Baggage as a Service (BaaS) is a new concept that aims to separate baggage from passengers to make air travel more convenient. The study aims to analyze its CO2 footprint with four sub-questions guiding the research. The first sub-question is to identify all relevant elements for the BaaS carbon footprint, while the second aims to create a mathematical model to calculate the CO2 emissions of BaaS. The third sub-question involves numerical analysis of a case study of Bagbooking to determine its CO2 footprint, while the fourth sub-question compares BaaS CO2 footprint to that of normal air travel. The main findings present a rich conceptual model outlining two logistics chains for baggage and passengers without baggage, analyzing the emissions sources and transport modes. An Excel model was developed to calculate the CO2 emissions of Bagbooking and the comparison of the fourth sub-question.
The study analyzed the emissions of each Bagbooking customer and identified the sources contributing to the carbon footprint, highlighting the contribution of each stage in the logistics chain. Five scenarios were identified with varying effectiveness in reducing emissions, building on each other progressively to reach the emission levels of normal air travel. The first measure involves optimizing baggage collection and distribution, resulting in a decrease in emissions from the actual +56% of Bagbooking to 46% compared to normal air travel, reduced to +29% by encouraging sustainable transportation. Transporting cargo in the extra space created in the belly hold of passenger flights since the absence of baggage would reduce emissions by -63% compared to normal air travel. The adoption of trains or green modes can further reduce the percentage. Specific recommendations for Bagbooking are included. Future research could use more specific input data, consider the impact of increased BaaS usage, and include factors like failed deliveries and the use of ferries and intercontinental BaaS services.