What Happens to All The Missing Luggage?

You usually give little thought to your luggage when you check in at an airline desk. You just expect it to arrive on the same flight you do, when you get to your destination. Wrong! Lost, delayed, stolen or damaged luggage remains a very significant problem for travelers and airlines.

There were thirty three million pieces of luggage mishandled in 2008. This was however, an improvement on the disaster of 2005, when United States airlines lost, or mishandled 10,000 pieces of luggage a day on average – that is between 4% and 9% per 1000 passengers. The worst performance since 1990. The airlines blamed a surge in the number of passengers, budget cuts, backed-up flights and tighter inspections of luggage.

Bloomberg reported in March 2009, baggage mishandling at 14.28% items per 1,000. A decrease from 18.86% per 1,000 in 2007. Approximately 5.7% to 6.73% were never recovered.

Barry Maher, who gives speeches on customer service, was one such victim. He said Delta airline lost both his bags last April, on a trip from Ontario, Cal., to Roanoke, Va. Maher needed to rush out and buy a shirt, slacks and underwear, just so he could give his speech. His bags finally arrived at his hotel, in time for him to begin his journey home. Delta lost both bags again on the return journey. He says, "Delta's staff was uncaring".

Airline’s luggage handling systems has changed very little across the years. Airlines say they cannot afford to put in the RFID (radio frequency identification) tags that would cope with the two million pieces of passenger’s baggage per annum. There is no Information sharing between different airlines, even though luggage is transferred.

When London's Heathrow Terminal 5 opened, there was a backup of 20,000 bags. Some were sent to a sorting facility in Italy.

While lost baggage is something that is totally out of your control, there are several things you can do to keep the damage to a minimum:

• Don’t put your expensive, or hard to replace items in your luggage, without insurance
• Always remember that slip on identification tags can be easily pulled off, so go for something more permanent, such as more identification inside your bags

• Place prescriptions and travel documents in your hand luggage, particularly jewelry and cash
• Create a record of the items you place in each bag

• If your luggage fails to arrive, report it immediately. Get a phone number and name to telephone back if necessary

• Travel as lightly as possible – buy toiletries when you get there, use wash and wear clothes and mix and match outfits – many airlines now charge for the second piece of baggage

• Avoid those tight connections – it is just asking for bag problems
• Pack some emergency clothing in your hand  luggage

• Wherever possible go for carryon luggage only

• Demand cash from the airline for some basic supplies, such as toothbrush, toothpaste and razor.

Luna Laboo now bids for lost luggage, displays it online and attempts to reunite it with its owners. "I found an auction where the luggage was being sold off, unopened", says Ms Laboo.

Airlines usually allow three months for the lost bags to be claimed, then they are send it to an auction house, or it is given to charity. The question however needs to be asked, why can’t airlines do what Luna Laboo is doing? Photograph the case and put it online? Surely it would be cheaper than paying out for the lost bags?