The Growing Lost Luggage Problem

Author: Aaron Kirley


Have you ever wondered why airlines leave luggage behind, how
they lose bags, or what happens to your baggage on the conveyor
system? Unfortunately, every airport has points of failure in
their luggage conveyor system. These points of failure cause
luggage loss and delays. In 2005 the airline industry saw a
staggering 23% increase in lost luggage. That equates to nearly
10,000 lost bags each day!

When you relinquish your luggage to the airline agent at the
check-in counter, the luggage begins a complicated journey to
the belly of your plan. The conveyor system is owned and
operated by the airport. Airlines pay terminal fees to cover the
cost of baggage handling and the TSA regulates the baggage
handling process. Although the airlines are responsible for your
luggage, they have little control over the TSA's baggage
handling process and therein lies one major point of failure.

Every piece of luggage goes through a screening process
involving x-ray scanners, chemical sensing puffers, metal
detectors and other sensitive security equipment. If anything of
concern is found, the luggage is pulled off the conveyor system
and manually checked by a TSA agent. Manually checking bags
takes time and the airlines operate on a tight schedule.

You can think of the luggage tag as a FedEx tracking number that
the airline uses to monitor your bag throughout the baggage
handling hubs within the airport. The bags are moved using
complicated systems of conveyors and shoots. Many airports have
aging conveyor systems with mechanical problems. Bags get lodged
in shoots, straps get caught in pulleys, conveyor belts break,
luggage tags fall off and bags are incorrectly routed. Even a
small glitch in the system can delay hundreds of bags in minutes.

Airlines aren't totally off the hook either; they have those
FedEx-like tracking numbers which allow them to watch your
luggage move throughout the baggage handling system (unless the
tag falls off). Airlines are forced to decide between delaying a
flight and leaving luggage behind. Of course tight budgets and
backed-up flight schedules make the problem worse.

When you take a step back the answer is very clear, it just
doesn't make sense to delay 200 passengers for a few bags.
On-time flights are a key operating metric for airlines and
their employees are under pressure to maintain good on-time
flight statistics. As a result, of TSA regulations, aging
airport conveyor systems, and airline schedules; luggage
inevitably gets left behind.

About the author:
Aaron Kirley is a founder of href="http://www.luggageforward.com/">Luggage Forward and a
travel services
specialist that focuses on href="http://www.luggageforward.com/">excess baggage
solutions and luggage
shipping. Visit http://www.luggageforward.com for total
travel convenience.