NCAA To Introduce RFID System For Real-Time Airport Baggage Tracking

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) is set to introduce a radio frequency identification (RFID) system that will enable air passengers to track their checked luggage in real time using their mobile phones.

The initiative is part of efforts by the aviation regulator to address persistent baggage-related complaints, including misplaced, delayed, damaged and misrouted luggage at Nigerian airports.

The NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, disclosed this during a stakeholder engagement forum on Tuesday.

Achimugu said the proposed system would replace the existing barcode-based baggage identification process with an automated technology capable of monitoring luggage from check-in through loading and eventual collection at the destination airport.

According to him, passengers would be able to use their phones to determine the location of their luggage at different stages of their journey, including whether the bag had been transferred to the boarding area and loaded onto the aircraft.

He explained that the technology would significantly reduce the likelihood of baggage being sent to the wrong destination and make it easier to locate luggage that failed to arrive with its owner.

“ The technology we are looking to use now is RFID to replace the current technology being used,” Achimugu said.

He added that real-time baggage information would also help airlines resolve complaints more quickly, as passengers and carriers would have access to the last known location of missing luggage.

Under the current regulatory framework, airlines may have up to seven days to locate and reconcile missing baggage with affected passengers. However, the NCAA expects the proposed system to substantially reduce the time required to trace and recover misplaced luggage.

Achimugu said the project had reached an advanced stage, although formal implementation had not yet commenced.

He disclosed that the contractor selected for the project had already been introduced to airlines, with discussions ongoing on how the technology would be integrated into the different baggage-handling systems operated by carriers.

The NCAA is also reviewing its existing regulations with a view to making automated baggage tracking compulsory for airlines operating in Nigeria.

The regulator believes the adoption of RFID technology will strengthen baggage management, improve passenger experience and reduce the growing number of complaints associated with checked luggage at Nigerian airports.