GO-07 · Load Control & Aircraft Loading

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Process Flow Diagram (BPMN)

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L4 Process Steps

Step	Step Name	Role / Swim Lane	System	Input	Output	KPI	Dec?	Exc?
Phase 1 1.1	Retrieve Final Pax Count & Baggage Weights	Load Controller	Amadeus Altéa PSS	Check-in closure trigger (T-30 min); APIS/DCS pax manifest	Confirmed pax count, checked-bag count, total baggage weight	Data retrieval completed ≤5 min after check-in close	N	N
1.2	Calculate Preliminary Weight & Balance	Load Controller	SITA LoadManager	Pax manifest, estimated bag weights, fuel uplift from ACARS	Preliminary zero fuel weight (ZFW), centre of gravity (CG) estimate, hold allocation plan	Preliminary W&B issued ≤10 min after check-in close	N	N
1.3	Validate Dangerous Goods Declarations	DG Acceptance Agent	SITA DGM (Dangerous Goods Manager)	Shipper's Declaration for Dangerous Goods (SHPD), NOTOC entries from cargo manifest	Validated DG NOTOC; approved or rejected DG items with segregation instructions	DG validation completed ≤15 min before cargo loading commences; zero IATA DGR Part 7 segregation violations	Y	Y
1.4	Generate Loading Instruction Report (LIR)	Load Controller	SITA LoadManager	Approved hold allocation plan, DG segregation instructions, special cargo positions	Loading Instruction Report (LIR) specifying bay/pit assignment per item type	LIR issued to ramp supervisor ≤20 min before scheduled loading start	N	N
Phase 2 2.1	Sort & Route Checked Baggage to Make-Up Area	Baggage Make-Up Agent	SITA BagManager	Baggage reconciliation data from Altéa, belt assignment from SITA AMS	Sorted baggage staged at correct make-up carousel/area for the flight	Baggage sortation accuracy ≥99.5%; all bags at make-up area ≥30 min before STD	N	Y
2.2	Build ULD / Container per Load Plan Spec	Baggage Make-Up Agent	SITA LoadManager	LIR bay assignments, sorted baggage at make-up area	Loaded ULD/containers tagged with position ID and estimated weight	ULD build completed per LIR sequence; zero wrong-position items at loading start	N	N
2.3	Weigh Completed ULD / Container	Baggage Make-Up Agent	Mettler Toledo ULD Scale + SITA LoadManager	Loaded ULD on weigh platform	Actual ULD gross weight recorded in LoadManager against plan position	100% of ULDs weighed before loading; weight variance vs estimate ≤±50 kg per ULD	Y	N
2.4	Confirm ULD Weight Within Structural Limit	Load Controller	SITA LoadManager	Actual ULD weight vs aircraft structural limit per bay (from Boeing aircraft performance data)	ULD cleared for loading or redistributed; updated hold allocation if rebalancing required	Zero structural limit exceedances reaching the aircraft; resolution time ≤8 min per overweight ULD	Y	Y
Phase 3 3.1	Confirm Ground Equipment Positioning at Aircraft	Ramp Supervisor	SITA Airport Management System (AMS)	Gate assignment from SITA AMS, loading start trigger from Load Controller	Baggage loaders / hi-loaders and belt loaders confirmed in position; loading authorised	GSE at aircraft ≤5 min after aircraft-on-blocks; zero loading delays attributable to GSE unavailability	N	N
3.2	Load Cargo Holds per LIR Bay Assignment	Ramp Agent	SITA LoadManager (tablet / handheld scan)	LIR bay assignment, loaded ULDs/bulk bags at aircraft side	Items loaded into designated holds; barcode scan confirmation per piece	Loading compliance with LIR ≥99%; fwd/aft hold loaded within 20 min of start for narrowbody	N	N
3.3	Load Special & Priority Items per NOTOC	Ramp Supervisor	SITA DGM + SITA LoadManager	Approved NOTOC, special cargo labels (live animals, wet ice, perishables, human remains)	Special cargo positioned per segregation rules and NOTOC; supervisor sign-off recorded	100% NOTOC items loaded in approved positions; zero segregation violations on departure	N	Y
3.4	Verify Loading Sequence Matches LIR	Ramp Supervisor	SITA LoadManager	Scan confirmations from step 3.2, LIR bay plan	Loading conformance report — approved to proceed or discrepancy flagged for correction	Loading conformance check completed before any hold door closed; discrepancy resolution ≤10 min	Y	Y
Phase 4 4.1	Record Actual Loaded Weights per Hold	Load Controller	SITA LoadManager	Scan-confirmed item list per hold bay from step 3.4	Actual hold-by-hold weight breakdown entered in LoadManager for final W&B run	All hold weights entered within 5 min of loading completion	N	N
4.2	Compute Final ZFW, TOW & CG Position	Load Controller	SITA LoadManager + Boeing Aircraft Performance Tool (OPT)	Actual hold weights, confirmed fuel uplift, final pax count with no-shows applied	Final Zero Fuel Weight (ZFW), Take-Off Weight (TOW), Landing Weight (LW), and CG index value	Final W&B calculation completed ≤15 min before STD; TOW within ±0.5% of fuel plan	N	N
4.3	Confirm CG Within Certified Envelope	Load Controller	Boeing Aircraft Performance Tool (OPT)	Final CG index, aircraft type CG envelope limits, trim setting	CG confirmed in-envelope and stabiliser trim setting issued to crew; or rebalance instruction issued	CG in-envelope on first calculation ≥95% of flights; rebalance time ≤15 min when required	Y	Y
4.4	Generate & Sign Final Loadsheet	Load Controller	SITA LoadManager	Approved ZFW, TOW, CG, trim setting; final pax/bag count	Signed final loadsheet (paper or e-loadsheet) with load controller and captain signature blocks	Final loadsheet generated ≥15 min before STD; e-loadsheet adoption rate target ≥80%	N	N
Phase 5 5.1	Transmit Final Loadsheet to Flight Deck via ACARS	Load Controller	SITA ACARS	Signed final loadsheet from SITA LoadManager	Loadsheet datalink message (LDM/CPM) received on flight deck EFB or ACARS printer	ACARS loadsheet delivery confirmed ≤12 min before STD; delivery failure rate <1%	N	N
5.2	Obtain Crew Acknowledgment of Loadsheet	Captain	Jeppesen FliteDeck (EFB) + SITA ACARS	Loadsheet datalink message or paper copy delivered to flight deck	Crew acknowledgment uplinked via ACARS or paper signature returned; loadsheet accepted or queried	Crew acknowledgment received ≥10 min before STD; query resolution ≤5 min	Y	N
5.3	Issue Last-Minute Change (LMC) if Required	Load Controller	SITA LoadManager	Post-loadsheet change trigger (late pax, offload, security-removed bag)	LMC document transmitted to crew; updated ZFW/CG confirmed within limits	LMC issued and acknowledged ≤7 min before pushback; LMC rate <5% of departures	N	Y
5.4	Close Cargo Doors & Issue Station Clearance	Ramp Supervisor	SITA Airport Management System (AMS)	Crew acknowledgment confirmed, LMC resolved, all hold doors secured	Station departure clearance recorded in SITA AMS; ramp-clear signal issued to tug crew	Hold doors closed and ramp-clear signal issued ≥5 min before STD; on-time departure (D0) contribution ≥85%	N	N

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Process Attributes

Identification

Process IDGO-07

L1 DomainGround Operations & Airport Services

L2 ProcessRamp & Turnaround Operations

L3 NameLoad Control & Aircraft Loading

L4 Steps20 across 5 phases

Decision Gates6 (all with iteration loops)

Exceptions7 documented

Swim Lanes (Roles)

Load Controller

DG Acceptance Agent

Baggage Make-Up Agent

Ramp Supervisor

Ramp Agent

Captain

Systems & Tools

Amadeus Altéa PSSSITA LoadManagerSITA DGM (Dangerous Goods Manager)SITA BagManagerMettler Toledo ULD Scale + SITA LoadManagerSITA Airport Management System (AMS)SITA LoadManager (tablet / handheld scan)SITA DGM + SITA LoadManagerSITA LoadManager + Boeing Aircraft Performance Tool (OPT)Boeing Aircraft Performance Tool (OPT)SITA ACARSJeppesen FliteDeck (EFB) + SITA ACARS

Key Performance Indicators

Retrieve Final Pax Count & Baggage WeightsData retrieval completed ≤5 min after check-in close

Calculate Preliminary Weight & BalancePreliminary W&B issued ≤10 min after check-in close

Validate Dangerous Goods DeclarationsDG validation completed ≤15 min before cargo loading commences; zero IATA DGR Part 7 segregation violations

Generate Loading Instruction Report (LIR)LIR issued to ramp supervisor ≤20 min before scheduled loading start

Sort & Route Checked Baggage to Make-Up AreaBaggage sortation accuracy ≥99.5%; all bags at make-up area ≥30 min before STD

Build ULD / Container per Load Plan SpecULD build completed per LIR sequence; zero wrong-position items at loading start

Weigh Completed ULD / Container100% of ULDs weighed before loading; weight variance vs estimate ≤±50 kg per ULD

Confirm ULD Weight Within Structural LimitZero structural limit exceedances reaching the aircraft; resolution time ≤8 min per overweight ULD

Airline-Specific Risks & Pain Points

Late pax additions and standby activations in Altéa can shift total bag weights by 200–400 kg after preliminary load plan is locked, requiring full recalculation

Standard passenger weight assumptions (IATA Standard Weights 2023) may under-estimate actual payload on leisure routes with heavy baggage allowances, skewing preliminary CG

Lithium battery shipments (IATA DGR Section II PI 966/967/968) increasingly misclassified by shippers; SITA DGM lacks real-time integration with courier manifest data, requiring manual cross-check

Paper or tablet-based LIR distribution to ramp agents creates version-control risk; last-minute config changes (late cargo acceptance) may not reach all loading teams before loading begins

Interline transfer bags arriving via multiple carriers carry different barcode standards (BCBP vs legacy 10-digit); SITA BagManager reconciliation failures require manual intervention, risking late bags

Wide-body aircraft use mixed ULD types (LD3, LD7, bulk) — incorrect ULD type selection delays loading due to incompatible cargo door dimensions; SITA LoadManager ULD type validation is advisory only

Inputs / Outputs

Primary InputCheck-in closure trigger (T-30 min); APIS/DCS pax manifest

Primary OutputStation departure clearance recorded in SITA AMS; ramp-clear signal issued to tug crew

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