SWISS becomes the first airline to embrace simpler baggage standards for interline flights

However, to properly manage baggage processes in interline scenarios, we (and all other airlines) have to distribute baggage fees in multiple ways to different systems. To facilitate this process, IATA introduced new interline baggage standards. With Interline Baggage Service, there is only one single service type to be used for all baggage filing, which in turn reduces subscription and processing costs for airlines.

The main benefit of this is the overall simplification of the interline baggage process for airlines. It also allows for the proper allocation of baggage ancillary revenue.

SWISS is proud to be the first carrier to successfully migrate to these standards in collaboration with Amadeus.

Undertaking a migration is never an easy task. Particularly if the migration is carried out in an organization in which operations are ongoing and functionalities cannot be interrupted.

In cooperation with the responsible Amadeus team, SWISS was not only the first airline of the Lufthansa Group Airlines, but also the first airline hosted on Amadeus to implement the ATPCO Baggage Migration (from Type F to Type C) successfully and within a short period of time.

A big part of the acceleration of this process was the Amadeus Airlines Community Model. The Interline Baggage Service project has been ranked as one of the most important projects by the community. There is also the need to be compliant with IATA Resolution 302, which defines how an airline’s baggage rules (both allowance and charges) apply on an interline or codeshare journey.

We greatly appreciated the regular contacts with Amadeus and the professional attitude in which our requests were taken into consideration and implemented. We look forward to further collaboration with the aim of improving the efficiency of baggage processes for LHG and airlines in the near future.