A 23 per cent drop in baggage mishandling

New Delhi: In what could bring a sense of relief to many air passengers, for the first time in four years, airlines have reported a 23 per cent drop in baggage mishandling in 2008. The significant drop has resulted in an annual savings of $ 800 million for airlines globally.
The number of checked bags delayed, damaged, sent to wrong place or pilfered fell from 1,16,164 bags per day in 2007 to around 89,617 bags per day in 2008, according to a Baggage Report 2009 by SITA, global provider of airline computer applications. For a single baggage item mishandled, airlines stand to lose $83 in form of damages. In 2007, airlines lost $ 3.7 million on account of 42.4 million mishandled baggage items, which fell to $ 2.9 billion losses in 2008 as 32.8 million cases were mishandled.
Air travellers assign top priority to baggage, SITA said. Over 60 per cent of passengers surveyed globally associated a pleasant trip with having their “check-in baggage arrive promptly and safely”; a score second only to flights being on time – and well ahead of short queues, friendly ground staff or well-equipped modern terminals, it added.
The reasons cited for fall in mishandled baggage are fewer checked-in baggage per passenger and improvement in baggage handling processes. The checked-in baggage has seen reduction due to the policy of charging for checked bags that has gathered pace since 2006. Many airlines require passengers to pay for more than one item. Low-cost carriers like Europe’s largest Ryanair Holdings Plc, impose fees for all stowed cases, buoying revenue even as the recession hurts ticket sales.
27/03/09 Indian Express

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Categories: Airports Mar 2009