Passengers enter the plane through the main doors, which are located on the side of the plane. While boarding the aircraft, passengers are only allowed to carry a single bag with them. Loading their luggage on the plane might seem like an incredibly easy job, but there is a lot of expensive equipment that is used for loading baggage on the plane. Have you ever wondered how cargo is loaded on the plane?
There are several different companies that are contracted to work at a single airport. Some companies are responsible for maintaining and checking the aircraft before takeoff. Others are responsible for loading passenger luggage on the plane. Here are some of the common services offered by most luggage management companies:
Luggage Loading and Transfers
When you first check into the airport, you have to hand over all the suitcases. The company tags the luggage and sends it off on a conveyor belt. The luggage is then collected by the workers and loaded onto a belt loader or cargo lift. The belt loader is pulled with an airport tractor, which is a specially modified vehicle, designed to pull heavy weights. The belt loader then connects directly with the loading bay of the aircraft. All of the luggage is then shifted onto the conveyor belt and transferred to the aircraft.
In some cases, using a belt loader may not be feasible for transporting the luggage to the aircraft. Instead, companies often need to rent or purchase cargo loading lifts. The cargo loading lift is a square, flat platform that can be lifted upwards and connected on the underside of the plane. Many aircraft have loading bays that open from the underside. A worker goes up with the lift and neatly places all of the luggage in the loading bay.
As you can well imagine, cargo lifts and belt loaders are incredibly expensive. Most companies that offer luggage loading and transferring services generally rent such equipment from different companies. Apart from offering luggage loading and transferring services, these companies also offer equipment maintenance services.
Zero Timing
Zero timing equipment is a maintenance service offered by many baggage equipment companies. The company will take a piece of equipment, such a belt loader or a cargo lift, and completely strip it down of all parts. Then, the company will reassemble everything, thus making the equipment essentially new. Every single component used within the machine will be serviced and cleaned up in order to make sure that it is in perfect condition. They deal with all kinds of baggage tractor machines, and also offer zero timing services for ground power units as well as air conditioners.
