Instead of the ordinary bar coded stick-on labels, we can use RFID inlay stick-on labels. These have a printed portion, as well an RFID tag inlay, which can be either a read only or a WORM (write once read many) type. This tag can be read by RFID readers mounted at various locations on the conveyor belts.
The RFID readers have several advantages over the traditional bar code readers like these :
- Many bags can be read at one time, not one at a time as with bar code readers. This alone speeds up baggage handling by a factor of at least three.
- No problem of misaligned or dirty, unreadable labels. The RFID reader can read the tags even if the text label gets misaligned or dirty.
- Retrieving bags from the hold is now easier because of the baggage handler can now have a hand held RFID reader which does not require any line of sight. It can read the multiple bag tags simultaneously and help zero-in on the suspicious bag within a matter of minutes.