Application of Queuing Process in the Optimization of Baggage Handling System of Murtala Muhammed International Airport

Author(s): Rowland J. O. Ekeocha, Samuel A. Ushe

Baggage handling systems (BHS) take up a significant portion of an airport's overall operation. As an entryway BHS is an essential component as it facilitates a smooth transition for baggage flowing from the check-in area to the departure gates (loading points) by reconstituting a dynamic baggage flow into a stable flow on a conveyor system. The main purpose of this paper is to review different baggage models and their usage in the BHS line shared by multiple airlines. This is particularly relevant in the Nigerian context, as imbalances have been observed in the BHS designed for Murtala Mohammed international Airport. These imbalances lead to a lower customer satisfaction rates for most airline as well as a reduction in the level of service provided by the airport during peak hours. In this study, we shall consider several work of different researchers on the baggage handling systems using different models to solve the entryway BHS. We shall also consider the most appropriate operation of BHS in Nigerian Airport which will improve efficiency and reduce waiting time of passenger baggage. The results indicate that this suggested algorithm reduces the imbalances for the airlines sharing the BHS collection conveyor, while maintaining overall BHS performance at an acceptable level. The relationships between the variables used in the algorithm and overall performance are discussed further.

Queuing Process, Baggage Handling System, Optimization

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9. Pulse news Published: 03.04.2017, Refreshed: 29.05.2017 Segun Akande.