CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) – On Monday, Charlotte City Council could vote to approve contract amendments with the company that maintains the airport’s Baggage Handling System.
The item is listed on the meeting’s consent agenda and would add more than $1.7 million to the current contract with Siemens Postal, Parcel & Airport Logistics, LLC.
If council members vote to approve the amendment, it would bring the total value of the contract to $22,773,550.
In early July, Delta passengers told Queen City News that the main chute on Baggage Claim A had stopped working, leaving bags stuck far back on the exposed belt. The belt was under construction at the time.
Travelers said they weren’t getting much help from the baggage claim attendants, so they took matters into their own hands and climbed onto the baggage chute and up into the exposed ceiling to retrieve the baggage.
“Everybody was frustrated. Everybody was taking video, and as they’re bringing bags down, people are clapping,” passenger Maggie Holmes told Queen City News at the time.
Airport officials have not commented on whether the July incident contributed to their decision to put more money into their contract with Siemens, but the amendment does specify that it would add $471,233 for additional staff to improve system capacity during peak operations.
It’ll also add funding for parts replacement and repairs that “allow for continued maintenance and reliability of the Baggage Handling System” and extend the contract through January.
