ATLANTA — Mike Davis, a ramp agent for Delta Air Lines, prepares to handle passenger luggage at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. His role is crucial in managing the flow of suitcases between terminals and planes.
Davis, while manning a baggage tug, explains, “We have two bags to pick up, with one stop.” His day involves constant movement from gate to gate, ensuring luggage follows the correct path. As jets arrive, bags are unloaded down conveyor belts. Davis uses a rugged handheld computer to scan baggage tags. “Now I take it, scan it, it gives me a green scan sign saying it’s A-okay,” he mentions. This methodical routine ensures every piece reaches its destination efficiently.
Memorial Day marks a peak travel period for U.S. airlines. Delta handles more than 100,000 bags daily in Atlanta, pivotal for many bags’ journeys. About nine airline employees interact with each bag on average during its passage.
“Atlanta is an enormous operation, Delta’s biggest by a long way,” said Paul Buckley, Delta’s director of operations.
To manage this complexity, Delta has developed an AI system to streamline baggage handling. This technology aids tug drivers, resembling ridesharing algorithms that optimize routes. “In our old dispatching system, we gave the drivers the bags that they were to handle. Now we have consistency, because we know exactly what order we’re delivering them in,” Buckley explained. The AI helps prioritize bag deliveries, streamlining Davis’s tasks.
The AI system isn’t flawless. Davis notes instances of tight connections. “There’s been times where I knew that I wasn’t going to make a connecting flight. However, I still took the chance and went to that gate,” Davis recounts, occasionally finding the plane still there. Such instances are known as ‘hot bags,’ while those with long layovers, over two hours, are ‘cold bags.’ The latter are routed through an extensive conveyor system beneath the airport.
Delta boasts that the AI technology enhanced their baggage transfer success by up to 20%. The airline plans to extend this system to hubs in Detroit and Minneapolis-Saint Paul. Despite the improvements, Delta emphasizes AI will not replace human workers. “We don’t see AI as something that is going to replace our people,” Buckley affirms. “We see AI as an enabler, an enabler of performance.”
The AI system benefits both novice and seasoned drivers. Davis, an award-winning driver, appreciates alleviating the complex decision-making. “I had to be a critical thinker. This takes all the thought out of it,” he says. Adapting to progress, Davis embraces the change, equating it to continuous improvement. “You have to change with the times to be relevant,” he concludes.