Title: Analysis of RFID technology usage for luggage management in the airline industry

Authors: Matthew Waritay Guah; Rhoda C. Joseph

Addresses: School of Business, Claflin University, 400 Magnolia Street, Orangeburg, SC 29115, USA. ' School of Business Administration, Pennsylvania State University Harrisburg, 777 W. Harrisburg Pike, Middletown, PA 17057, USA

Abstract: Airlines are a vital part of the transportation industry, responsible for the movement of people and products. Air passenger luggage is a key component of such services. A primary function of radio frequency identification (RFID) in the airline industry is to improve customer service and reduce associated costs by effectively tracking passenger luggage. In the commercial airline industry, fierce competition and declining margins make adoption of technologies such as RFID an attractive option. In this paper, we analyse two airlines to identify the antecedents and outcome of the RFID adoption in the airline industry with specific reference to the management of customer luggage. Ultimately, we identify that RFID is a necessary but insufficient technology for airlines seeking to gain a competitive advantage in the ever-dynamic airline industry.

Keywords: technology adoption; radio frequency identification; RFID; airline industry; case study; luggage management; luggage tracking; luggage traceability; air passenger luggage; commercial airlines.

DOI: 10.1504/IJITM.2012.047828

International Journal of Information Technology and Management, 2012 Vol.11 No.3, pp.240 - 255

Accepted: 14 Oct 2010
Published online: 09 Aug 2014 *

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