United Kingdom Airport Baggage Market Overview, 2029

The airport baggage handling market in the United Kingdom is a critical aspect of its transportation infrastructure, especially considering the country’s position as a global travel hub. Major airports such as London Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, and Edinburgh manage millions of passengers annually, which puts significant pressure on baggage handling systems to maintain efficiency and reliability. As air travel continues to grow, there is an increasing need for airports to optimize their baggage handling capabilities to ensure passengers’ luggage is processed quickly and accurately. The efficiency of these systems not only enhances the passenger experience but also helps streamline airport operations, reducing delays and costs associated with lost or misrouted baggage. To meet the growing demand, the UK’s airports have been investing in modernizing their baggage handling infrastructure. The adoption of advanced technologies such as automated sorters, conveyor systems, and destination-coded vehicles (DCVs) has become more widespread, enabling airports to handle larger volumes of baggage with fewer errors. Additionally, self-bag drop (SBD) systems are being implemented to improve passenger convenience by allowing them to check in and drop off their luggage independently. The use of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology for tracking baggage is also gaining traction in the UK, ensuring that baggage is accurately monitored throughout its journey from check-in to the baggage claim. As UK airports continue to expand, the demand for efficient and reliable baggage handling systems will only grow, prompting further technological advancements and automation in the sector.

According to the research report, "United Kingdom Airport Baggage Market Outlook, 2029," published by Bonafide Research, the United Kingdom Airport Baggage market is anticipated to add to more than USD 120 Million by 2024–29. According to industry reports, the UK airport baggage handling market is expected to witness steady growth, fueled by both technological innovation and an increase in air passenger traffic. The UK government and airport authorities are focused on improving infrastructure to cater to the rising number of travelers, making airport baggage handling an area of priority investment. Leading UK airports like Heathrow, Gatwick, and Manchester have already adopted state-of-the-art baggage handling systems that incorporate automation, including the use of destination-coded vehicles (DCVs) and automated sorters, to improve efficiency and reduce delays. These advanced systems ensure that baggage is sorted and directed to the correct location with minimal human intervention, which is essential for handling the growing volume of air travelers. The implementation of self-bag drop (SBD) systems is another important trend in the UK, particularly in larger airports, where passenger flow can be overwhelming. SBD systems enable passengers to check in and drop off their baggage independently, reducing wait times and improving the overall experience. RFID technology is also a key innovation, allowing for real-time baggage tracking and reducing the chances of misrouted or lost luggage. As UK airports continue to modernize their baggage handling systems, these technologies will play a central role in ensuring that the country remains a competitive player in the global aviation market by providing fast, efficient, and seamless baggage handling services for passengers.

The UK airport baggage handling market is segmented by the types of systems used, with destination-coded vehicles (DCVs), conveyors, sorters, and self-bag drop (SBD) systems being the primary components. DCVs are particularly essential at large international airports like Heathrow, where baggage needs to be transported efficiently between multiple terminals and gates. These vehicles use sophisticated coding and routing systems to ensure baggage is delivered accurately, reducing errors and processing time. Conveyors, meanwhile, are an integral part of the baggage handling process in both small and large airports, as they transport luggage from the check-in counter to sorting areas and from aircraft to baggage claim. Conveyors are widely used due to their cost-effectiveness and simplicity, though they are often combined with more advanced sorting systems at larger airports to manage higher volumes of baggage. Automated sorters are crucial in airports with high passenger traffic, such as London Heathrow, where they are used to direct baggage to the correct location quickly and accurately. Sorters are capable of handling large quantities of luggage, improving the speed and efficiency of baggage processing. Self-bag drop (SBD) systems are becoming increasingly common at UK airports as a way to speed up check-in and baggage drop-off. These systems enable passengers to check in and tag their own bags, reducing wait times and human error. With the rise in automation, it is expected that SBD systems will become more widespread at airports across the UK, further improving operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.

In the UK, the airport baggage handling market is also segmented by airport capacity, with different baggage handling systems employed depending on the number of passengers served annually. Airports that handle up to 15 million passengers generally use simpler, less complex systems, such as manual conveyors and basic sorting mechanisms, as these airports typically manage lower volumes of baggage. However, as passenger numbers increase, airports in this category are upgrading their baggage handling systems to more advanced automated solutions. Airports handling between 15 million and 25 million passengers require more robust baggage handling solutions, such as automated conveyors, sorters, and DCVs, to keep up with the higher baggage volume. These systems are essential for airports that experience moderate passenger traffic and need to ensure efficient baggage processing. Larger airports, such as London Heathrow and Gatwick, which handle 25 million to 40 million passengers, rely heavily on advanced baggage handling systems to manage the huge flow of baggage. Automated sorters, DCVs, and RFID systems are commonly used at these airports to ensure bags are processed and tracked efficiently. For airports with a capacity above 40 million passengers, the most sophisticated baggage handling systems are employed, integrating automated sorters, DCVs, and RFID tracking technologies to manage the high volume of baggage seamlessly. These systems are essential in ensuring that the baggage is processed accurately and quickly, reducing delays and increasing the efficiency of the entire airport operation. As air travel continues to grow, the demand for more advanced baggage handling systems will increase, prompting further investment in automation across the UK's airport infrastructure.

The airport baggage handling market in the United Kingdom is evolving with a shift towards greater automation and reduced reliance on manual labor. Automated baggage handling systems, which include conveyors, sorters, and DCVs, are becoming increasingly common in major UK airports. These systems are designed to improve operational efficiency by reducing human error, speeding up baggage processing, and decreasing labor costs. Automated systems also offer the added benefit of being able to handle larger volumes of baggage, which is crucial in busy airports that see millions of passengers each year. For example, automated sorters and DCVs used at Heathrow help to direct bags to their correct destinations, whether it's another terminal or the baggage claim area. Manual systems, while still in use, are being gradually phased out in favor of automated solutions. These systems involve airport staff manually transporting and sorting baggage, which is more time-consuming and prone to error. While manual handling is still required in certain instances, particularly in smaller airports or for special baggage handling, the trend is moving towards automation for the majority of tasks. The hybrid approach, where both manual and automated systems are integrated, is common at many UK airports, where automation is used for most processes and manual handling is reserved for exceptional cases. This shift towards automation is driven by the need for faster, more accurate baggage handling and a desire to reduce operational costs in the face of growing air passenger numbers.



RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) and barcode technologies play a vital role in the United Kingdom’s airport baggage handling market, allowing for the efficient tracking and movement of baggage throughout the airport. Barcode technology has long been the industry standard, with each piece of luggage tagged with a barcode that is scanned at various stages of the baggage handling process. However, barcode systems are limited by their reliance on line-of-sight scanning, which can slow down processing speeds and increase the potential for errors. RFID, on the other hand, is a more advanced technology that uses radio waves to transmit information to readers placed throughout the airport. RFID tags can be read without the need for direct line-of-sight, allowing for faster and more accurate baggage tracking. The implementation of RFID technology at major UK airports has improved operational efficiency by reducing the risk of lost or delayed luggage. In addition, RFID technology provides real-time tracking, enabling passengers to stay informed about the status and location of their baggage. As airports continue to modernize their baggage handling systems, RFID is expected to become the dominant technology in the sector. The shift towards RFID is driven by its superior accuracy, speed, and efficiency, which help to streamline airport operations and improve the overall passenger experience. While barcode systems are still in use, the future of baggage tracking in the UK lies in RFID technology, which is set to play an increasingly important role in the growth and development of the airport baggage handling market.


Considered in this report
• Geography: Global
• Historic Year: 2018
• Base year: 2023
• Estimated year: 2024
• Forecast year: 2029

Aspects covered in this report
• Global Airport Baggage Handling Market with its value and forecast along with its segments
• Region & country wise Airport Baggage Handling market analysis
• Application wise Airport Baggage Handling distribution
• Various drivers and challenges
• On-going trends and developments
• Top profiled companies
• Strategic recommendation

By Type
• Destination-coded Vehicle (DCV)
• Conveyors
• Sorters
• Self-bag Drop (SBD)

By Airport Capacity
• Up to 15 million
• 15-25 million
• 25-40 million
• Above 40 million

By Mode of Operation
• Automated
• Manual

By Technology
• Barcode
• RFID (Radio Frequency Identification)

The approach of the report:
This report consists of a combined approach of primary as well as secondary research. Initially, secondary research was used to get an understanding of the market and listing out the companies that are present in the market. The secondary research consists of third-party sources such as press releases, annual report of companies, analyzing the government generated reports and databases. After gathering the data from secondary sources primary research was conducted by making telephonic interviews with the leading players about how the market is functioning and then conducted trade calls with dealers and distributors of the market. Post this we have started doing primary calls to consumers by equally segmenting consumers in regional aspects, tier aspects, age group, and gender. Once we have primary data with us we have started verifying the details obtained from secondary sources.

Intended audience
This report can be useful to industry consultants, manufacturers, suppliers, associations & organizations related to agriculture industry, government bodies and other stakeholders to align their market-centric strategies. In addition to marketing & presentations, it will also increase competitive knowledge about the industry.