China Eastern Airlines has introduced radio frequency identification devices (RFID) for baggage tracking at two major airports in Shanghai.
The Shanghai-based airline started to introduce RFID technology at Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport and Shanghai Pudong International Airport in July and it is now fully implemented.
China Eastern Airlines first introduced a RFID bag tracking service for its passengers in January 2019. The service meant that passengers can track their checked-in baggage real time, using the China’s multi-function messaging app WeChat.
RFID is a wireless technology that can identify and track tags containing electronic information in a chip in the bag tag. When passengers check-in their baggage, airline systems insert the flight number, departure and arrival airports and other information into the chip. It means that RFID can then track each stage of the baggage handling process.
It can also provide passengers a more efficient service as it is possible for them to get real-time information about their baggage.
IATA and RFID
IATA, the organisation that represents over 300 global airlines has been trying to get the industry to implement RFID bag tags and tracking since 2005.
After more than a decade the efforts by IATA are possibly making progress. For example, the new Beijing Daxing International Airport, scheduled to go into operation in September, will comprehensively introduce RFID for baggage tracking.
About China Eastern
China Eastern Airlines (MU) is headquartered in Shanghai, China. It is China’s second-largest carrier by passenger numbers, operating international, domestic and regional routes.
Its main hubs are at Shanghai Pudong International Airport and Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport, with secondary hubs at Kunming Changshui International Airport and Xi’an Xianyang International Airport.
Currently, it operates a fleet of over 600 aircrafts, with average age less than 5.5 years, being one of the youngest fleets in major airlines in the world
Routes: The network covers China, Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia, Europe, America and Oceania.
Aircraft: China Eastern operates more than 520 aircraft, from Airbus and Boeing, including:
- 35 Airbus A319
- 200+ Airbus A320
- 77 Airbus A321
- 54 Airbus A330
- 6 Airbus A350
- 150+ Boeing 737
- 20 Boeing 777
- 3 Boeing 787
Alliance: SkyTeam . China Eastern and its subsidiary Shanghai Airlines became the 14th member of SkyTeam on 21 June 2011.
Numbers: In 2014, China Eastern Airlines carried 83.08 million domestic and international passengers with an average load factor of 73%.
N.B. Image credit: Photo by Michał Parzuchowski on Unsplash
