Baggage Mishandling and How Technology Is Fixing It

Travel is back, and so are packed airports, busy flights, and unfortunately, baggage losses.

Whether your bag is delayed by a day or lost completely, baggage problems can quickly turn a dream trip into a stressful one. At Travel Sentry, we help make travel more secure by working with luggage brands, airports and airlines to ensure your bag is protected and traceable.

Lost Bags: Still a Problem

SITA BAGGAGE IT INSIGHTS state that In 2023, more than 36 million bags were mishandled around the world. That’s despite big improvements over the years.

• The baggage mishandling rate dropped by 9% compared to 2022.
• But international flights are still five times more likely to lose your bag than domestic ones.
• Most mishandled bags are just delayed, not lost, but that doesn’t make the experience easier.

As travel continues to grow, the challenge of handling luggage on time is getting bigger.

How It Affects Your Trip

If your checked bag doesn’t arrive when you do, the effects are immediate:

• You may miss planned activities, waiting for your bag to arrive.
• It can take 24 hours or more before your bag is found and delivered.
• You’ll likely spend extra money on clothes, toiletries or essentials.
• You’ll often have to file a claim and wait for updates from the airline.

Recently, at London’s Heathrow Airport, a system failure caused hundreds of bags to be left behind. Some flights left with no luggage loaded at all. Passengers waited in long lines at the baggage desk and were told to expect days-long delays.

View our previous article on what to do if your luggage is lost, delayed or damaged.

Why Bags Get Lost

Most baggage problems happen for a few simple reasons:

• Tagging mistakes or technical errors send bags to the wrong place.
• Bags don’t make tight flight connections.
• Ground crews don’t load them in time.

When baggage systems fail—like they did at Heathrow—bags pile up and delays get worse fast.

Technology Advances

The good news: airports and airlines are investing in better tools to track and manage baggage:

1. Better Bag Tracking

Airlines now track your bag at key points – from check-in to arrival – so they know where it is at all times.

2. Real-Time Updates

Some airlines send you alerts right to your phone if your bag is delayed, so you’re not left wondering.

3. Faster Fixes

New systems automatically reroute delayed bags, speeding up delivery without needing airport staff to step in.

4. More Self-Service

Most major airports now offer:

• Self-tagging kiosks
• Unassisted bag drop
• Mobile baggage updates

This makes for faster check-ins and more transparency around where your baggage is.

What This Means for You

Travelers today want more control. They want to know where their bag is and that it’s secure. At Travel Sentry, we help make that possible by supporting smart security features and global compatibility in travel products.

We don’t sell luggage, but we work with the people who make and move it. Our standards help keep your bag moving smoothly through every airport, every time.

Lost and delayed bags still happen, but technology will fix that over time. With better tracking, smarter systems and more transparency, airlines and airports are getting better at handling your luggage.

And we’re proud to support that progress so that you can focus on the trip, not the baggage claim.