Airlines have come under fire this week after a report from the UK
airline industry watchdog the AUC (Air Transport Users Council)
revealed that lost and misplaced luggage figures have soared dramatically
to reach a record high of 42 million in 2007. The report further criticized
the mixed response from airlines to reimburse passengers for expenses
relating lost or delayed baggage with airlines often reluctant to meet the
passengers’ claims in full.

The scale of the figures reported has prompted
an angry response from the European Commission compelling it to take
action and investigate, promising strong political intervention if the figures
are confirmed.

Despite the fact that many airlines have introduced improved luggage
handling processes, mishandled bag figures alone have increased by a
staggering 40% between 2005 and 2007 to reach an astonishing 42 million
bags across the globe in 2007*. These figures, and the not too distant
memories of the luggage fiasco at the launch of Heathrow’s Terminal 5,
coupled with the fact that passenger numbers are set to double in the next
decade, have left passengers feeling a little helpless in the fight to keep
their luggage secure.

However, it’s not just failures in airlines’ luggage handling processes that
increase your propensity to become a lost luggage statistic but your fellow
passengers also contribute, mistakenly grabbing the wrong bag in their
efforts to speed through to their destination. With many passengers
overwhelmed by the fast-paced nature of the arrivals hall (it’s no small
wonder, given that the T5 luggage handling system alone is capable of
handling 12,000 bags an hour) ensuring that your bag stands out from the
hundreds of other identikit models is imperative.

So, as a passenger, do you have a role to play in bringing these figures
down? The simple answer is yes. With 30 years experience in the travel
market, travel accessories expert Design Go has some simple tips that
will help to ensure that you are reunited with your luggage after every
flight:

The first and most important task is to clearly identify your luggage.
Whilst for many passengers’ luggage i.d. is a given, of the 42 million bags
that go missing, 1.2 million become irretrievably lost and this is primarily
because they have not been clearly identified and therefore, cannot be
reunited with their owner. There is a wide and varied selection of security and
identification devices available to suit a variety of different traveller types.
Be sure to select the most appropriate to your needs to ensure that you use
it on every journey.

As a minimum, your suitcase should feature a tag with all of your contact
details. Choose secure tags that don’t have all of your personal details on
show to passing members of the public but do allow security officials to
contact you in the event of your luggage getting misplaced.

Use tags that have a dual function of holding your contact details securely
but also are bright and vibrant so that you can instantly spot your bag as
it drops onto the carousel, distinguishing it from your fellow travellers’ bags.

With passenger figures set to double in the next decade, chances are that
the figures of mishandled luggage could rise to a staggering 70 million pieces
a year. The only way to minimise the impact on your travels is to take
action in advance, complying with that old adage ‘preparation is the best
form of defence’.