Inside Britain's busiest airport: SHIVALI BEST goes behind-the-scenes at Heathrow's Terminal 5 to find out what really happens to your bag
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It's the best-connected airport in the world, linking to over 230 destinations in nearly 90 countries.
So it should come as no surprise that Heathrow Airport also features one of the world's most sophisticated baggage systems.
In 2024 alone, Heathrow handled a whopping 39.47 million outbound bags.
To put that into perspective, that's an average of 75 bags per minute, or 1.25 bags every second!
Unsurprisingly, the transport hub is usually extremely private about what happens behind closed doors.
However, MailOnline's Science and Technology Editor, Shivali Best, was invited behind-the-scenes at Heathrow's Terminal 5 for a rare look inside.
With 150 check-in positions, over 18 miles of conveyor belts, and an early bag storage warehouse managed by 30 cranes, the baggage system is meticulously designed from start-to-finish.
So, whether you're a happy holidaymaker or a busy businessperson, here's what really happens to your bag as it passes through Britain's busiest airport.
It's the best-connected airport in the world, linking to over 230 destinations in nearly 90 countries. So it should come as no surprise that Heathrow Airport also features one of the world's most sophisticated baggage systems
MailOnline's Science and Technology Editor, Shivali Best, was invited behind-the-scenes at Heathrow's Terminal 5 for a rare look inside
Heathrow's Terminal 5 opened back in 2008, and is mainly used by British Airways.
It's safe to say that its baggage handling system went off to a rocky start, with the then Aviation Minister, Jim Fitzpatrick, claiming the terminal had fallen 'well short of expectation'.
In the opening days, issues with Terminal 5's IT systems forced British Airways to cancel hundreds of flights and suspend check-in, with a total of around 42,000 bags failing to reach their owners.
Thankfully, in the 17 years since, Heathrow has ramped up its system and processes, with Terminal 5 now boasting the largest automated baggage handling system in the world.
I met with Baggage Engineering Duty Managers, Alec Burge and Nigel Jinman, at the departure gates for a tour of this world-class operation.
Terminal 5 alone has 150 check-in positions 30 metres above ground, where passengers can drop off their luggage.
'When each passenger checks in, their bag is given a tag with a Baggage Source Message (BSM),' Mr Burge explains.
'Every passenger has a unique one, containing information on everything from their name, flight number, class, and seat.
Behind the scenes, the baggage system is split into two sections - north and south - where bags are transported on mirror journeys to airplanes at the 53 departure gates
The first stop is a volumetric scanner, which detects whether a bag is lying flat or upright
There are several things you can do to reduce the risk of a bag issue:
DO
- Opt for a hard-shell suitcase
- Include a note inside your suitcase with your name, flight details, and phone number
DON'T
- Use a bag strap or clingwrap your bag
- Opt for a leather bag or sports bag
'The BSM is used to route the bag through the baggage system to the correct flight.'
Behind the scenes, the baggage system is split into two sections - north and south - where bags are transported on mirror journeys to airplanes at the 53 departure gates.
Armed with our passports and security passes, we make our way through an unassuming door and begin our exploration of this mysterious baggage labyrinth.
After climbing 10 metres down, we see bags first entering the system.
'As the bag drops down into the system, an automatic reader will look at the BSM,' Mr Burge explained.
'There are dozens of scanners throughout the baggage system.'
The first stop is a volumetric scanner, which detects whether a bag is lying flat or upright, and whether it is too big or heavy.
If the scanner detects a bag is upright - a prime position for it to get into a jam - it will reroute it to a special rotating belt that flips it on to its side, before it rejoins the main conveyor belt.
Terminal 5 also has a rollercoaster-like system to ensure bags are whisked through at top speed - and precision
Just when I think the whistle-stop tour is coming to an end, the experts show me the Early Bag Storage unit, where any early bags can be stored safely until they're needed
If the bags do happen to get into a jam at any point, engineers are watching on CCTV and can step in to try to clear the blockage.
Next, it's over to the X-ray scanners, where the bags go through five levels of screening.
If they fail at the first level, they are escalated to the next, and escalation continues as required, with the police being called if the bag cannot be cleared.
Once a bag has been given the all-clear at security, it passes through to a 'sorter' conveyor belt - a huge track made up of 1,300 moving trays.
As the trays wind their way around the track, much to my surprise, they suddenly tip, launching the bags off into one of 132 outputs.
Finally, the bags at each output are loaded onto a unit loading device, which is driven by the airline to the plane to be loaded on.
One of the biggest stresses for travellers is the risk of bags being lost during tight transfers.
Thankfully, Terminal 5 also has a rollercoaster-like connection system to ensure bags are whisked through at top speed - and precision.
With 150 check-in positions, over 18 miles of conveyor belts, and an early bag storage warehouse managed by 30 cranes, the baggage system is meticulously designed from start-to-finish
'If you're on a tight connection, your bag is flagged as time-critical,' Mr Burge explains.
'Connecting bags go through 16 transfer belts to a destination coded vehicle, which loops around to where it needs to be.'
Just when I think the whistle-stop tour is coming to an end, the experts show me the Early Bag Storage unit, where any early bags can be stored safely until they're needed.
Reminiscent of the Door Warehouse in 'Monsters, Inc', this unit is managed by 30 automated cranes, which can whisk over 6,500 bags around with impressive precision.
As with most systems, Terminal 5's baggage system isn't fault-free, with occasional blockages requiring engineers to come and rejig the bags.
'A lot of the time, it's due to the ways the bags were offloaded,' Mr Burge tells me.
'The airline handlers place the bags on the conveyor belt, and they should leave a space so bags can run through the system nice and easily.'
Other issues come down to the nature of the bags themselves.
Reminiscent of the Door Warehouse in 'Monsters, Inc', this unit is managed by 30 automated cranes, which can whisk over 6,500 bags around with impressive precision
As with most systems, Terminal 5's baggage system isn't fault-free, with occasional blockages requiring engineers to come and rejig the bags
'If every bag was a square box, it would process through the system much better,' he joked.
As a passenger, there are several easy things you can do to reduce the risk of an issue with your bag, according to Mr Jinman.
'Bag straps are always getting stuck, and we can't repatriate them so they just go in the bin,' he said.
'They're an absolute nightmare. Cling film wrap is also awful - it gets wrapped up like the straps do.'
Hard bags are the best option, according to the expert.
'We treat the trays like surfboards - we wax them so they're smooth. So some really soft leather bags or sports equipment bags can get stuck on the trays,' he explained.
'When the trays tip, those bags don't always fall down the right chute.
'Thankfully, this will set off an alarm in the control room and an engineer will go down to recover the bags.'
Meanwhile, Mr Jinman's top tip is to always include a note inside your suitcase with your name, flight details, and phone number.
'If the tag comes off your bag, as soon as we open it up we can call you and see what flight you're on.'
Air traffic control aims to move planes safely and efficiently through the airspace system. Controllers keep aircraft set distances apart while moving them from airport to airport using designated routes.
Before take off, airlines will file a flight plan with air traffic control so every controller who deals with the flight on its journey is aware of its details and route.
When an aircraft is at an airport, the pilots on board will be in contact with controllers in the airport's control tower.
Air traffic controllers will monitor the aircraft while it is on the ground and give it permission to take off.
Support: NATS is calling on the government to help secure the capacity needed to meet traffic demand over the next decade
Once airborne the pilot will then normally talk to another controller using a radar screen to track the aircraft’s progress through the airways system (equivalent to motorways in the sky).
Each controller is responsible for planes in a set area of airspace. When an aircraft is nearing the edge of their sector they will coordinate its handover to the next controller. This will continue through the aircraft’s journey until it is handed over to the controller at the destination airport.
Most airliners are monitored by controllers using radar in airways and routes known as ‘controlled airspace’.
The majority of airspace that is left is known as ‘uncontrolled’, and this is used by the military and recreational pilots. In this airspace some air traffic control services are provided, especially near airfields, but in much of the airspace it is the pilots’ responsibility to see and avoid each other.
Source: Civil Aviation Authority
Daily Mail
