Erik Knowles Ensures Safe Travel at Seattle-Tacoma Airport

SEATTLE, Wash. — Erik Knowles, an assistant director at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac), plays a crucial role in managing the airport’s baggage handling operations. With the airport processing over 52.6 million passengers in 2024, Knowles oversees a team of more than 130 employees to ensure luggage travels safely and efficiently.

Knowles describes his team’s main responsibility as running what he calls “the bag factory,” an expansive baggage handling system comprising 10 miles of conveyor belts and numerous TSA screening machines. “We have to screen them for explosives, we have to sort them, we have to get them on the right airplane,” Knowles said.

Originally built in the 1940s, Sea-Tac’s airport infrastructure underwent significant changes post-9/11 to enhance security measures. Knowles calls the complicated baggage handling process a “maze akin to a pile of spaghetti.” He noted, “If you have an airport like ours that was constructed before 9/11, we’re space-constrained.”

The current baggage handling system was put in place between 2001 and 2004 and is now showing signs of age. To accommodate increasing passenger volumes and future needs, the airport is initiating a $955 million modernization project. The new system is designed to increase efficiency while making maintenance easier for staff.

Due to the airport’s year-round operations, Knowles and his crew replace sections of the baggage handling system incrementally, usually during the night. “It feels like doing open-heart surgery while driving 70 miles an hour on the interstate,” he remarked. His background in engineering and manufacturing helps him navigate these challenges successfully.

Beyond his technical duties, Knowles also enjoys his role as a backup snow plow driver during winter storms and has taken extensive training on topics like incident management. “It’s fun—it’s a very lively place,” he said, emphasizing the dynamic environment at the airport.

When not managing machinery, Knowles assists lost travelers at the airport. He aims to create a welcoming atmosphere, stating, “The airport can be intimidating, but we try to make it a very welcoming environment. We’re like hosts—we represent Seattle.”