How Useful Is an Airport Luggage Wrapping Machine?

Reviewed and updated by ICD - Week 44/2026

An airport luggage wrapping machine is most useful to the service operator: each suitcase earns a fee, the materials are only about 8 to 12 meters of PE film, so the heavy investment lies in the space and the terms with the airport, not in the machine. This guide walks through how airports hand counters to operators, how to choose between two ICD Vietnam models, and a payback calculator where you enter your own numbers.

Where a luggage wrapping service makes its money

The revenue of a luggage wrapping counter is the number of suitcases times the fee per suitcase. Costs fall into two groups. Variable costs are PE film and electricity: per the ICD-LP600F-L product page, each suitcase uses on average 8 to 12 meters of 500 mm film, and one 500 m roll wraps about 40 to 60 suitcases. Fixed costs are machine depreciation, labor, and the heaviest item, the space rent or concession fee paid to the airport.

To see why the concession fee decides the sums, take a hypothetical example, only to illustrate the calculation: the customer fee is VND 100,000 per suitcase, the airport takes 30% of revenue, and film and electricity cost VND 10,000. That leaves VND 60,000 per suitcase to pay for labor, depreciation, and profit. If the concession fee falls from 30% to 15%, what is left rises to VND 75,000, 25% more. That is why this guide puts the terms with the airport ahead of choosing a machine.

Demand also needs to be sized correctly. According to the SITA Baggage IT Insights 2025 report, in 2024 there were 6.3 mishandled bags per 1,000 passengers worldwide, of which 18% were damaged or stolen. ICD Vietnam’s calculation gives about 1.1 damaged items per 1,000 passengers. So passengers buy the service for peace of mind about an expensive suitcase or a long flight, not because suitcases often break. Take the number of international passengers passing through the check-in area and multiply by the share willing to pay that you survey yourself, rather than using the airport’s total passenger count. The reasons to wrap from the passenger’s point of view are in the article “Advantages of airport luggage wrapping machines”.

What terms airports give counters under

There is no single contract template. The three public tender documents below show that each airport awards luggage wrapping counters in its own way.

Three common points stand out. Both foreign documents set either a fixed minimum fee or a revenue-based floor, meaning you pay even in slow months. All three airports attach conditions on deposits or guarantees and on operating experience, and Cochin also caps the customer price. The counter location at both foreign airports is in the flight check-in area: Cochin states the departures check-in area, and Zagreb chose the public area on level 2 of departures. This location must be settled with the airport before placing the machine, because it decides how many customers walk past.

In Vietnam, the specific terms are published by each airport in its own invitation documents. ICD Vietnam does not hold information on domestic airport terms beyond the documents already made public, so when you target an airport, ask the airport operator directly.

Work out payback with your own numbers

Fill in the six fields below with the numbers you have after asking the airport and your suppliers. All fields are left empty because each airport has a different fee level and ICD Vietnam does not preset any number.

Formula: the amount left per suitcase equals the customer fee minus the concession percentage, then minus the film and electricity cost. The number of suitcases to recover the machine cost equals the machine price divided by the amount left per suitcase. Monthly profit is calculated over 30 days: suitcases per day times 30 times the amount left per suitcase, minus fixed costs. Payback time is the machine price divided by the monthly profit; if the monthly profit is not positive, the result field shows no payback.

Choosing between the LP600F-L and XT4508

Choose by floor space and how customers walk past the counter: the LP600F-L needs a longer space, the XT4508 fits in about 2 × 2 m and has wheels to move it. The specifications below are taken from ICD Vietnam’s product pages.

The LP600F-L suits a spot with straight-line entry and exit and steady passenger volume. Per the product page, the film is changed in under 5 minutes thanks to a quick-release shaft. The XT4508 suits a narrow counter or an operator with several seasonal or event sites, because the lockable wheels let you move the machine without rebuilding it. The published capacity of the LP600F-L is 15 to 25 suitcases per hour, including time to put on and take off the suitcase; compare this figure with the passenger volume you surveyed in the calculator above.

Frequently asked questions about airport luggage wrapping machines

What licence is needed to run a luggage wrapping counter at an airport?

It depends on each airport. In the three documents above, the airport invites bids or partners, and the selected party signs a space lease or a business cooperation contract with the airport. ICD Vietnam does not advise on legal procedures; ask the airport operator you are targeting directly.

Does wrapped luggage pass security normally?

Checked luggage still goes through screening and may be opened for inspection; when that happens the film layer is cut. Operators should tell customers this in advance when selling the service so passengers do not misunderstand.

What film width does the ICD luggage wrapper use?

Per the ICD-LP600F-L product page, the machine uses 500 mm PE film, wrapping 2 to 4 layers. ICD Vietnam advises the specific film type and thickness when quoting, because it depends on the wrapping method and the type of luggage you serve.

Should you choose the LP600F-L or XT4508?

Choose the LP600F-L when you have a long space and steady passenger volume; choose the XT4508 when space is narrow or you need to move the machine between several sites. Send the floor area and planned location, and an ICD Vietnam technician will advise the right model.

Contact ICD Vietnam

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