-up. The tote-based system enables 100% track and trace and uses two tote sizes which allows standard and out-of-gauge bags to be transported on the same system. Energy efficiency is increased as each belt operates only when a bag is detected or transported.

The baggage is transported between terminals to provide fast transfer times, sent direct to the sorters, or routed to EBS. Automatic barcode scanners provide higher levels of sort­ing accuracy.

Extensive emulation was essential to ensure that the BHS was completed on an accelerated timescale for a complex project. During emulation, the system was tested when running faster than in real-time operation. This enabled the performance to be verified even in the most demanding operating conditions.

  • 1200 M

    inter-terminal tunnel
  • 10000 +

    bags per hour per terminal
  • 4000

    item capacity for dynamic EBS

Dynamic EBS supports early baggage check-in

Just over 50% of the bag­gage processed in Terminal 3 is transferring to a connecting flight. The Transfer Input Facility (TIF) uses dedicated transfer lines with barcode scanning and Hold Baggage Screening (HBS) to sort bags to EBS, make-up or to the time-critical racetracks to reach a connecting flight.

A fully integrated EBS provides the capacity to hold 4000 bags and enables a single tote to be retrieved at any time to make a connecting flight or to respond to a changed booking. The EBS also improves passenger satisfaction by allowing baggage to be checked-in hours before flight time.

Tight control and optimisation

The Mainte­nance and Diagnostic System (MDS) provides Changi’s control room with full visualisation and management of the complete BHS. With the SCADA control system interfaced to the Flight Information System (FIS) the tight control of the BHS optimises and streamlines baggage handling.

Under a 24/7 residential service contract, BEUMER Group operates and maintains the BHS in Terminals 2 and 3 as well as the CrisBag inter-terminal baggage transfer system. This ensures the highest system performance and availability which is critical to providing the capacity to support high passenger numbers.

To maintain its reputation for award-winning service and ultra-modern design, Changi Airport relies on state-of-the-art baggage handling technology to deliver the service and performance expected of a major international hub.

Do you have any questions?

Do you have any questions?

Your Contact Person

Johan Rajczyk

Global Sales Manager

Call us!

Phone