Luggage loss in descent: Europe improves air traffic handling!

Luggage loss in descent: Europe improves air traffic handling!

Europa, EU - The European air traffic industry made considerable progress in dealing with luggage problems in 2024. According to Travel Vor9 , the error rate dropped to 12.3 luggage per 1,000 travelers, which corresponds to a decrease of 22 percent compared to 2022. This development comes against the background of a record passenger volume in Europe and shows that the industry is on the right track to improve luggage processing.

causes of the misconceptions

The most common cause of luggage pipes in 2024 were late luggage, which made 74 percent of cases, followed by reloading errors, which made up 41 percent of the misconceptions. Damaged or looted luggage made 18 percent of the incidents, while lost or stolen luggage made 8 percent. An increase in operational problems, such as customs and weather delays, caused an increase to 10 percent of the failures. Overall, the absolute number of misguided luggage rose slightly to 36.2 million, from 36.1 million in the previous year.

However, there is a positive development in the processing time of the misguided luggage. Over 61 percent of them were processed and returned within 48 hours. This efficiency is particularly important for passengers who are supported by real-time updates and automated systems. In 2024, 42 percent of travelers received real-time updates to their luggage, which corresponds to an increase of 4 percent compared to the previous year

investments in technologies

Progress in the industry is promoted primarily by investing in digital systems, such as real-time tracking and automated tracking. Sita, the provider of solutions to the aviation industry, estimates the economic damage due to luggage problems for 2024 at around $ five billion. The introduction of the new standard Modern Baggage Messaging (MBM) Version 2 should further improve the data quality and also reduce the error rate.

In accordance with IATA resolution 753, airlines are now obliged to pursue luggage at four key points: with check-in, overload, arrival and delivery. Such measures strengthen the trust of passengers in luggage management. In addition, 66 percent of the airlines are planning to implement automated BAG drop systems by 2027, while 65 percent of airports want to introduce biometric self-service BAG drop systems.

The continuous improvement in luggage processing shows that the aviation industry is determined to counteract the challenges of the past and to optimize the travel experience for passengers. The progress in luggage management is a positive step in this direction.