December 25, 2025

Turnaround time is a term used in the aviation industry for how long it takes to prepare a plane for its next flight after it has landed. This numerical figure is of great importance to airports, airlines, and even passengers who may not know what turnaround time is but enjoy boarding their flights with no delays. 

If a flight leaves on time, everyone wins, but for airports and airlines delays spell severe losses in both reputation and money. A survey by the American Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Nextor found that the annual cost of delays in the U.S. alone is an estimated colossal US$33 billion.

The World’s First of its Kind: The NEC Baggage Counting Solution

The concept behind this solution is simple: if we can quantify and accurately count carry-on baggage being brought onto a plane, we can ensure that overhead compartment capacities are not exceeded. The NEC Baggage Counting Solution (BCS) aims to do just that by leveraging NEC’s AI-powered video analytics to accurately detect the quantity, type, estimated size, and other attributes of baggage to categorize them. This real-time analysis gives estimations for space usage in overhead bins. Staff are alerted   when capacity thresholds are reached. 

The BCS also allows for insight acquisition through the generation of detailed reports surrounding analyzed baggage. By analyzing the data gathered, airports and airlines can create effective frameworks to mitigate departure delays caused by baggage handling and the reloading of luggage in the cargo area.

By utilizing it in this manner, the BCS increases efficiency and improves on-time performance and reduces turnaround time. This in turn leads to cost savings and improved passenger satisfaction.

Conducting Proof-of-Concepts

From April to September 2024, NEC conducted a proof-of-concept of the BCS with Japan Airlines (JAL)*1 at Boarding Gate of Tokyo International Airport (Haneda). The trial involved evaluating the solution’s analysis accuracy in detection and classification of baggage, and its alert timing for exceeding overhead storage limits.

NEC Assistant Manager, Global Aviation, Teppei Furikado shared details on the results of the PoC. “We set benchmarks for the BCS to meet across various metrics including counting and classification accuracy. The tests results were very positive overall while also revealing areas that could be improved, such as when a black backpack on top of black baggage was perceived as a single large piece of luggage. We subsequently tweaked the solution to further improve its accuracy and reduce false positives and negatives. Based on customer feedback, we managed to achieve a high level of refinement that makes the product fully practical for real-world operations.”

Evolution of The NEC Baggage Counting Solution

NEC can leverage domain expertise and innovative technology along with BCS to solve the many baggage-related challenges faced by airlines and airports such as passengers bringing oversized carry-on items and carrying an excessive number of bags. Several airlines have mentioned that it’s not uncommon for passengers to ignore baggage rules which in turn increases the workload for staff and causes flight delays, creating a negative impact across the entire aviation industry.

Furikado shares: “We are working to make the BCS a core part of NEC’s Truly Seamless Travel aviation concept. Our vision is to collect and analyze all baggage-related information and provide real-time feedback to the ground staff. This will enable us to predict potential issues before they occur and take early action to prevent disruptions. By integrating BCS with other systems, we can further enhance its value and ultimately realize truly seamless travel.”

For inquiries regarding the Baggage Counting Solution or NEC’s other solutions in Aviation you may reach our team.

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