Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic – Aeropuertos Dominicanos Siglo XXI (Aerodom), a member of the global Vinci Airports network, has activated the first stage of a cutting-edge Automated Baggage Handling System (BHS) at Las Américas International Airport (AILA), backed by a total investment of more than RD$900 million (approximately 16 million U.S. dollars).
The initial phase of the infrastructure modernization project, which has been fully operational since the start of June, focuses on the southern zone of AILA’s main passenger terminal. Construction and installation work is now advancing in the terminal’s northern section, with project managers projecting full completion of the entire system by the final quarter of this year.
Aerodom officials outlined that the newly deployed system is designed to transform the entire outbound baggage journey, from passenger check-in through to final loading onto departing aircraft. Beyond boosting the speed, security, and consistency of baggage processing, the phased rollout strategy was intentionally structured to allow ongoing construction work to proceed without interrupting daily flight operations or inconveniencing traveling passengers.
The full BHS upgrade incorporates a suite of advanced industry technologies, including next-generation computed tomography (CT) baggage scanning devices for enhanced security screening, a centralized SCADA monitoring and control platform that gives operators full visibility over system performance, high-speed automated sorting machinery, and 360-degree label reading capabilities that reduce the risk of misrouted luggage.
Once the entire system goes online at the end of 2024, Aerodom projects that AILA’s hourly baggage processing capacity will double compared to the legacy infrastructure the upgrade replaces. The new system will also raise the overall level of automation across airport operations, and build in greater operational redundancy across terminals and baggage carousels, reducing the risk of widespread disruptions if one component experiences technical issues.
In addition to processing improvements, the modernization project will strengthen the airport’s capacity for preventive maintenance and ensure greater accessibility to critical spare parts. These upgrades, in turn, will support more consistent, reliable operations and continuous service for the millions of passengers that pass through AILA each year.