Business Weekly - Cambridge, UK

Baggage Pin Ltd of Braintree, Essex, has entered the Innovation category with its invention to solve a problem that assumed crippling proportions last Christmas and shows few signs of improvement.

The company, which was only founded this February, says the motivation was to provide a means for airlines and their baggage handling agents to be able to quickly and cost effectively identify the legal owner of an item of lost baggage anywhere on the planet and enable the owner to be contacted and their possessions returned promptly.

The service also allows control authorities to swiftly identify and contact the owner of an unattended bag that may have been left in a public area.

Historically, being able to identify the legal owner of an item of lost baggage once the unique airline flight ticket has become separated had been an almighty challenge.

Last Christmas, the industry was overwhelmed by the number of delayed and cancelled flights due to challenges in respect of increased security restrictions. The situation was aggravated by weather-related changes to security.The net result was some of the worst lost luggage problems recorded in recent years at Heathrow and other major UK airports.

The Baggage PIN service consists of a unique luggage tag issued when people sign up as a member. The number remains theirs for life. The service is delivered via a specialist web portal.

By using the integrated SMS and owner contact information provided in their membership profile, it is possible to contact the owner quickly and cheaply.

Baggage owners are traced using the member's PIN tag code number. Handling agents enter the code number into their special search area along with their password and ID to access the contact data and return the item.

New members are electronically allocated a unique baggage pin tag number. A plastic baggage tag and a security strap marked with the BP number and plastic holder is mailed to them within 14 days. The security strap provides a second method of contacting the legal owner should the main pin tag become separated from the luggage.

When the baggage strap number is entered into the web portal, the system will be able to identify the original baggage pin tag number and facilitate return of the items.

Various versions of the Baggage PIN tag exist, including a braille version and a tag for the partially sighted.

The low tech solution - not reliant on any electronic tracking systems or RFID - has been developed to complement SITA's world tracer and other BRS systems currently in use globally.

A recent report into passenger satisfaction concerning the way baggage was handled while travelling abroad showed that 30 per cent were dissatisfied and 24 per cent said their baggage had either been lost completely or not returned in the time periods promised.

With airports like Stansted and Heathrow growing at a rate of knots on record passenger demand, this Essex enterprise reckons its new business is set for a spectacular take off.