SITA released its SITA Baggage IT Insights 2025 report today, 12th June, detailing progressive improvement in the global baggage handling sector.
The SITA Baggage IT Insights 2025 report reflects the views and data of 280 airlines and IATA passenger traffic.
SITA applies a weighting system, based on IATA passenger traffic statistics, to its WorldTracer data to calculate the baggage mishandling rates.
Improvements in Europe and elsewhere
Per the report, Europe’s air transport industry handled record passenger volumes in 2024, with airports and airlines managing soaring baggage loads with increasing precision.
Interestingly, Europe’s baggage mishandling rate dropped to 12.3 bags per 1,000 passengers in the past year, marking a 26 percent improvement compared to 2007 and an impressive recovery from 15.7 in 2022.
Globally, despite the 8.2 percent increase in worldwide traffic in 2024, the overall mishandling rate dropped to 6.3 bags per 1,000 passengers, down from 6.9 the previous year and 67 percent lower than in 2007.
The total number of mishandled bags decreased to 33.4 million, compared to 33.8 million the previous year.
Of the 33.4 million mishandled bags, over 66 percent or 22 million cases in all were resolved and closed in SITA WorldTracer within 48 hours, underscoring the industry’s ability to quickly reunite passengers with their luggage.
Specifically, out of the 22 million, 25 percent were resolved within 12 hours, 38 percent within 24 hours, and another 38 percent within 48 hours.
Mishandling remains an issue
But while these results show clear improvement, baggage mishandling still cost the industry an estimated US$5 billion in 2024 and passengers are increasingly expecting more from the industry.
The costs, from courier returns and customer service to claims handling and lost productivity, highlight the urgency of continued investment in real-time, automated, and data-driven baggage systems.
SITA chief executive David Lavorel opined: “In air transport, transformation isn’t a phase, it’s the norm. The industry is constantly evolving, driven by technology, passenger expectations, and global change. We’ve seen a radical shift with automation and the widespread use of real-time tracking. Passengers now expect their baggage experience to be as easy and transparent as using a rideshare or delivery app. It’s no longer just about moving bags, it’s about delivering a smooth, connected journey.”
Lavorel further pointed out that many airlines are ready to tap into technology that improves the passenger experience while keeping costs down and being simple to roll out.
He concluded by saying: “Together with our partners, we’re reimagining baggage handling to give passengers full visibility and control from departure to arrival, giving them peace of mind Time for long-term solutions rather than band-aids
Given how airports and airlines are now handling greater baggage volumes with more precision, it is clear that real-time tracking, AI-powered analytics, and self-service solutions are becoming standard on a global scale.
This shows the real impact of investing in smart, data-driven baggage systems.
In 2024, 42 percent of passengers had access to real-time baggage updates, up from 38 percent the year before.
Nearly half of travelers say mobile tracking would boost their confidence in checking in a bag, and 38 percent value the addition of digital ID tags.
Airlines have responded by prioritizing visibility across the baggage journey.
Currently, 66 percent offer automated bag drop, and another 16 percent plan to by 2027.
On the airport side, 65 percent plan to roll out biometric self-service bag drop by the same year.
Incidentally, one of the standout innovations in 2024 was the integration of Apple’s Share Item Location feature with SITA WorldTracer.
Passengers can share the location of their Apple AirTag with airlines, allowing quicker baggage recovery. British Airways, Lufthansa, Qantas, Cathay, and Virgin Atlantic are among the adopters.
This integration also powers WorldTracer’s Auto Reflight, which automatically reflights bags on the original bag tag, identifies the cause of mishandling, and begins resolution with no human intervention required.
It should also be noted that airports like Red Sea International in Saudi Arabia are already implementing next-generation baggage solutions, including off-airport check-in and real-time tracking, powered by SITA Bag Journey.
Where most bags go missing and how the industry is responding
Delayed bags remain the most common issue, accounting for 74 percent of mishandled baggage, down from 80 percent in the previous year.
Lost or stolen bags made up eight percent, while damaged or pilfered bags increased to 18 percent, up from 15 percent in 2023.
Transfer mishandling was the biggest contributor at 41 percent, showing improvement from 46 percent the previous year.
Tagging or ticketing errors, security issues, and similar factors rose slightly by three percentage points to 17 percent, while loading failures remained steady at 16 percent.
Meanwhile, operational issues such as customs delays, weather, or capacity constraints increased to ten percent, up from eight percent previously.
SITA’s director of baggage Nicole Hogg remarked: “We’re making progress, but baggage still causes stress. Passengers want reassurance. The future of baggage is rapidly evolving with automation, computer vision, and mobile tools, we’re making the experience much more reliable.”
New regulations to help reduce mishandling
Earlier this year, the air transport industry approved the new Modern Baggage Messaging (MBM) standard.
Designed to enhance data quality, MBM Version 2 is expected to reduce mishandling by another five percent.
These improvements build on IATA Resolution 753, which mandates baggage tracking at four key stages.
The focus now is on using shared data to predict and prevent issues, not just report them.
