Open for submissionsAI-Based Early Detection of Oversized Cabin Baggage in the Passenger Flow
Baden-Airpark, operator of Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden Airport, is looking for a privacy-compliant camera-based or sensor-based solution that detects likely oversized or excess cabin baggage early in the passenger flow and matches it with the passenger's booked fare, so that checks can move away from the boarding gate.
Objective
Business Goal: Move cabin baggage checks away from the boarding gate to a central counter behind security, reduce conflicts and boarding delays, and increase the consistency and number of correctly identified excess baggage cases.
POC Goal:
Within the Venture Client framework, validate a solution in a controlled pilot setting that:
- Correctly measures the dimensions of cabin baggage carried by moving passengers, precise enough to flag a deviation of 1 cm (e.g. an alarm from 21 cm where 20 cm is permitted)
- Correctly matches each detected item to the corresponding boarding pass and its baggage allowance
- Reliably flags likely excess baggage to staff in near real time, before the passenger reaches the central counter
The PoC is expected to start with one airline (and therefore one set of baggage rules) at one access point. Controlled tests with staff, self-issued boarding passes and prepared bags are possible before or alongside live operation.
Long-Term Goal:
Establish a permanent, consistent pre-selection of excess cabin baggage for all airlines at the airport. Over time, the system could be extended to further passenger-flow use cases, for example flagging passengers who need an additional document check at the service counter. It could also become part of a broader digital passenger journey.
Solution Requirements
Functional
- Measure length, width and depth of cabin baggage carried, pulled or worn by moving passengers (trolleys, backpacks, handbags, combinations), with an accuracy that reliably detects deviations of 1 cm from the permitted size
- Detect the number of cabin baggage items per passenger
- Match detected items with the fare / baggage allowance from the boarding pass scan (e.g. priority vs. non-priority)
- Apply airline- and fare-specific dimension rules that can be configured by the airport
- Show a clear indication to staff (e.g. green / orange / red on a monitor or mobile device), ideally a few metres before the passenger reaches the counter
- Provide an objective measurement result that staff can use to explain the deviation to the passenger (e.g. visual display of the exceedance)
Technical & Security
- GDPR-compliant processing; facial recognition is not required, as anonymous matching of passenger, booked fare and carried baggage is sufficient
- No recording of the security checkpoint itself; sensors may only be placed before or after the security control
- Integration with the existing boarding pass scanning system (provided by a SITA group company) to access fare data in a privacy-compliant way
- Hardware (cameras/sensors) included in or specified by the solution; only one or two existing cameras are available in the relevant area
Operational readiness
- Pilot-ready setup at one access point within a short time frame
- Must work in live passenger flow without creating additional queues in front of security
- Solution and contract can be in English; providers from any region are welcome
Nice-to-haves
- Estimation of baggage weight (e.g. above the 10 kg limit)
- Shared use of the camera infrastructure with the duty-free shop (e.g. theft detection)
- Ability to read boarding passes directly, independent of the current scanning provider
- Reporting on detected cases per flight and airline
Not in Scope
- Payment processing (payments are handled in the respective airline's system)
- Weight measurement of checked baggage at check-in
- Filming or analysing the security screening process