Manchester Airport

High-speed baggage check-in door solution for a UK airport

Manchester Airport is delivering a £1.3 billion, 10-year transformation programme, with the redevelopment of Terminal 2 (T2) at its core. 

The project is designed to modernise infrastructure, increase capacity, and support long-term passenger growth. 

Baggage handling system contractors Vanderlande Industries provided the new baggage handling system (BHS).  

The challenge

The new BHS required high speed doors to the check-in desks that could: 

  • Support baggage throughput of over 5,000 bags per hour 
  • Operate reliably under continuous, high-frequency use 
  • Integrate with over 2 miles of conveyor belts on the new baggage system. 
  • Meet strict airport safety and compliance standards 

Project challenges

Hart case study suitcase (2)

Throughput

5,000 bags per hour

Hart case study clipboard (1)

Reliability

Frequency of cycles & speed of operation key 

Hart case study conveyor

Integration

Over 2 miles of conveyor belts on the new baggage system

The solution

Hart Doors engineered and deployed a proven, high-speed baggage check-in door solution:  

  • High-speed doors designed for intensive airport use
  • Profiled bottom rails matched to conveyor contours
  • Teardrop-style doors to improve ergonomics and passenger flow
  • Fully tested safety systems, including force, shear, and pull-in protection
  • A pre-production door was built and rigorously tested with the client prior to rollout, ensuring performance.

 

 

 

The success

The project was delivered across two phases:  

Phase 1 - January 2020:  

  • 60 high-speed doors for check-in desks
  • Aligned with the first major T2 expansion, which doubled the size of the terminal.
  • Testing was completed at the Hart facility in collaboration with the client, validating safety and reliability under operational conditions. 

Phase 2- July 2024:

  • 58 high-speed doors for check-in desks
  • Identical door specification to Phase 1
  • Using the same proven design reduced risk, simplified commissioning and ensured a consistent passenger experience. 
Speedor Storm high speed external doors

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