The holiday season is synonymous with being the most wonderful time of the year. When you have to manage baggage handling systems during peak travel season, it's never that easy.
This year, airports project an increased amount of passengers, surpassing last and previous year's totals. Although those numbers are great for business, it can leave your BHS hanging on for dear life.
Now is a good time to check on your automated baggage handling system. We are just about to experience a massive influx of passengers, so making the right updates is crucial.
Flexco has a wide range of high-quality products for the folks working in the airports industry. Discover what your options are by reading more below.
BHS Solutions for Peak Travel Season
When you load and unload passenger luggage all day, you will inevitably encounter some logistical issues. This is where our research and product development truly shines.
During peak travel season, we have found three areas that often need extra attention. These areas include your transfer points, your conveyor belt splices, and your splicing equipment.
Our selection of airport products turns your challenges into productivity. Bolster your bottom line before peak travel season arrives by utilizing our airport belt conveyor solutions.
Transfer Point Solutions for Airports
The most stressful area of conveyor systems is the transfer point. That small area between belts is the perfect opportunity for a bag to cause a jam or damage itself and the belt.
To allow your system to transport bags smoothly across these points, install our Segmented Transfer Plates (STPs).
STPs are easy to install, and almost more importantly, easy to replace. Once placed onto your system, they effectively negate baggage jams and rips. Plus, they are a great tool for protecting workers from the harm that can come from transfer points.
Best Mechanical Belt Fasteners for Airports
Our mechanical belt fasteners are our bread and butter. Simply put, they just work. They are what Flexco started the business with and have been what we've perfected for more than 100 years.
For airport and luggage conveyor belts, there are three types of conveyor fasteners that we recommend. Depending on your belt specifications, we recommend Alligator® Staple, Clipper® Wire Hooks, or Clipper® G-Series.
With their ability to handle high speeds and wear from their high tensile and stainless-steel material, they are the ideal choice. This holds true across your entire BHS, from back-of-house conveyors to the conveyor belt loaders at the plane itself.
Belt Splicing Equipment for Airports
If you prefer not to use mechanical belt fastening systems, consider endless splicing. This method will transform your belt into a homogenous system, reducing noise and potential catch points when running under horizontal diverters.
The best choice that you could make here is the Novitool® Aero® Splice Press. In just 10 minutes, maintenance teams can complete a full splice from heat up to cooldown. Efficient splicing is especially crucial during peak season, as baggage belt downtime has a much greater effect.
For those who have never worked with endless splicing (or any Flexco product for that matter), we are proud to offer education and training. In a session, we can go through how to use our product solutions, and which solution is best for your application.
Additionally, if you feel that your entire BHS needs some extra attention, we offer site walkthroughs.
Other Airport BHS Equipment
Essentially every airport can use the three previously mentioned solutions. However, there are other good options available.
That is where I would advise you to download our Airport Capabilities Brochure.
With it, you can uncover airport industry trends and find useful products that you might have never heard of before.
Airport Capabilities Brochure
How to Implement BHS Solutions at Your Airport
As previously mentioned, we offer the industry's best products for your baggage handling system. You can cater these to meet the needs of your BHS belts, airplane belt loaders, and x-ray baggage scanner belts.
If you know exactly what you need, reach out to a Flexco distributor. We have a vast network of distributors in place; enter your zip code to find your nearest one.
But, if you have questions on what works for your specific system, I recommend a site walkthrough. After submitting a request, a member of our staff will coordinate a time that works for you to host them for a visit. While at your facility, they will study your BHS and diagnose your needs.
If you have questions during peak travel season, contact me or anyone on the Flexco product support team. On behalf of myself and Flexco, we can't wait to be your partner in productivity.
Stewart focuses on both the logistics industry, creating programs to support each segment and identifying customer issues, as well as potential product solutions, for parcel, airports, warehousing, distribution, and fulfillment. Stewart began his career at Flexco in 1989, working in various roles from customer service, to manufacturing, to training, to new product development, to market development management before taking on the role of Industry Manager in 2017. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Marketing with a B2B specialty from Davenport University.