60
BAGGAGE    
September 2026      AirportImprovement.com
PGD
Punta Gorda Airport (PGD) has 
spent years building a reputation 
for getting travelers from curb to 
gate quickly—often less than 10 minutes. 
Until recently, though, an aging bag 
screening system behind the ticketing 
counters was putting its streamlined 
passenger experience at risk. 
The labor-intensive 
system at the coastal 
Florida airport relied 
on three standalone 
screening machines 
that together could 
only process about 
250 bags per hour. 
“And that was if all 
the stars aligned,” remarks PGD Chief 
Operating Officer Ray Laroche, AAE. 
“Rarely did we see that kind of throughput. 
It was usually closer to 200 bags per hour.” 
Rather than wait for baggage handling 
to become a crisis, airport leaders invested 
$25 million in a new handling system with 
inline screening that can process up to 
2,100 bags per hour. The upgrade is the 
first major phase of the nearly $44 million 
Bailey Terminal Expansion. 
Over the Limit
As passenger traffic at PGD increased, 
baggage operations began to falter. Since 
2013, passenger volume at PGD has 
jumped 20% to 30% annually, and rose a 
whopping 88% in 2014 alone. About five 
years ago, airport leaders realized the aging 
infrastructure could no longer keep pace.
“During our peak season, our baggage 
system was stressed to the point that 
it created congestion and backups,” 
Laroche recalls.
New Inline Baggage Screening 
at Punta Gorda Airport Sets 
the Stage for Future Growth
BY RONNIE WENDT
FACTS&FIGURES 
Project: Terminal Expansion & Inline Baggage 
Screening System 
Location: Punta Gorda Airport, in FL 
Owner & Operator: Charlotte County Airport Authority
Cost: Approx. $23 million (plus $2 million for 
professional design & construction service fees)
Funding: TSA; Florida Dept. of Transportation; Passenger 
Facility Charges 
Key Components: Automated multi-level conveyor 
network; On-Screen Resolution Room for remote image 
review; Checked Baggage Resolution Area for manual 
inspections; 2 chances for bag diversion to minimize 
manual screening; Automatic Tag Readers for tracking 
bags; curbside conveyor line
Support Infrastructure: New 3-phase electrical 
service; emergency generator; additional chiller to improve 
conditions in handling area
Capacity: About 2,100 bags/hour
Project Timeline: Design in 2022; construction 
mobilization in Oct. 2024; system operational in Jan. 2026
Design: AECOM
Construction: A2 Group Inc.
Baggage Handling System: Diversified 
Conveyors Int’l
Controls: ControlTouch Systems
Screening Machines: CTX 9800s from Smiths 
Detection 
Noteworthy Details: Former baggage screening area 
was converted into a gate holdroom; new system includes 
provisions for 2nd baggage makeup carousel; project was 
1st phase of larger terminal expansion
Associated Improvements: Inline baggage 
screening project is part of the Terminal Expansion 
Program, which also includes relocating car rental 
operations & ongoing terminal construction. Overall cost 
is estimated around $83 million, including professional 
services. 
RAY LAROCHE

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