Lost luggage can leave a traveller feeling worried sick about their belongings as they scramble pieces together to try and sort out a solution.
Despite advancements in airline technology and procedures, baggage mishandling continues to be a frustrating reality for many passengers.
And while some airlines seem to manage baggage more efficiently, others have repeatedly found themselves at the centre of complaints.
A new study, by OddsMonkey, dug deeper into this issue to reveal which airlines are most likely to send your bag on a different journey.
By analysing over 700,000 Tripadvisor reviews and studying estimations from the Luggage Losers database, which tracks live sources from over 18,000 airports and airlines, the research paints a comprehensive picture of baggage mishandling across 25 different airlines.
The findings highlight a significant variation in performance, with some airlines seeing an overwhelming number of complaints, while others seem to have perfected their baggage-handling systems.
At the top of the list is Aer Lingus, with 3.14 percent of its 14,003 reviews mentioning lost luggage. This means that, for every 100 reviews, more than three passengers reported issues with their bags not arriving at their destination.
Kenya Airways also fared poorly, with 3.03 percent of reviews citing lost luggage, followed closely by Air Canada, whose 31,620 reviews showed 2.58 percent mentioning baggage issues.
Royal Air Maroc and Ethiopian Airlines also made the top five for mishandling luggage, with 2.31 percent and 2.21 percent of reviews, respectively.
However, the study didn’t just focus on the worst performers. On the other end of the spectrum, low-cost carriers like Jet2, Ryanair, and Wizz Air all performed exceptionally well, with 0.28 percent, 0.32 percent, and 0.50 percent of their reviews mentioning lost luggage.
Jet2 even claimed the title of the airline with the lowest percentage of baggage complaints, an impressive feat for a budget airline.
Interestingly, British Airways, despite its status as one of the world’s largest carriers, still recorded 1.21 percent mentions of lost luggage from 61,227 reviews.
While this figure is relatively low compared to some of the other airlines on the list, it still points to an issue that the airline, and its customers, must address. However, the study also considered the volume of flights these airlines operate, which naturally increases the number of opportunities for mishandling to occur.
Looking at the data from a different angle, the study also delved into the estimated probability of losing luggage based on Luggage Losers’ database. Here, the results were just as revealing.
Frontier Airlines topped the list with the highest probability of one in 22 passengers experiencing lost luggage, followed by Air India and IndiGo. British Airways and Iberia were also notable, with a one-in-47 and one-in-56 probability, respectively. These airlines have a higher likelihood of mishandling luggage, despite their size and reach within the industry.
But it’s not all bad news for passengers. On the other hand, airlines like Jet2, Ryanair, easyJet, and Wizz Air were not only the best performers on Tripadvisor but also had the most favourable baggage handling probabilities, with Wizz Air offering a one in 131 chance of losing luggage, and Jet2 even better at one in 674.
In an attempt to tackle these concerns, British Airways is trialling a new system developed by Microsoft that allows cabin crew to receive mid-flight alerts if a passenger’s luggage isn’t onboard. With over 10,000 passengers testing this new system, it could help proactively address luggage issues, allowing travellers to know about potential mishandling before they land.
The five worst airlines for losing luggage based on probability:
- Frontier Airlines
- Air India
- IndiGo
- British Airways
- Iberia
The five best airlines for not losing luggage based on probability:
- Jet2
- Ryanair
- easyJet
- Air France
- Wizz Air