Baggage mishandling down nearly 60%, says IATA report

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released a global progress report on the implementation of baggage tracking.

Some 155 airlines and 94 airports were surveyed about IATA Resolution 753, which requires baggage be tracked at acceptance, loading, transfer and arrival.

The report of the results showed that 44 per cent of airlines have fully implemented the resolution and another 41 per cent are in progress.

Regional variation in airline full-adoption rates vary from 88 per cent in China and North Asia, to 60 per cent in the Americas, 40 per cent in Europe and Asia-Pacific, and 27 per cent in Africa.

Of the airports surveyed, 75 per cent have the capability to track baggage as Resolution 753 requires.

Airport preparedness for the resolution varies by size: 75 per cent of mega airports are able to take on the resolution, while 85 per cent of major airports, 82 per cent of large airports and 61 per cent of medium airports are capable.

Optical barcode scanning is the dominant tracking technology implemented by the majority of airports surveyed at 73 per cent.

Tracking using RFID, which is more efficient, is implemented in 27 per cent of surveyed airports.

The technology has seen higher adoption rates at mega airports, with 54. Per cent already implementing this advanced tracking system.

"Between 2007 and 2022 baggage mishandling reduced by nearly 60 per cent,” said Monika Mejstrikova, IATA director of ground operations. “That is good news. But travellers expect better; and the industry is determined to make further improvements. Tracking bags at acceptance, loading, transfer and delivery will give the industry the data it needs to improve. Tracking reduces overall mishandlings and helps airlines reunite mishandled bags with their owners even faster. With 44 per cent of airlines already fully implementing Resolution 753 tracking and a further 41 per cent in progress, travellers can have even more confidence that their bags will be at the carousel on arrival.”

In 2022, the global rate of mishandled bags was 7.6 per 1,000 passengers, according to SITA.

The majority of these were returned within 48 hours.

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