Impact Barrier Protection for Baggage Conveyor Systems at Larnaca International Airport

Hermes Airports operates Cyprus's two international gateways, Larnaca and Paphos, handling millions of passengers annually. At Larnaca International Airport, the baggage handling system relies on conveyor infrastructure that moves through operational zones where ground support vehicles, trolleys, and baggage dollies operate in close proximity.

The challenge was protecting critical conveyor equipment from accidental impact damage caused by baggage handling dollies and ground service vehicles manoeuvring in congested airside areas. A collision with conveyor framework or drive components can halt baggage operations, delay flights, and require emergency maintenance. The constraint was that any protective solution had to absorb impact energy without creating a rigid obstruction that would itself pose a hazard to personnel or equipment, while remaining effective in the demanding airport environment with constant vehicle traffic.

SPIMA specified A-SAFE impact barriers designed to absorb and dissipate collision energy from wheeled ground support equipment. The barriers were positioned at vulnerable points along the conveyor runs where dolly traffic intersected with the baggage handling infrastructure.

The impact barrier solution provided a deformable buffer zone that prevents damage to the conveyor structure and mechanical components while allowing the barrier itself to absorb the force of low-speed collisions typical in airside operations. This type of protection is particularly important in airport environments where conveyor downtime has immediate operational and commercial consequences beyond the facility itself.