Processing passengers, baggage and cargo

• US 20050258230A1
• Filed: 05/17/2005
• Published: 11/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Keith Wiater
• Original Assignee: Keith Wiater
• Inventors: Wiater, Keith
• Application Number:
  US11/130,875
• Publication Number:
  US 20050258230A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

The invention relates to a system and method for processing passengers and baggage. A passenger traveling from a hotel or convention center to a destination via a commercial flight uses a passenger and baggage processing computer system. After the appropriate identification information is inputted into the computer system, baggage identification tags, a baggage claim receipt, and at least one boarding pass are printed. An authorized agent collects the tagged baggage from the hotel or convention center and transports it to a screening facility where the baggage is screened. Once screened and deemed safe, the baggage is then transported to a location designated by the airline (e.g., airplane, airport baggage sorting/handling system).

Claims

1. A method for processing baggage of at least twenty-five travelers per day for transport on an airline flight departing from a departure airport, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) collecting baggage from the travelers at a hotel or convention center; and

(b) marking the collected baggage with identifiers at the hotel or convention center, the identifiers comprising traveler identifying information and airline flight identifying information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifier comprises a barcode.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifier comprises an RFID device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of generating baggage identification tags recognizable by an airline.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of issuing a baggage claim receipt to the traveler.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least twenty-five travelers comprises at least one hundred travelers.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least twenty-five travelers comprises at least two hundred travelers.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least twenty-five travelers comprises at least five hundred travelers.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the departure airport is located at a distance in the range of about 0.5 km to about 100 km from the hotel or convention center.

10. A method for processing at least one traveler per day for travel on an airline flight, the method comprising the step of:

issuing a boarding pass to the traveler at a hotel or convention center, the traveler having previously purchased a ticket for the flight.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of subjecting the at least one traveler to security screening.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of subjecting the at least one traveler to security screening comprises submitting the traveler'"'"'s name to the Computer Assisted Passenger Profiling System.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one traveler comprises at least twenty-five travelers

14. A method for processing at least one traveler and the traveler'"'"'s baggage for travel on an airline flight departing from a departure airport, the method comprising the steps of:

at a hotel or convention center,

(a) collecting baggage from the traveler and marking the collected baggage with an identifier comprising traveler identifying information and airline identifying information; and

(b) issuing a boarding pass to the traveler, the traveler having previously purchased a ticket for the flight.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein a plurality of travelers are processed per day.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the plurality of travelers comprises at least 25 travelers.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the plurality of travelers comprises at least 100 travelers.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the plurality of travelers comprises at least 200 travelers.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the at least one traveler stays at least one night at the hotel.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least one traveler arranges for processing at a time selected from the group consisting of:

at the time the traveler made the hotel reservation, at the time the traveler checks in to the hotel, and on the day of checking out of the hotel.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein the traveler is attending an event at the conference center.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the traveler arranges for processing at a time selected from the group consisting of:

at the time the traveler registered for the event, at a time during the event, and on the last day of the event.

23. The method of claim 14, wherein the traveler uses a passenger and baggage processing kiosk located within the hotel or convention center to check in for the airline flight.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the passenger and baggage processing kiosk comprises a scale.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the traveler'"'"'s baggage is weighed using the passenger and baggage processing kiosk.

26. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of transporting collected baggage to the departure airport.

27. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of transporting collected baggage to a screening facility located at the departure airport but at least 0.1 km away from any passenger terminal.

28. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of transporting collected baggage to a screening facility located at a site away from the departure airport.

29. A system for processing at least one traveler and the traveler'"'"'s baggage for travel on an airline flight departing from a departure airport, the system comprising:

at a hotel or convention center,

(a) means for collecting baggage from the traveler and marking the collected baggage with an identifier comprising traveler identifying information and airline identifying information; and

(b) means for issuing a boarding pass to the traveler, the traveler having previously purchased a ticket for the flight.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the means for issuing a boarding pass comprises a kiosk.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the kiosk is in communication with at least one airline and comprises:

a means for inputting information about the traveler; and

a means for printing a boarding pass and a baggage identification tag.

32. The system of claim 29, wherein the system further comprises:

a baggage screening facility;

a means for transporting baggage from the hotel or convention center to the screening facility; and

a means for transporting baggage from the screening facility to an airline.