Computers In Baggage Tugs-atl

[Harry Callahan]

I just got my issue of Air Transport World & was reading about how Delta assigns flights directly to the agent in the tugs. So anyone in ATL, I'm just curious how all this works? Does that mean you have no down time at all & as soon as you are done you get another one ? I'm really curious how all this works?
Thanks in advance for the replies..................................

 

[Nebbie Nuts!]

AA pioneered this at BNA in the early 90's when BNA was still an AA hub. Connecting bag info was sent to wireless computers on the tugs. As the driver dropped off the bags at each outbound flight, that info was sent back to the airport ramp ops center. That way the airline knew when all bags were on board and the flight was good to go. The system also did some load balancing among the drivers, but didn't eliminate driver downtime due to the peak and valley nature of the workload caused by the hub structure.

AA was all set to roll it out to all their hubs and big cities (DFW and LAX were next) but the project was cancelled during the airline downturn caused by Gulf War I. It was never resurrected to my knowledge.