Hong Kong airport picks RFID baggage tracking

HONG KONG -- As one of the busiest airports in the world, Hong Kong International Airport annually has about 35 million passengers and handles three million tons of air cargo. Last month, it was named the world's best airport by SkyTrax (UK) and received a special recognition award from the International Air Transport Association (IATA). This week, not resting with its top rankings, the airport announced that to "improve customer satisfaction" a baggage tracking infrastructure using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) will be installed.

The baggage tracking system, which will be the single largest RFID deployment in Asia, will be provided by Matrics Inc., a large designer and manufacturer of EPC (electronic product code) compliant RFID systems. Based in Rockville, Maryland, Matrics was chosen by the Airport Authority Hong Kong to provide the baggage tracking systems, along with Matrics' strategic partner, Marubeni Corporation. Revenues from reader infrastructure will total $3.5 million for Matrics.

Matrics' RFID reader infrastructure will be deployed across Hong Kong airport's extensive baggage handling facilities. At various nodes within the airport, including baggage carousels, unit load devices (ULDs) and conveyors, reader systems will be installed to read and write to RFID tags that will be applied on passenger bags. RFID-enabled handheld readers will also be used for mobile baggage operation.

"Airport Authority Hong Kong is very pleased to be deploying Matrics' state-of-the-art RFID system," said Y. F. Wong, head of Technical Services and Procurement at the Airport Authority Hong Kong. "Besides superior technology and a systems approach, we were most impressed with Matrics' commitment and responsiveness through this meticulous selection process."

Real-time baggage tracking

He added that by taking a leadership position to launch real-time passenger baggage tracking capability with passive UHF RFID technology, Hong Kong International Airport's baggage tracking infrastructure system will pave the way for other airports and airlines in Asia and the rest of the world as they respond to the need for ever increasing levels of security coupled with high customer satisfaction levels.

Prior to selecting Matrics' RFID systems, Airport Authority Hong Kong went through an extensive qualification and testing process to choose an RFID system for their baggage tracking application. Vendors had to go through "real life" deployment and performance testing at the airport's facilities.

"Hong Kong International Airport is a trailblazer in ensuring a high level of security for business and leisure travelers alike," said Piyush Sodha, chairman and CEO of Matrics. "RFID is a cost-effective, scalable technology ideal for airline and airport applications across the world."

Frost and Sullivan Award

Matrics is a global leader in the design and manufacture of EPC-compliant RFID systems and the recipient of the Frost and Sullivan Award for Entrepreneurial Company for 2004. Matrics, named to Red Herring's prestigious list of top 100 technology companies for 2004, along with its partnership network, provides RFID solutions to many of the Fortune 1000 companies, government, as well as international businesses.

RFID technology uses tags or transponders to transmit EPCs and communicate wirelessly to readers over radio frequency waves. Attached to physical objects, including items, cartons, pallets and containers, the tags uniquely identify objects. Readers receive data from the RFID tags via radio frequency waves once the tags are within reading range. This data is captured, accepted and executed against by RFID-enabled supply chain solutions.

The Matrics RFID system is comprised of EPC-compliant RFID tags (Class 0 read only and read/write) and its new, multi-protocol reader (AR 400 RFID Reader), which is designed to enable real-time, seamless tag reading and writing capability for all EPC-compliant tags including Class 0 and Class 1. Matrics' RFID technology reads farther and faster and costs less than comparable systems, providing unsurpassed real-time visibility into products and assets in factories, distribution centers and retail outlets.

Also in Las Vegas

Last November, McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas became the first airport to begin installation of an RFID baggage tracking system will use latest radio frequency identification technology. The system from Matrics was describing as providing for the Las Vegas airport a lowcost, high-performance RFID smart label technology. The McCarran baggage tracking system is designed to automatically track all passenger bags through inline explosive detection and screening equipment, ensuring safe passage for the airport’s millions of customers.

"This becomes a win for all concerned: the traveler, the airport, the TSA and the airline,” said Randall H. Walker, Director of Aviation, McCarran International Airport, “by reducing the incidence of lost or mishandled bags while ensuring screened bags are delivered to the right place at the right time.”

Under the terms of the five-year contract, Matrics will supply McCarran with nearly 100 million passive, non-battery UHF disposable tags. The value of the contract, including the RFID infrastructure for the new baggage handling facility, is approximately $25 million. This is one of the largest single orders ever placed for RFID technology and the largest for a security application and will, according to Walker, "reflect the commitment we have towards improving the safety and service satisfaction of our customers."

Airports and airlines

Matrics has been active in supporting the various requirements of airports and airlines for tracking assets with a technology platform that can be used for multiple applications. “We are committed to providing complete solutions with our business partners to bring a new level of visibility and security to our customers,” said John Shoemaker, Vice President of Corporate Development for Matrics.

"Matrics is especially proud to work with the team at McCarran International Airport to create a showcase that will clearly demonstrate how RFID technology can improve visibility, accuracy and security in baggage operations - all while reducing operational costs and increasing customer satisfaction," Shoemaker said. "Future applications using the same platform can include passenger boarding passes, carry-on items, vehicle parking, traveler loyalty, air cargo and more."