Delays, damage, losses: The sometimes chaotic resumption of air travel after Covid-19 caused a jump in the rate of incidents involving checked baggage at airports in 2022, according to a study published on Tuesday.
These incidents last year affected 7.6 bags per 1,000 passengers, compared to 4.35 the previous year, when world air traffic began to resume after losing two thirds of its travelers in 2020 as a result of the health crisis. according to Sita, a computer services company. industry provider.
In absolute terms, no less than 26 million pieces of luggage worldwide suffered incidents last year, compared to 9.9 in 2021, a growth greater than the number of passengers.
These amounted to 3.4 billion last year, up from 2.3 billion in 2021. In 2019, before the pandemic, a record 4.5 billion air trips were made, and the rate of incidents per 1,000 was then 5.6 suitcases, two points less than in 2022.
26 million bags suffered incidents last year, compared to 9.9 in 2021
This deterioration occurs after years of constant improvement, in a context of technological growth, according to Sita, which extrapolates these statistics from data from its own management tool deployed in 2,400 airports: in 2007, the incidence rate stood at almost 19 per 1,000.
To the sources of this situation, explains to AFP Nicole Hogg, director of Sita’s “baggage management” branch: “the sector has experienced a faster recovery than expected after the pandemic”, with “staff shortages, inexperienced employees” and saturated airports. .
Several major European airports such as Amsterdam-Schiphol, Frankfurt and Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle experienced incidents during the summer of 2022. The Parisian platform had “lost” 35,000 pieces of luggage after a strike.
“We are doing everything possible to ensure that this very worrying incident from last year does not happen again, of course,” CDG Groupe ADP CEO Augustin de Romanet said on Franceinfo on Tuesday.
The situation in the Old Continent deteriorated a lot last year: the incident rate tripled to 15.7 per 1,000 according to Nicole Hogg. In North America it was 6.35, and in Asia 3.
Baggage incidents occur more during international travel, 19.3 per 1,000 compared to just 2.4 during domestic travel.
Passengers deprived of luggage on arrival and who have incurred basic needs (clothing, hygiene products) can request reimbursement from their airline.
If the baggage has not been found within 21 days, its owner can be compensated up to around 1,600 euros, with supporting documents, under the terms of the Montreal Convention that govern certain aspects of air travel.
Source: BFM TV
