The Baggage Handling System (BHS) provides the automatic handling and sorting of passenger’s checked-in baggage to the correct baggage make-up area for a particular flight. The mechanical components typically consists of check-in conveyors, collecting conveyors, transport conveyors, transfer conveyors, sorters, make-up conveyors or chutes, make-up carousels and reclaim conveyors and carousels.

The electrical components typically consist of the Sorting and Allocation Computer (SAC), the Management Information Control System computer (MICS), and the control system components including Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC), Automatic Tag Readers (ATR), and various other sensors and control components.

The major integration for the BHS system is to the Hold Baggage Screening system (HBS). This is the security screening components that may provide up to 4 levels of automatic inline screening of the baggage as it passes through the BHS conveyor system. As the HBS requires a high degree of integration and co-ordination with the BHS system it is common that the supply of the HBS package is part of the BHS contractors scope. The major issue with the integration of the HBS and BHS is to ensure that the design facilitates a security screening process that will meet the requirements of FAA for certified operation.

The BHS also integrates with the Common Use Terminal Equipment (CUTE) to obtain the baggage services messages (BSM) from the airlines; the Flight Information Display System (FIDS) or Airport Operational Database (AODB) to obtain the flight information to enable the SAC computer to do the make-up carousel or lateral allocation; and may integrate with the Security System to provide information for bags which fail the automatic screening process.