Incheon International Airport (ICN) Phase 3 and 4 Baggage Handling System

Overview

Following the success of Phase 1 and 2 developments at Incheon International Airport, Incheon International Airport Corporation (IIAC) continued to engage BNP to design the baggage handling system (BHS) for Phase 3 and Phase 4 development. This marks a 20-year professional relationship milestone between IIAC and BNP. IIAC has been using BNP exclusively for all their baggage system consulting services since 1997.

Phase 3 and 4 Development

In Phase 3 development, BNP designed the BHS in the new Terminal 2 building and the BHS connection between the existing Concourse A and the Main Terminal Building. Phase 4 development sets out to increase handling capacity with system expansion and modifications to the Terminal 2 building that was constructed during Phase 3. The Phase 4 system was designed so that any baggage supplier can provide the system. (The scope of work requiring the original OEM to modify was limited, to keep the tender competitive.)

Services Provided

BNP’s services included demand analysis, conceptual design, detailed design, general building and services coordination, preparation of tender documents, and construction services. Once completed, the combined handling capacity of Incheon International Airport will be 106 million annual passengers.

PROJECT DETAILS

Phase 3 System Components

For Phase 3 the BHS comprised approximately 40 km of equipment, including four tilt tray sorters, an Individual Carrier System (ICS), an ICS-based early baggage storage system with 3,200 positions, 216 check-in positions, 22 make-up carousals, 24 laterals, ten transfer input conveyors, and ten dual feed claim devices.

In addition, baggage screening is accomplished with more than 40 customs screening/advanced technology X-ray machines and 16 computed tomography X-ray machines. The ICS, which forms the backbone of the baggage handling system, also connects the new Terminal 2 to the existing Concourse A and Main Terminal Building.

Phase 4 Expansion

In Phase 4, the expansion of the BHS included four final tilt tray sorters in the newly constructed terminal piers. There were also 3,000 additional positions added into the Early Bag Storage (EBS) system, six new check-in islands, 24 new make-up carousals, 30 new laterals, eight new transfer inputs, and 10 new reclaim carousels.

During Phase 4, a dedicated transfer screening system was provided in each hemisphere, which offers additional system redundancy as well as flexibility.