An Analysis of Passenger Perceptions of Baggage Handling Efficiency in Bandaranaike International Airport: Exploring the Potential of Surveillance and RFID-based Tracking
Keywords:
Airport security, Baggage handling efficiency, Passenger perception, RFID, Service Quality, Surveillance systems, Technology acceptance modelAbstract
Efficient baggage handling remains an integral part of passenger service and airport operational efficiency. At Sri Lanka Bandaranaike International Airport, travelers have frequently been dissatisfied with the baggage handling process, including delays, mishandling, and inadequate communication, highlighting the need for technology-driven system improvement and operational optimization. This research study employed a qualitative research approach, utilizing semi-structured interviews with ten passengers of varied travel experiences. The SERVQUAL model of service quality and the Technology Adoption Model (TAM) of technology adoption served as the foundation for the NVivo thematic data analysis. This qualitative study used purposive sampling to recruit ten passengers, airport staff, and policymakers who had direct experience with passenger-processing services at Bandaranayake International Airport (BIA). Passengers perceived BIA's current baggage handling system as ineffective, with long wait times of 35 to 60 minutes, sporadic updates, and inadequate staff responsiveness. Respondents strongly favored RFID-enabled real-time tracking and overt surveillance cameras, believing that these technologies will improve accountability, openness, and dependability as long as staff training and data privacy protections are guaranteed. The study also identified implementation constraints, including the expense, integration of technology challenges, and low passenger awareness. The study comes to the conclusion that the efficiency of baggage handling, transparency of airport procedures, and passenger confidence in BIA could all be enhanced by gradually upgrading the implementation of RFID and AI-based surveillance, supported by suitable communication strategies, privacy policies, and stakeholder engagement. Planners, airport management, and service providers can learn policy lessons from these findings to enhance passenger experiences and civil aviation logistics in developing nations.
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