“This is truly a win-win for everyone: the traveler, the airport, the TSA and the airline. This new process enables travelers to be safer, while reducing the incidence of lost baggage and ensuring that screened bags are delivered to the right location at the right time. We couldn’t be happier.” — Randall Walker, Director of Aviation, McCarran International Airport Company overview: McCarran International Airport McCarran International Airport handles nearly 70,000 passengers and more than 460 flights each day, making it the 7th busiest airport in the country according to Airports Council International. With two terminals, 93 gates and an ever-increasing passenger population intrigued by the glamour of Las Vegas, the airport has reported annual double-digit growth in recent years. This staggering increase, along with U.S. Transportation Safety Authority (TSA) mandates for improved airport safety since September 11, 2001 prompted airport officials to seek more efficient passenger check-in and boarding procedures as well as enhanced protection for passengers and employees. The challenge: Improve customer safety and satisfaction When officials at McCarran International Airport made the commitment to improve customer safety and satisfaction, they knew it was going to be an extremely difficult task to identify and implement the optimal solution in just months. Baggage processing procedures were quickly identified as a significant concern and a primary element in need of an immediate and pervasive overhaul. Airport officials conducted extensive research to discover alternatives to conventional baggage handling and tracking processes. They soon discovered the numerous advantages of RFID, specifically ultra high frequency (UHF) smart-label technology. They then selected Motorola to design and implement the solution for their passenger safety and satisfaction dilemma. The Solution: RFID baggage tagging system McCarran International Airport and Motorola set out to create an efficient, cost-effective and accurate baggage tracking system to support the TSA objective of screening all passenger baggage. Together, the team developed a new process to automatically track all passenger bags through inline explosive detection and screening equipment, ensuring safe passage for the airport’s millions of customers each year. The new system provides McCarran with nearly 100 percent accurate baggage tracking as well as end-to-end asset visibility. RFID tags are printed and attached at the ticket counter. Each tag carries a unique identifier that is read by RFID readers while the bag is transported to conveyor belts to route it to screening machines and then on to the appropriate plane. Over the next several years, McCarran intends to use nearly 100 million passive, UHF disposable tags from Motorola. The benefits: Increased customer satisfaction and a more efficient ordering process Today, McCarran International Airport is serving more passengers than ever, more efficiently and quickly. Despite the ever-growing airport traffic, officials are pleased to report a continuous and significant increase in passenger satisfaction. The new RFID baggage handling and tracking system helped reduce operating costs while it provided an effective system for enhancing passenger security. • Enhanced passenger security • Improved baggage/inventory visibility • Reduced operating costs • Improved customer service and satisfaction