Luggage: Baggage worker says ‘hundreds’ of bags go missing for this simple reason

TRAVELLING with checked luggage can bring about all sorts of problems, particularly if you reach your destination but your bag does not. An airline worker has revealed a simple reason he says “hundreds” of bags go missing each day.

while there are many reasons why this can handle, ranging from baggage handler mistakes to incorrect tagging, one anonymous airline worker has revealed a simple reason why he believes “hundreds of bags go missing” each year.

Posting to a Reddit forum dedicated to airport worker secrets, he explained: “I work for a company that delivers the luggage the airlines lose, so not really for airlines per se, but I can tell you these things: Airlines lose way more luggage than you realise. Seriously.

“Whenever there’s a delay, or a cancellation, or bad weather, whatever, we end up with hundreds (yes, hundreds) of bags that we need to deliver just for the area we cater to.

“Bags that are lost most often are duffel bags and awkwardly shaped or extremely heavy bags.

“If your bag doesn’t fit conveniently into the Tetris-style arrangement the airline employees have going on wherever they put the bags, you’re probably going to have to wait to get it.”

However, despite his comment, SITA insists that the amount of lost luggage is down compared with 10 years ago.

Its latest baggage mishandling report states: “Since 2007, passenger numbers have soared 76percent to reach 4.36 billion in 2018.

“Despite the increased strain this places on existing air transport infrastructure, baggage mishandling has been significantly reduced, thanks to investments in smart technology, automation and new processes.”

The report adds that total mishandled bags each year have plummeted

47 percent from 46.9 million in 2007 to 24.8 million in 2018.

SITA list the main reason for lost or delayed luggage as transfer mishandling.

Other reasons include ticketing errors; security errors; loading issues; arrival mishandling; airport, customer, weather or space-weight restrictions; and failure to load.

However, a baggage handler recently explained that there are some ways travellers can help airport staff ensure their bags always go in the right direction.

In a world where digital rules, the paper bag tags printed at check-in can seem dated, but they are vital in ensuring your bag heads to the right destination.

An adhesive label, known as the automated baggage tag (ABT), includes the destination of your luggage.

Mirroring the information included on the ABT is the stub, which is placed on the bag to help identify it if the luggage tag gets lost.