The rate of mishandled bags was just 6.5 bags per thousand passengers - a 10.5% reduction from the previous year and less than half the rate recorded in 2003. This improvement is all the more impressive in light of the 85% increase in passenger numbers since 2003. The increasing passenger volumes has put greater pressure on the industry's infrastructure and resources, yet the number of bags getting lost in transit has decreased nonetheless.
IATA’s call for airlines to track all bags throughout their journey has contributed greatly to this notable improvement. IATA Resolution 753, to be implemented by airlines by June 2018, will mean that bags will be tracked at every point of the journey. Francesco Violante, SITA’s CEO, commented on the evolution of tracking technology, saying: “Over the next three years bag tracking will be in the spotlight as airlines ready themselves to implement IATA’s Resolution 753. This increase in visibility will provide more control and drive further improvements in bag handling.”
SITA’s report also picked up on the growth of self-service bag services, noting that around 40% of airlines and airports now provide facilities for travellers to print their own bag tags, with more than three quarters expected to follow suit by 2018. The report found that almost a third of passengers anticipate using bag-drop services – whether staffed or self-service – in 2016.
Violante concluded: “The baggage statistics for 2015 are very encouraging, however in total, mishandled bags still cost the industry US$2.3bn last year. While this is a 3.75% reduction from 2014 it is clear that this must remain an area of focus for the industry.
“Passenger experience is paramount and improving baggage handling will deliver improvements for passengers along with cost savings. The technology is available to support increased tracking and improved tracing and SITA is working across the air transport community to deliver efficiencies.”
