How Do Airlines Lose Your Luggage? Let’s Find Out!

Web: www.stevenfrischling.com — E-Mail: fish@flyingwithfish.com

13/08/2009 – How Do Airlines Lose Your Luggage? Let’s Find Out!

A few days ago I wrote about making it easier for an airline to locate your lost luggage in this post 4/08/09 – Airline Lost Your Luggage? Help Them Find It Faster & More Reliably!

Since writing this post on how to clearly label luggage to reduce the time it takes an airline to locate your lost bags I have been asked how airlines manage to actually lose baggage.   For those of you that asked, there is an actual statistical break down of how bags get lost that was produced recently by SITA (more formerly known as the Société Internationale de Télécommunications Aéronautiques)

The statistical break down of why bags are lost or delayed are as follows

49% – Baggage that fails to make a connection between flights

21% – Baggage that encountered a loading or off-loading error or failed to be loaded onto the aircraft

16% – Counter agent ticketing or tagging error and/or security issue prior to loading

8% – Arrival airport error in baggage distribution

6%- Baggage exceeded restrictions for weigh or airport guidelines, customs issues or foul weather delay

So next time your bag fails to arrive with you keep in mind that chances are the delay of your baggage was not some sort of personal statement on how an airline feels about your patronage…statistically your bag probably just missed its connection.

Remember…if you mark your bags so they are clearly identifiable you’ll help the airline find your bag and return it to your quicker.

Happy Flying!