Mishandled baggage declines despite growth in passenger traffic
The number of bags mishandled by the industry has fallen from 7.6 to 6.9 per 1,000 passengers in 2023, SITA’s Baggage IT Insights 2024 report highlights, citing technological investments as…
June 14, 2024
The number of bags mishandled by the industry has fallen from 7.6 to 6.9 per 1,000 passengers in 2023, SITA’s Baggage IT Insights 2024 report highlights, citing technological investments as contributing to the long-term positive trend. However, while the Asia Pacific region reported the best overall baggage handling performance, Europe experienced the biggest deterioration.
Although a “steep 63% drop” in the mishandling rate from 2007 to 2023 happened as passenger traffic rose by 111%, the industry’s subsequent return to pre-pandemic levels for the first time in five years has been aided by solutions such as AI and computer vision technology in automated baggage handling. As such, despite global passenger volumes having already risen to 5.2 billion, less and less bags are being mishandled.
However, the technology solution provider for the air transport industry urges that further digitalisation is vital, especially with global traffic projected to double by 2040. “Technologies like [AI and computer vision] are essential because they help us gather, integrate, and share data effectively,” commented SITA CEO David Lavorel. “This means we can uncover important insights that make decision-making easier and more automated”.
The Asia Pacific region’s “commendable and consistent” reduction of mishandling rates from 3.1% per 1,000 passengers in 2007 to 3.0% in 2023 is also attributable to investments in digitisation, says SITA, with a US reduction of 9% year on year also due to “more frontline workers and investments in baggage equipment and information technology”.
