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The Modern Baggage Messaging project is working towards a sustainable standard for messaging in the area of baggage.
Moving away from today’s legacy practices will bring numerous benefits as well as prepare the industry for a more cost efficient and flexible future.
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Revolutionize Baggage Management with BIX standard: Modern Baggage Messaging
The aviation industry is rapidly evolving, and baggage management is no exception. However, legacy Type B messaging systems, which have been in place for decades, are increasingly inefficient and costly. It's time to align our teams and operations to embrace a modern baggage messaging standard (BIX) —a forward-looking standard that transforms how airlines manage baggage communication.
Baggage Information Exchange (BIX) introduces a new messaging standard based on IATA AIDM model that leverages scalable, cloud-based technologies to reduce costs, improve data quality, enhance security, and pave the way for innovative baggage handling services. With BIX, airlines can confidently transition to a smarter, more efficient era of baggage management.
Video Representation
Key Benefits of BIX
- Reduce Cost of Messaging
BIX transforms baggage communication by leveraging modern, scalable, and low-cost cloud infrastructure. This drastically reduces per-transaction messaging costs compared to legacy systems. Its human-readable, version-controlled data structure simplifies implementation and maintenance, cutting operational expenses and saving time. - Richer Data Content
- Enhanced Data and Semantic Clarity
BIX empowers airlines to enrich their baggage messaging with more comprehensive and actionable data. By integrating elements such as images, geolocation details, and multimedia content, BIX not only enhances the depth of information but also ensures improved semantic clarity, enabling more accurate communication and better operational decision-making. - Improved Resilience
BIX enhances the resiliency of baggage messaging by shifting from centralized communication to multiple point-to-point connections. This ensures that failures are isolated to the affected systems and are easily recoverable, minimizing the impact on dependent operations. Airlines benefit from reliable and robust messaging that adapts to disruptions with ease. - Enhanced Security and Privacy
Unlike current messaging standards, BIX incorporates advanced security protocols such as end-to-end encryption and signature-based authentication for data exchanges. This ensures the confidentiality and authenticity of passenger data, meeting modern compliance requirements and building trust between airline partners. - Future-Proof Technology
BIX opens the door to cutting-edge features that enrich the passenger experience and streamline baggage journeys. From arrival tracking and baggage pre-clearance to mishandled bag image recognition and passenger-facing applications, BIX enables airlines to provide innovative, end-to-end solutions that enhance customer satisfaction and operational efficiency.
BIX is more than just a messaging standard—it's a transformative tool that reduces costs, bolsters reliability, improves security, and drives innovation. It's time for airlines to align their teams, embrace this transition, and unlock the full potential of modern baggage management
To help you kick start your implementation the global baggage operation team at IATA put together a high-level check list that should make your life easier:
- Review the implementation guide on BIX (Baggage Information eXchange - Confluence)
- Download the latest version of BIX message schema
- Validate your BIX messages by verifying the output using IATA Baggage Community System - Message Converter
- Select, configure and integrate your broker solution
- Publicize your service in the BIX community
- Test bidirectional publish and subscribe with a partner
The Modern Baggage Messaging implementation guide, being developed by the Baggage Working Group, is designed for airlines, airports and any other parties interested in implementing Modern Baggage Messaging.
The implementation guide covers:
- Recommended Practice 1755
- The baggage message and its associated functions
- The solution architecture and its recommended communication protocol
- Security considerations
If you would like to have access to the final version of the implementation guide or need implementation support you can contact baggageservices@iata.org
If you want to download the BIX implementation guide, please use the form below:
When building your own business case for modern baggage messaging we have identified some items that we think might help you get the full picture:
- List your current technical and operational pain points about legacy baggage messaging
- List the current baggage information / tracking data you are missing
- Go through the Baggage Information eXchange (BIX) brochure (pdf) for more details on benefits identified for modern baggage messaging
- List the future baggage functionalities / solutions / product offering that you have planned or envision but cannot be supported by the legacy baggage messaging (e.g. share baggage images, identity token different from license plate number)
IATA developed an industry business case in December 2018 anticipating savings through reduced mishandling and operational efficiency improvements.
It reduced the cost of Implementation for Baggage Tracking by implementing the initiatives from the End to End Baggage Program.
The Business case presents the aviation industry with an opportunity to use RFID technology and Modern Baggage Messaging to meet passenger's expectations as air travel continues to soar.
IATA End to End baggage business case content overview:
- Overview of existing challenges and the need to track bags
- Insight into the willingness of airports to embrace innovation and new technologies that reduce rates of mishandling of bags
- Prefered solutions for the next steps of End-to-End bag tracking including RFID and Modern Baggage Messaging
- Industry cost benefit analysis and roll out for both RFID and Modern Baggage Messaging