Virgin Atlantic Takes Off With Printronix RFID Solution

Thinking about starting an RFID pilot? Get up to speed in a flash by learning how Printronix helped Virgin Atlantic realize outstanding time and costs benefits through its extensive RFID trial.

Virgin Atlantic Airways, Britain's second-largest airline, has a fleet of 33 aircraft operating long-haul services to 26 destinations worldwide as far apart as Las Vegas and Shanghai. Accuracy, schedule maintenance and accountability are critical to success in the highly competitive air-travel market. The trial, which includes Printronix's RFID SL5000r printer, was intended to evaluate the impact of RFID technology on accuracy, efficiency and accountability in the company's central logistics, maintenance and engineering departments.

The primary objectives of the trial were to identify potential ways to use RFID technology to improve the turn around of components through stores, increase visibility of parts and materials within the maintenance environment and trial the use of mobile technology using wireless networking.

Virgin Atlantic selected Printronix's EPCglobal Gen2 certified SL5000r printer with PXML (Printronix eXtensible Markup Language) connectivity. Developed with open XML standards, PXML delivers a single software solution to monitor, manage and control a single SL5000r or group of different printers as well as their print jobs and status. The SL5000r printer also features intelligent RFID tag management, allowing Virgin Atlantic to ensure 100% readability of the RFID smart labels entering their supply chain.

To help you define and deploy your RFID strategy, Printronix and Virgin Atlantic have co-developed a brief case study that reveals the realities and possibilities of RFID and its ability to:

• Increase efficiency
• Reduce risk in the spare parts supply chain
• Comply with component traceability and authenticity guidelines
• Future-proof internal systems