Sea-Tac Airport planning major baggage system upgrade

SEATAC, Wash. — In an area of Sea-Tac Airport passengers never see, checked bags travel on zig-zagged conveyor belts layered several deep.

About 32 million bags went through the system last year.

Quarters are cramped.

Parts of the system are in the original terminal building from 1949.

"They're nearing the end of their life," said airport facilities director David Soike.

While the system works fine now, Soike says the airport expects significant expansion over the next 25 years, which means it will have to handle twice as many bags.

"We are planning ahead," Soike said.

The Port of Seattle is now planning a $317 million baggage system replacement.

Six separate baggage systems would be combined into one to centralize security screening, move bags faster between connecting flights and allow more flexibility as airlines change gate positions within the airport.

The TSA would cover a third of the cost.

If the port commission and airlines approve, the airlines would cover the rest of the cost and pass it on to passengers.

The port estimates in the first year, the average ticket price would rise five cents.

By 2023, the cost would be about 88 cents per ticket.

"Airport cost is a very small portion of the ticket price," Soike said.

Central baggage systems can fail, like Denver's disastrous rollout in the 90s.

Sea-Tac managers say they've studied good systems all over the world to avoid that.

"We've looked for what are the right elements in the new systems to bring here," Soike said.

The project will come before the port commission next year for approval.

Construction would happen in phases and be done by 2024.

KIRO