Consumer-based Approach for Smart Baggage with RFID and Smart Locks

Abstract

Security with the handling of baggage is always a concern within many airports in SE Asia. This paper aims to propose a system design to improve the handling of baggage through utilizing one-time use baggage RFID tags provided by the airlines which can be tracked using a mobile phone which is associated with the tag from when the baggage was first checked in to ensure that it has been safely received by the owner only, not others. This will be complemented with a biometric scan at the exit to ensure the user has received the baggage. As part of this, current TSA locks that most baggage use at present and future possible methods to also check if it has been opened using an encrypted digital system lock to open the luggage as to see if it was an airport officer who opened it will be discussed. This system within the closed ecosystem of the airport will provide much more secure baggage handling, hence increasing the integrity of airports. An analysis of how such a system would perform in Soekarno-Hatta International airport, an international airport in Indonesia, will be discussed. The paper will be concluded with a vision of how smart airports will function with these new proposed methods in place.