The rate of mishandled baggage across the air transport industry has fallen according to a new report.
Data from SITA, which provides technology solutions for aviation, shows the number of bags mishandled per 1,000 passengers dropping from 7.6 to 6.9 in 2023.
This occurred despite passenger numbers growing above pre-pandemic levels for the first time in five years to reach 5.2 billion. The long-term trend points to a positive impact from technology investments over time.
Air travel baggage handling sees improvement
The mishandling rate has fallen steeply from 16.6 in 2007 to 10.6 currently in Europe, showing the biggest long-term drop globally. Asia Pacific maintained a steady low rate of 3.1 to 3 per 1,000 passengers.
“The improved mishandled baggage rate in 2023 is great news for passengers and for aviation. It’s especially impressive as global passenger traffic grew strongly in 2023 and is set to double by 2040. We clearly see from the SITA Baggage IT Insights results that baggage automation is the way forward, with more collaboration, more communication with passengers, and investments in new technologies such as AI and computer vision to make the journey smoother,” SITA CEO David Lavorel said.
Baggage automation through collaboration and data sharing is key going forward. The findings back calls for full bag tracking across the journey as outlined in IATA Resolution 753.
While baggage data sharing between airlines and airports is making headway, room for improvement remains.
SITA’s research highlighted growing passenger demand for digital solutions and communication when travelling.
In North America, the rate has modestly dropped from 7.1 to 5.8 over the period. US airlines alone reported a 9 percent reduction last year through improved workers and technologies.
Challenges persist in managing seasonal surges but digital advancement offers opportunities if the industry push continues, the report outlined.
Better bag visibility aims to alleviate passenger anxiety over cancellations and delays.
The SITA Baggage IT Insights report also found that Europe had the largest long-term decline in baggage mishandling rates among all regions globally.
The rate dropped significantly from 16.6 mishandled bags per 1,000 passengers in 2007 to 10.6 bags per 1,000 in 2023.
The report also examined baggage handling trends in Asia Pacific. The mishandling rate has remained steady in Asia Pacific at around 3.1 bags per 1,000 passengers in 2007 and declining only slightly to 3.0 bags per 1,000 passengers in 2023.
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