Holidaymakers could avoid their trips being blighted by airport chaos under plans for "luggagefree" terminals to be unveiled today.
Instead of dragging their suitcases to check-in, passengers would pay to have their baggage picked up from home and delivered independently to their destination.
It would be tracked by computer, using the same technology already employed by parcel delivery firms and supermarket home-shopping systems.
The system could end lengthy queues at check-in and security, reduce the effect of baggagehandler strikes and slash the number of bags lost globally each year - currently 30million.
Fuel economies from lighter luggage-free passenger aircraft could save airlines 22 per cent of the industry's annual revenue which, if passed on to passengers, could amount to a reduction of around £30 per ticket.
That should be enough to pay for the luggage service.
The plan will be discussed today at a parliamentary conference organised by the all-party Aviation Group, with executives from the airport operator BAA and Transport Department officials among the guests.
Many passengers are already having to pay to put their bags on to planes.
Ryanair currently charges passengers £10 per flight to check in bags at the airport - or £5 per flight to use the "fastdrop" facility booked on the Internet - to encourage them to bring only hand luggage.
4 comments:
I know what's going to happen here. By putting government in the same room as people from airports and airlines, they'll work out a system for taking our baggage, leaving us behind, charging us more and still managing to cause longer queues. Why wasn't I invited to this meeting. I have a contribution to make.
I've travelled to the USA 5 times in the last 2 years, they've only lost my luggage 3 times !
I don't see the advantage, some other twat will lose it somewhere else ?
On the plus side , last Christmas I did get a $50 voucher for essentials to cover my lost luggage: Me being a careful spender managed to get :-
A pair of sneakers
A pair of jeans
2 pairs of socks
A T-shit
2 pairs of USA boxer shorts
Oh! and a nice little soapbag full of necessities
All that for $50. You're not a "careful spender", you're a bloody cheapskate. Unless you got it all in the US where everything is 10% of our prices - in which case, my apologies for calling you a cheapskate.
Of course I got it all in the US. But I wouldn't be offended at being called a cheapskate... it's your round !
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