Denver Airport bagage system

THE BAGGAGE SYSTEM AT DENVER:
PROSPECTS AND LESSONS

Dr. Richard de Neufville
Professor of Civil Engineering
Chairman, Technology and Policy Program
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA 02139 (U.S.A.)
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This article discusses the fundamental design difficulties of the fully automated baggage system originally planned for the New Denver Airport, and their implications for airport and airline management. Theory, industrial experience, and the reality at Denver emphasize the difficulty of achieving acceptable standards of performance when novel, complex systems are operating near capacity. United Airlines will thus make the Denver system "work" by drastically reducing its complexity and performance. Automated baggage systems are risky. Airlines and airports considering their use should assess their design cautiously and far in advance, and install complementary, backup systems from the start.

Ref: “The Baggage System at Denver: Prospects and Lessons,” Journal of Air Transport
Management, Vol. 1, No. 4, Dec., pp. 229-236, 1994.

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Background
The City and County of Denver have built a massive new airport, the New Denver
International Airport. It extends over 13,568 hectares (about 53 square miles); has 3 parallel North-South runways, 2 parallel East-West runways, and room for a total of 12 major runways. In many ways the New Denver Airport represents a model of the airport of the future (de Neufville, 1995).
At opening, the Airport will have cost about US $ 5 billion including the US $ 685 million contribution of the Federal Government and the over US $ 400 million investment of airlines in fitting out their passenger buildings, catering facilities and cargo centers (US
Government Accounting Office, 1994). At the end of 1994, the bonded debt of the municipally owned Denver Airport System was more than US $ 3.8 billion (City and
County of Denver, 1994b).

References: Airport Support (1993), "Denver turns to Texan Telecar," April, pp. 17. Auguston, K. (1994), "The Denver Airport: A lesson in coping with complexity," Modern Materials Handling, Oct., pp Breier Neidle Patrone Associates (1990) DIA -- Denver International Airport, Baggage Handling Systems, Conceptual Design Study Final Report, BNP Doc City and County of Denver (1994a), discussions with airport officials in July and August, both at Denver and through broadcast conference calls. City and County of Denver (1994b) Official Statement for Airport System Revenue Bonds, Series 1994A. Daskin, M. (1978), "Effects of Origin-Destination Matrix on the Performance of Loop Transportation Systems," Doctoral Dissertation, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Deloitte and Touche (1994) "Independent Auditor 's Report," Appendix B to City and County of Denver, 1994b. de Neufville, R. (1995) "Designing Airport Passenger Buildings for the 21st. Century," Transport Journal, UK Institution of Civil Engineers, in press. Flynn, K. (1994a) "Baggage System was behind from the very beginning," Rocky Mountain News, May 1. Flynn, K. (1994b) "Delays began with United 's demand for automated system," Rocky Mountain News, June 5. Flynn, K. (1994c) "Webb picks backup system -- airlines resist solution to baggage problem, say it 's 30 years out of date," Rocky Mountain News, Aug Frenz, M. (1994) Statement on behalf of Logplan consultants, in response to direct questions during the Denver conference call to investors Aug Gibbs, W. W. (1994) "Software 's Chronic Crisis," Scientific American, Sept., pp. 86 - 95. Henderson, D. (1994) "It 's in the bag(s) -- the balky, $ 193 million luggage-delivery system continues to hold up the opening of Denver 's ultramodern airport," Air Transport Hensel Phelps Construction Co. (1994) "United Airlines Enhanced Baggage System, Denver International Airport," Weekly Status Report 012, Dec Johnson, D. (1994) "Late Already, Denver Faces More Delays," New York Times, Sept. Lantner, Gary (1994) Personal communication, Dec. 19. Leigh Fisher Associates (1994) "Report of the Airport Consultant on the proposed issuance of City and County of Denver, Colorado, Airport System Revenue Bonds, Series 1994A," Appendix A to City and County of Denver (1994b), Aug. 18. Logplan/Fukuma (1994) "Assessment of the Integrated Baggage Handling System IABHS, Denver International Airport," July 29. Myerson, A. (1994) "Automation Off Course in Denver," New York Times, April 18, pp. United Airlines (1994) "United Denver," publicity brochure, Nov. US Government Accounting Office (1994) New Denver Airport: Impact of the Delayed Baggage System, Briefing Report to the Hon Zitterstein, G. (1994) "Frankfurt maintains fast trains with T2," Airport Review, Vol. 6, No