To reduce the effects of staff shortages at Gatwick Airport, IAG, British Airways’ parent company, plans to trial self-driving baggage robots starting in May.
IAG expects autonomous baggage carriers designed by manufacturer Aurrigo to reduce reliance on human labour and improve turnaround times, reports eturbonews.com.
The innovative development comes as a result of Gatwick’s severe shortage of ground-handling staff following strikes over a pay dispute.
“IAG is exploring innovative ways to streamline operations and ensure punctuality,” said Steve McGowan, IAG Senior Vice President for Airport Futures. “We are partnering with Aurrigo to test these autonomous baggage trolleys to support our ground-handling teams.”
Aurrigo’s robots will navigate the airport using digital maps to transport baggage directly from terminals to aircraft. The robots will also minimise wait times and lost luggage, improving the passenger experience.
