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Airlines losing 3000 bags - every hour of every day
In 2009, the worlds airlines lost a whopping 25 million pieces of passenger luggage. That comes down to just under 3000 bags every hour of every day, all year long. These shocking statistics were published by SITA - one of the operators of airline and airport computer systems, using data from the World Traver luggage database. SITA breaks down the reasons behind bags not arriving at their destination:
- During aircraft transfers - 52%
- Failed to load - 16%
- Ticketing error / bag switch / security / other - 13%
- Airport / customs / weather / space-weight restriction - 6%
- Loading / offloading error - 7%
- Arrival station mishandling - 3%
- Tagging error - 3%
Bottom line is that airlines are investing heavily in luggage management, and even though they may never reach a perfect score, the current trend is very positive one - and one that will benefit everyone that checks bags. Of course, as luggage fees have started increasing, it is also refreshing to see that airlines are actually doing something with all that new money.
Don't forget to follow our tips on keeping your luggage safe at the airport!
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
DrKoob Mar 26th 2010 11:51AM
I had a great bag experience in Singapore last month. Cathay Pacific knew that one of our bags was delayed before we even landed. When we got off the plane, there was a gate attendant with our name looking for us. She told us that our bag was delayed, got the name and address of our hotel in Singapore and guaranteed the bag before 6:00 pm that evening. Now that's service.
Jim Mar 28th 2010 3:44PM
In February I flew to Malaysia. After collecting many wonderful gifts and souvenirs all with memories I flew back to United States. I flew back from Hong Kong on Cathay Pacific and transferred in San Francisco to United Airline and had both of my checked luggage during the transfer in hand. After arriving in Akron, Ohio I went to pick up my luggage to find one missing. Of course it was the one with all the gifts. After calling endless hours to a 1-800 number to India I am at this point convinced my luggage is missing. I am told after 60 days, United will make some type of settlement. A word to the wise, don't put anything in a checked bag you would expect to be return to you. And United if you are reading this comment, please find my luggage, or pay me $1300 in airfare to return to Malaysia to collect my memories again.
pete Mar 29th 2010 12:28PM
My business had me flying world wide every 2-3 weeks for 3.5 years. The ONLY baggage problem I ever encountered was on a UAL flight from Miami to Bolivia.
I had one hard piece with a piano hinge all the way across the back, and tongue-in-groove sides and front and a hinged lock. The piece was used to carry heavy yet fragile equipment. Before I bought the piece I tossed it around, stood and jumped on it. I'm 200 pounds. I never made a dent in it.
When I recovered it in Bolivia the hinge was pushed in about 1/2 inch. I took it as rough handling, repaired it, and went about my business.
My return flight terminated at ONT via MIA and LAX. I had to pick up my luggage at Miami to go thru customs. Nothing wrong with it then. Recheck it for the flight from MIA to LAX. I saw it being delivered to the puddle jumper at LAX for the leg to ONT, and it seemed to be in good condition, even though the female baggage handler at LAX picked it up and gave it a healthy fling in the general direction of the other bags being loaded. It landed on a soft side suit case, and definitely made a dent in that bag.
When I recovered my belongings at ONT this solid piece, the one I'd bounced my 200 pounds on, had one side pried open more than one inch. The tongue and groove clearly showed scrape marks where it had been pried open. I carried it to the agent and reported the obvious attempt to get at the contents, and she gave me a form and said, and this is a quote I remember as if it were yesterday! She said, "Fill out this form and mail it to the address on the bottom. We'll investigate and see how many times you pulled this before."
I called corporate, told our travel agent I would no longer fly United Air Lines and she should give me a few minutes to confer with my supervisor, the she could call him and verify. I then called my super, explained the situation, and told him if the only way for me to get to an assignment was on United Airlines I'd refuse the assignment. The equipment I carried was owned by the company and they'd have to repair or replace it, but while that was being done I'd be stuck somewhere twiddling my thumbs, and there was a 50/50 chance that it would be a place with bad water, bad food, foul weather, and people not friendly to the US.
I've been retired for about 7 years now, I still enjoy a lot of travel, both in the US and out, and I still will not fly United.
FSkornia Mar 28th 2010 4:07PM
What I don't understand is why the airlines don't poach people from UPS or FedEx and offer them a bunch of money to streamline and improve their baggage handling systems. You look at the number of packages that UPS deals with around the holiday season and the mind-boggling array of vehicle transfers and routing instructions and they put the airlines to shame. If the baggage were treated like packages in the UPS or FedEx systems it is highly likely they would get to where they're going.
David Williams Mar 29th 2010 3:56PM
This is what happens when automation replaces employees desire to care.
Jerry vs Mar 28th 2010 10:08PM
If you have ever flown to Italy and lost any luggage, it is in the Venice airport. They have a couple of rooms the size of football fields that are filled with American luggage. But not just luggage, I seen kayaks, golf clubs, baby strollers, guitar cases, musical instrument cases, other hard cases, backpacks, snow skis, snowboards, etc. I was amazed that all of these things were tagged with American origination and that it was never returned to the rightful owner.
Joan Ayling Mar 28th 2010 10:26PM
We had a horrible experience of a bag being taken by another passenger. My brother who is mentally handicapped moved from MI to CA and someone stole one of his bags. He had a suit, his shaver plus many pants, shirts, etc. The airline offered us 1 cent on every 10 dollars worth of clothing replacement cost. They said since I didn't have receipts for the clothes in the suitcase they couldn't honor the replacement costs. If I did have receipts they would probablu discount the cost for replacement due to the face of depreciation.
mellors Mar 28th 2010 10:32PM
in this day of increasing security issues, and the t.s.a.'s input into our travel lives, how can even one bag go missing.?? can anyone in the airline security business comprehend the security issues involved in the loss of all of this luggage. to hell with your presents and your souvenirs.. what about our lives..? imbeciles
dja3117 Mar 28th 2010 10:49PM
A lot of the lost luggage ends up at the Unclaimed Baggage Center in Alabama, which purchases lost and unclaimed bags from the airlines, then re-sells their contents. Read more: http://failuremag.com/index.php/feature/article/luggage_lost_..._and_found/#ixzz0jWuqlPjx
KatieCouric'sNemesis Mar 28th 2010 11:17PM
Just because a bag is delayed doesn't mean it's lost. If you have put ID inside the bag as well as tagged the handle, then it can be tracked and located.
American Airlines has always done well for me with luggage. Since my mother lives in an out of the way town serviced by a regional airport, I have to fly around the country making connections in order to get to my hometown. Most of the time, my luggage gets to where I am going at the same time as I do. One notable exception was when my Chicago to CA connector allowed for only a brief layover. I made my plane; my luggage did not. However, AA told me when I landed in LAX that my bags would be on the next available flight, which was the next morning. The clerk had my bags sent to me at my home the next morning.
Conversely, on another trip, my Dallas layover was rather long. My bags got to my destination before I did. I was paged...and the bags were under supervision and my ID was checked when I picked them up.
Bravo, American Airlines. It's why I fly you.
Most cases of lost luggage is when bags are not ID'd properly or people pick up the wrong bag (a lookalike) in error.
The River Rat Mar 29th 2010 1:55AM
Aren't these baggage handlers union employees? Maybe that has something to do with it.
Bruce Mar 29th 2010 2:16AM
Yep, they probably are ..... as opposed to a scab like you.
Smith008 Mar 29th 2010 2:05AM
Next time you're at the Philly airport take a look outside and you'll see why so many bags don't make flights. "Job Security", yeah dey aint stupit
pete Mar 29th 2010 11:48AM
Any of you think you can do it better, come on down!
I'll bet 99% of you have never worked in the rain, snow, and wind at -5 degrees, or in 100+ degree heat. Add to that the pressure of getting bags from terminal one to terminal 101 in the time between flights, stops for the 100-200 other filghts that DO get their bags, and the danger of looking one way to ensure you are clear only to be sucked up in the intake of a plane coming from the other direction.
Yet you feel you have to make the longest flight in the shortest time, and you are SOO rushed at the airport. Ya bunch o whiny azzed dummies! Try giving yourself an hour between flights, or better yet, a full day, and you'll never miss another bag.
wuliping0011 Mar 29th 2010 2:57AM
How amazing it is!so many things have been down,but it always happy!it need somethings to ba down
Andrea Cohen Mar 29th 2010 3:12AM
TWA once lost my dog that was in a huge kennel. When I got on the fist flight I asked the flight attendant and the pilot if my dog was on the plane. They gave me the thumbs up. When I got to St. Louis, they couldn't find her. Dogs have to put in a kennel that they can move and turn. her kennel was huge. How could they lose her? They told me she never made it to St Louis and theywould deliver her to me liek they do luggage. She is not luggage. As we were taxiing away, they finally found her and stopped the plane to allow her on. It was the best day of my life. I hate that they charge for luggage now. I try to fly Southwest and I try to fly direct to my destinations, but that seldom happens. I jsut pray my luggaage gets to where I am going. I try to take souvineers on with me, but I had a snowglobe and they said It could go under the plane, not on it with me. Then they wanted to charge me to put my luggage under the plane. I told them they were out of their mind besides I was coming international and luggage is free. With the add on fees of luggage, they need to take care of our luggage. Some things can be irreplaceable.
Henrik Mar 29th 2010 10:11AM
"decrease lost bag numbers by 23.8%" is not due to a better service, but probably due to the fact that less luggages is checked in because of the extra charges...
I like to travel as light as possible trying to have only a carry on
Unexpected Traveller Mar 29th 2010 12:55PM
hey - misleading figures here!
So passengers declined by 2.9% and lost bag numbers decreased by 23.8% - so what? How many bags were taken on trips in 2008 and 2009 - that's the real figure we want to see.
With so many more carriers charging for extra bags it's possible that the people who did fly in 2009 did so with a smaller number of bags. If that's the case, then maybe the lost bag numbers did not decrease after all!
Tut, tut Gadling - not like you to miss something like this ;-)
The Unexpected Traveller
Naesen Mar 30th 2010 3:45PM
"Bags that never arrive are often simply abandoned by their owners, or fall victim to theft at the airport. After six months, all unclaimed bags are donated, sold or destroyed."
What? So here's how it goes: I pay them to be responsible for my bag. I follow the procedures that they set down for me to recover my bag. After waiting an obnoxious amount of time, I see that people 10 or 11 flights after mine have successfully retrieved their bags. I leave the Airport (after filing the lost baggage reports, etc.) and it just "happens" to show up (for whatever reason). And this is to say the airline is not responsible for contacting you that they have located your bag and belongings and is holding it for you to pick up? I pay them to be responsible for my belongings in their possession, but not contacting the owners of the bags and instead letting them sit in storage for six months before donating them to charities (where the owners could never know if the airline has their bag or not) is not only horrible business practice and irresponsible, but also seems like they are going against the service agreement you agreed to when you checked your bag with them.
Paul Johnson Mar 29th 2010 2:32PM
It simply won't be competitive until the airlines can reach Amtrak's 99.999% baggage handling success rate. I'm a little surprised Amtrak doesn't tout this more.