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Sorting suitcases at the airport a carefully planned task

In a year the airport will handle 1.5 million checked bags. Tamara Forlanski / Global News

WINNIPEG – December 23 is typically the busiest day of the year at Winnipeg’s James Armstrong Richardson International Airport.

Around 11,000 people are expected to take off or land in the city, lugging with them upwards of 6,000 pieces of checked luggage.

“From the time you drop your bag at check in and makes it to the airline it can be anywhere between four and seven minutes,” said Darryl Dowd, the director of airport operations at Richardson International.

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In one year the airport will handle 1.5 million checked bags. Seven kilometres of conveyor belts move suitcases through several security check points at a speed of up to 20 km/h.

The airport says the bags are handled as gently as possible.

“It’s never dropped more than a few feet so anything packed in a traditional suitcase should be just fine,” said Dowd.

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When putting your suitcase on the conveyor belt, Dowd says to make sure you put the wheels up. If they face down it could get caught in the equipment.

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