A cart for transport and storage of items, including odd-size or over-size luggage of airline passengers, comprises a chassis comprising a plurality of wheels, and a storage section comprising at least one shelf. A drawer is provided below the storage section, the drawer comprising a compartment, which is inaccessible when the drawer is in a closed state, in which the drawer is overlapped by a bottom portion of the storage section. The compartment is accessible when the drawer is in an open state, in which the drawer is extracted from and extends beyond the bottom portion of the storage section.

The invention is directed to an integrated, multi-level airport terminal system with a plurality of cells disposed in an adjoining relation to one another. Each of the plurality of cells have a plurality of levels. At least one ramp member is disposed through each of the plurality of cells. The ramp member is disposed through an internal environment of each of the plurality of cells for transiting at least one aircraft through at least one cell of the plurality of cells in a sequential arrangement. Each of the plurality of cells are disposed in the adjoining relation to one another to define at least one row. At least one row is further disposed in a corresponding relation to at least another row. The invention is also related to a method of transiting at least one aircraft arriving in and departing out of the integrated, multi-level airport terminal system.

In a method of loading checked luggage on unit load devices corresponding to an aircraft having a passenger compartment, each piece of checked luggage is associated with a unique identifier. Each piece of checked luggage is weighed and its weight is associated with its corresponding unique identifier. A best possible luggage placement is calculated considering a distribution of passenger weight, thereby allowing the passengers to sit at their preferred location rather than by pre-allocation. A desired placement of the checked luggage is calculated based on the weight of each piece of checked luggage, the acceptable distribution of weight in the passenger compartment and overall fuel state over mission profile. Loading personnel are allowed to place luggage in the unit load devices and are instructed to stop loading the selected ones of the unit load devices when a deciding point is dynamically achieved by a recalculation of center of gravity shift each time a bag is loaded onto one of the unit load devices so as to achieve the best possible placement of check luggage. The recalculation of the center of gravity shift is done based on placement of the unit load devices in the aircraft luggage compartments.

Systems and methods for facilitating interaction between a ticket holder and a self-service function related to a ticket are described herein. A mobile device can detect proximity to a self-service function. The mobile device can activate an application related to the self-service function. The mobile device can communicate with a beacon to retrieve an identifier of the self-service function. A first connection session can be established between the mobile device and a cloud broker service while a second connection session can be established between the self-service function and the cloud broker service. The cloud broker service can generate an end to end session using the first and second connection sessions by mapping an identifier of the mobile device with the identifier of the self-service function. Communications can be sent from the self-service function to the application of the mobile device through the cloud broker service including directional information.

A sorting system has a sorting area and a controller system that receives luggage-related sorting information for each piece of luggage. A transport mechanism transports the luggage into a sorting area which includes a sorting area with at least one make-up-place connected to the transport mechanism. The make-up-place sorts the luggage according to at least one item of luggage-related sorting information. Movable load devices receive the pieces of luggage sorted by the at least one make-up-place. The controller system assigns each piece of luggage according to at least one luggage-related information to a particular movable load device and the controller system is also adapted to select a make-up-place for each piece of luggage and to send the piece of luggage to the selected make-up-place to be loaded into the assigned movable load device.

A storage locker for drone delivery provides for weathertight doors that open automatically on sensing the approach of a drone and close to cover the package once deposited by the drone. The storage locker may be operated in conjunction with an elevator to allow elevated placement, removing drones from the vicinity of interfering structures, people, and pets.

A mechanical sweeping mechanism removably affixed to existing ground service equipment (GSE) for the collection and removal of foreign object debris (FOD) in a removable hopper. Movement of a GSE vehicle rotates the independently suspended drive wheels, transmitted by gears/pulleys and chain/belts to power a cylindrical bristle, spinning in the opposite direction of travel, to collect and funnel FOD via a ramp into a removable hopper. Bristle height is adjustable. At least one magnet and skid plate remove metallic FOD.

A system and method is provided for improving efficiency of aircraft gate services and reducing time spent by an aircraft parked parallel to an airport terminal wherein aircraft utilities and gate services provided during turnaround are supported by an arrangement of flexibly movable, service and utility-carrying extendable passenger boarding bridges that enable passenger and baggage exchange concurrently with connection of utilities and provision of gate services to the aircraft. Baggage transfer is facilitated by conveyors mounted on one or more loading bridges and designed to provide a direct connection between an aircraft and a terminal. Aircraft are maneuvered by a pilot into and out of a parallel parking location in a forward direction by an engines-off electric taxi system, enabling loading bridge, utility, and service connections to be made to multiple aircraft doors as soon as the aircraft reaches a parking location and then quickly disconnected upon departure.

Embodiments of the present invention provide an apparatus comprising a body including a cavity for storing one or more packages, and a conveyor belt disposed above a top surface of the body. The belt is shaped to receive one or more packages, and the belt is controllable to rotate a package placed on the belt either from the top surface to the cavity for storage or from the cavity to the top surface for dispatch. A package comprises at least one of a drone and a payload transported by the drone. The apparatus further comprises a landing mechanism for stabilizing a drone landing on the apparatus.

Examples for the baggage weight prediction system are provided. The system may create a baggage prediction model in response to a carrier baggage weight prediction requirement requesting a total baggage weight to be carried in a future transportation operation by a carrier. The baggage prediction model may be used to determine a predicted baggage to be carried by a plurality of future passengers associated with a future transportation operation. The system may determine a predicted weight for the predicted baggage. The system may sort the predicted baggage into checked baggage and a carry-on baggage. The system may determine a carry-on baggage weight associated with the carry-on baggage based on the baggage prediction model. The system may determine a baggage weight ratio associated with the predicted baggage. The system may generate a baggage prediction result for performing a baggage management action.