Yusuf Akçayoğlu, the CEO of İGA Airport Construction, has announced that the baggage system for the new Istanbul Airport (IGA) is complete. This is a significant milestone on the road towards the airport’s 2018 opening.
Supplied by Vanderlande, the baggage system was designed, produced, delivered and assembled in just 24 months and will be able of handling 30,000 baggage items per hour.
Mr Akçayoğlu said: “The baggage system is critical for Istanbul New Airport, which will be serving 200 million passengers a year along with flight services to more than 350 destinations, when all phases are completed. It will ensure an uninterrupted passenger experience by bringing down the waiting period for the baggage items to a minimum level. To establish the 42km (26mile)-long system we used 3,300 tons of steel and laid 650km (404 mile) of cables.
“Furthermore, the terminal building is equipped with 13 check-in islands and 468 points where passengers can hand in and check in their luggage.”
Talking about their functionality-based approach to meet the needs of passengers in the context of Istanbul new Airport project, he added: “Thanks to our baggage system, we will outperform many airports around the world. For example: Our baggage storing capacity is 10,800 baggage items which means that passengers who arrive at the airport early will be able to hand in their luggage whenever they wish. Moreover, in case of a delay, we will not have any problems with space to store the baggage. The Baggage items will be put away to shelves from 48 early baggage-storing robots. The system will also include 28 (ten domestic, 18 international) incoming passenger baggage receiver carousels. Eight of these carousels have the capacity to handle wide-body [code F and E] aircraft. We also have 48 baggage sorting carousels which will help to sort departure baggage.”
