Latest news with #WorldTracer
Zawya
2 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
Middle East & Africa peports strong mishandled bag numbers as global air travel hits records
SITA report shows the Middle East & Africa reported one of the lowest total number of mishandled bags globally in 2024, reflecting the positive impact of regional investments in smart airport infrastructure and modernizing baggage solutions GENEVA – The Middle East & Africa's air transport sector kept pace with global passenger surges in 2024, achieving remarkable baggage results despite increasing system demands. According to the newly released SITA Baggage IT Insights 2025, the region maintained one of the world's strongest performances, reporting 6.02 mishandled bags per 1,000 passengers, slightly up from 4.5 in 2023, but still among the best worldwide. The global picture also tells a story of progress. Despite an 8.2% 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% 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% (22 million) 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% were resolved within 12 hours, 38% within 24 hours, and another 38% within 48 hours. But while these results show clear improvement, baggage mishandling still cost the industry an estimated $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. '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.' said David Lavorel, CEO of SITA. '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. Airlines are ready to tap into technology that improves the passenger experience while keeping costs down and being simple to roll out. 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 and making travel simpler and better." Tech maturity, not experimentation Airports and airlines are now handling greater baggage volumes with more precision. Real-time tracking, AI-powered analytics, and self-service solutions are no longer experimental, they are becoming standard and they are clearly having an effect. This shows the real impact of investing in smart, data-driven baggage systems. In 2024, 42% of passengers had access to real-time baggage updates, up from 38% the year before. Nearly half of travelers say mobile tracking would boost their confidence in checking in a bag, and 38% value the addition of digital ID tags. Airlines have responded by prioritizing visibility across the baggage journey. Currently, 66% offer automated bag drop, and another 16% plan to by 2027. On the airport side, 65% plan to roll out biometric self-service bag drop by the same year. A partnership between tech and trust 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 WorldTracers Auto Reflight, which automatically reflights bags on the original bag tag, identifies the cause of mishandling, and begins resolution with no human intervention required. Where most bags go missing and how the industry is responding Delayed bags remain the most common issue, accounting for 74% of mishandled baggage, down from 80% in the previous year. Lost or stolen bags made up 8%, while damaged or pilfered bags increased to 18%, up from 15% in 2023. Transfer mishandling was the biggest contributor at 41%, showing improvement from 46% the previous year. Tagging or ticketing errors, security issues, and similar factors rose slightly to 17% (up 3 percentage points), while loading failures remained steady at 16%. Operational issues such as customs delays, weather, or capacity constraints increased to 10%, up from 8%. 'We're making progress, but baggage still causes stress,' said Nicole Hogg, Director of Baggage at SITA. '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 standards aim to cut mishandling further In 2025, 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 5%. 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. Baggage as a service, not a challenge 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. 'Every bag matters,' Hogg added. 'This isn't just about reducing errors. It's about creating trust in the journey and the technology is clearly making that possible.' 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. About SITA SITA is the air transport industry's IT provider, delivering solutions for airlines, airports, aircraft and governments. Its technology powers more seamless, safe, secure and sustainable air travel. With around 2,500 customers, SITA's solutions drive operational efficiencies at more than 1,000 airports while delivering the promise of the connected aircraft to customers of over 18,000 aircraft globally. SITA also provides technology solutions that help more than 70 governments strike the balance of secure borders and seamless travel. Its communications network connects every corner of the globe, and SITA bridges 45% of the air transport community's data exchange. In 2023, the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) approved SITA's near-term and long-term emission reduction targets. These science-based targets are pivotal in guiding the company's climate actions to curtail greenhouse gas emissions effectively. SITA is also developing solutions to help the aviation industry meet its carbon reduction objectives, including reduced fuel burn and greater operational efficiencies. In 2024, SITA acquired Materna IPS, leader in passenger handling, to create the world's most powerful passenger portfolio for airports and digital travel. SITA then acquired ASISTIM, to offer a fully-fledged airline flight Operations Control Center managed service. The company also launched SmartSea to give the maritime industry access to the same advanced technology that is transforming air travel. The launch comes as part of SITA's growth into cruise and rail, as well Urban Air Mobility, such as Vertiports. SITA is 100% owned by the industry and driven by its needs. It is one of the most internationally diverse companies, providing services in over 200 countries and territories.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
The surprising continent where you're most likely to lose your luggage revealed
Baggage delays cost the aviation industry billions each year, but ultimately, it's the customer that pays the price when their luggage goes missing. Lost luggage not only causes anxiety and distress in affected travellers, but it can disrupt travel plans, impact important occasions, cause financial hardship and result in the loss of sentimental items, to name but a few. As millions of holidaymakers take to the skies this summer, it's worth noting which parts of the world plane passengers are more likely to experience lost or mishandled luggage. According to aviation technology specialist Sita, 33.4 million bags were mishandled in 2024, down from 33.8 million the previous year. Though passenger numbers jumped by 8.2 per cent, the overall mishandling rate dropped to 6.3 bags per 1,000 passengers, a whopping 67 per cent lower than in 2007. Of the 33.4 million bags mishandled in 2024, 22 million were resolved and closed in SITA's WorldTracer service within 48 hours. Still, these advancements are only a drop in the water: lost luggage cost the industry approximately $5 billion (£4.2 billion) last year - and one surprising continent has emerged as the leading culprit for mishandling bags. Passengers are twice as likely to experience luggage issues in Europe than in other parts of the world, despite the region reducing its mishandling rate to 12.3 bags per 1,000 passengers, recovering from 15.7 in 2022. The study revealed a notable cause: Europe's air transport industry handled record passenger volumes in 2024, with airports and airlines managing soaring baggage loads. The Middle East and Africa, on the other hand, mishandled 6.02 bags per 1,000 passengers in 2024 - up from 4.5 in 2023 but still a top performer. Asia-Pacific maintained the lowest mishandling rate per passenger globally at 3.1 per 1,000 passengers. North America demonstrated an improved mishandling rate by 4.5 per cent year-on-year to 5.5 bags per 1,000 passengers. Lastly, South America has seen a reduced mishandling rate nearly 15 per cent year-on-year, from 6.43 bags in 2023 to 5.5 in 2024. In light of the findings, travel experts have offered up tips for keeping track of your luggage as you embark on your summer holiday. US-based content creator, Melanie, known as Melanie the Travel Girl on TikTok, advised putting trackers in cases, and said to try and avoid flight routes with layovers, as this can minimise the chance of your bag not arriving to your final destination. The influencer suggested a variety of brands including Apple Airtags, tile and LandAirSea GPS. She also advised that holidaymakers should take a photograph of their luggage before dropping it off with the airline, adding you should snap pics of both the 'contents of your luggage and the outside of the actual bag'. Carl Broadbent, a former baggage handler at Heathrow Airport in London, added that 'visibility is key' for finding your suitcase and warned that it is 'vital' that travellers double-check their luggage tag information is up to date. The founder of Travel Spock also reiterated that having something 'uniquely you' on your luggage can help identify your bag quickly. 'I'm not suggesting you buy a neon suitcase, although that could help!' he told MailOnline. 'What's more effective is tying a brightly coloured ribbon or scarf to your bag - something uniquely you. It's simple, but it helps your luggage stand out and less likely to be mistaken for someone else's.'
