17 Jan 2017

When AirPortr launched Europe’s first on-demand luggage transfer service, it turned to Sony to help monitor the safe delivery of bags to and from London’s Heathrow, Gatwick, and City airports. The network cameras keep a watchful eye on passengers’ luggage with full HD quality—even in challenging lighting conditions.

A smart new way to travel

The first service of its kind in Europe, AirPortr makes life easier for airline passengers with a seamless luggage transfer service between a traveller’s home, office, or hotel address and London’s Heathrow, Gatwick, or City Airports. The online service lets passengers relax and enjoy their journey without burdensome bags in tow. Luggage is stored securely at dedicated AirPortr depots at each airport. Travellers flying out of London with British Airways can also have their bags collected, checked, and delivered direct to the carousel at their destination airport.

Protecting passengers’ luggage from tampering and theft

To get its innovative service off the ground, AirPortr needed a surveillance solution to comply with stringent airline security demands, while safeguarding luggage from damage, tampering, and theft at every stage of transfer. It also needed a solution offering track and trace monitoring, timestamping and scalability to support AirPortr’s global ambitions.

Clear pictures at sun-drenched airport buildings

As part of a highly cost-effective, easy-to-manage, and future-proofed integrated security solution, AirPortr selected a mix of Sony full HD IP network cameras. The models chosen include the weather-resistant SNC-EB632R fixed camera plus compact and unobtrusive SNC-XM631 and SNC-XM632 mini dome cameras. All feature powerful View-DR image processing technology. This delivers excellent image clarity, both in low light and with challenging high-contrast scenes—like the glare and backlighting caused by direct sunlight at airports that feature large areas of glass.

Key to a total security solutions

“Sony surveillance gives our customers complete assurance that their valuables are in safe hands”

The cameras are integral to a complete luggage monitoring solution implemented by Texuna Integrated Security Systems, allowing live and recorded footage to be browsed and viewed by operational staff under control of video management software.

Installing the cameras has allowed AirPortr to deliver the highest levels of security at its three London depots. All luggage is subject to rigorous security checks including x-ray scans when entering and leaving the airport. Each item is surveillance time-stamped on collection and delivery. This provides full track-and-trace accountability of its location at any time. In the event of an incident, the Sony cameras let security staff assess the situation with full HD clarity and respond fast, backed by powerful reporting and analytics.

Ambitions for global growth

The cameras have played a critical role in ensuring the ongoing success of the AirPortr service. Following its successful launch, the company aims to build a trusted brand and strengthen its competitive edge as a technology innovator. It aims to replicate its model globally and extend its core luggage transfer proposition with value-added services.

“We take every aspect of security extremely seriously and leave nothing to chance; Sony surveillance gives our customers complete assurance that their valuables are in safe hands, says Danielle Sharp, Head of Security and Compliance at AirPortr.

The customers have absolute assurance that they can trust AirPortr to keep their valuables safe 100% of the time. Sony is giving all the benefits of a surveillance solution that can flex and grow with our business—while helping to build the reputation of AirPortr as a safe, trusted brand that is improving the global travel experience.