This is according to SITA's Intelligent Tracking: A Baggage Management Revolution paper, that was published today.
The paper notes that more than 4.5bn bags are handled by industry baggage systems each year but airlines and airports will have to cope with twice that number, as passenger numbers are set to double over the next 20 years. Already, through improvements to technology and processes, the air transport industry has halved its annual mishandling cost over the past decade from US$4.22bn to US$2.1bn. However, every mishandled bag is deemed to be one too many - and the industry continues to seek ways to reduce the number further.
Ilya Gutlin, President of SITA Air Travel Solutions, commented on the situation: “We at SITA believe that harnessing data and AI in a meaningful way will revolutionise how we manage the air transport industry in the next decade. SITA has a unique role to play in realising the potential of data, and baggage management is one area that will benefit. It is an area we are strongly focused on, collaborating across the industry to innovate.”
The industry’s immediate focus is now on implementing the International Air Transport Association’s Resolution 753, which officially rolls out in June this year.
