Aviation industry getting better at baggage handling

The aviation industry is getting better at baggage handling, reducing the amount of luggage mishandled or ‘lost’ on its journey in 2023, according to a new report out today.

Based on the findings of the new SITA Baggage IT Insights 2024 report, the number of bags mishandled by the industry falling from 7.6% to 6.9% 1,000 passengers in 2023.

This, it notes, despite passenger numbers rising above 2019 levels for the first time in five years, growing to 5.2 billion.

“The long-term trend underlines the positive impact of technology investments. A steep 63% drop in the mishandling rate from 2007 to 2023 happened as passenger traffic rose by 111%,” says SITA.

“But the industry still faces challenges, particularly managing surges in baggage volumes. Pushing ahead with the industry’s digitalisation agenda is vital, argues the survey, focusing on AI for data analysis and computer vision tech in automated baggage handling.”

That push, it insists, must include full automation, good communication, and full visibility of each bag’s journey.

Other SITA research reveals passenger anxiety about delays and cancellations (32% in 2023). It shows that two-thirds of airlines now offer unassisted bag drop, and 85% of airports offer self-service bag drop.

This is said to reflect industry demand for self-service tech for better passenger flows. At the same time, passengers want to use their mobile phones as they travel, including at bag collection.

According to the report, today, 32% of passengers rely on bag collection information sent straight to their mobile. Better communication and visibility for passengers will encourage more use of digital self-service and give passengers control over their journey, says SITA.

It also notes that collaboration is critical. While airlines and airports share baggage data, there’s still room for improvement. At baggage collection only 58% of airlines share data.

At the same time, 66% of airports share baggage delivery data with airlines. SITA’s Baggage IT Insights survey cites IATA’s call for full baggage tracking and real-time status data as part of its Resolution 753 initiative, with data sharing across the bag journey.

The survey also points to ACI’s call for self-service, real-time communication, and visibility for passengers to reduce stress and anxiety.

David Lavorel, SITA CEO, said: “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.

“From my own travel experiences, I can say this will be really welcome. Technologies like these are essential because they help us gather, integrate, and share data effectively.

“This means we can uncover important insights that make decision- making easier and more automated.”