February 29, 2024, New Delhi: In today’s fast-paced and over-connected world, air travelers expect airlines and ground handlers to provide a seamless experience from booking to arrival. Instead, air travel appears to be becoming as cumbersome as other modes of travel.

Recently, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), the regulator, had directed seven major Indian airlines to step up their manpower to streamline and improve baggage delivery at airports before February 26, 2024, or they could face additional regulatory action. The move comes after several complaints from unhappy passengers on social media and other platforms.

The annual “Baggage IT Insights” report by airport technology company SITA states that globally baggage systems and baggage teams handle more than 4.8 billion bags every year. In 2022, the global rate for mishandled baggage jumped to 7.6 bags per thousand passengers, up 75% from the much quieter 2021 flying year. These numbers are expected to double by 2036, according to IATA. This will create a strain on the existing systems and teams will need to find ways to work more efficiently and effectively.

According to IATA's 2023 World Passenger Survey, during air travel, baggage collection and bag drop-off are the two biggest sources of negative experiences within airlines' control. Yet daily hundreds of baggage suffer damages due to mishandling, or get delivered at a wrong destination or get lost or even stolen. Flight compensation firm Claim Compass in a report states that 5% of the 4.8 billion bags handled by airlines globally are irretrievably lost. This is a huge amount of bags that will never get to arrivals.

Following up the continuing fliers’ complaints about damaged, delayed and lost luggage, LocalCircles has conducted a national survey to find out what are the problems which remain unresolved or have become worse in the last two years post its 2022 survey on baggage handling. The study received over 41,000 responses from airline fliers located in 303 districts of India. 67% respondents were men while 33% respondents were women. 41% respondents were from tier 1 locations, 30% were from tier 2 locations while 29% were from tier 3, 4 and rural locations.

2 in 5 fliers have had an experience in the last 2 years where the airline(s) delayed their baggage or lost it

The survey first asked fliers, “How many times in the last 2 years (2022-24) have you had a situation where the airline you or your family traveled on had an issue with delivering your bag on a timely basis (instead had delayed baggage or lost baggage)?” The question had 13,859 responses with 56% stated “never, as we always got it on time”. As for the remaining, 24% stated they have faced the problem “once”; 14% stated “2 times” and 4% stated “3 times”; in addition 2% of respondents gave no clear reply. In effect, 2 in 5 fliers have had an experience in the last 2 years where the airline(s) delayed their baggage or lost it.

Percentage of fliers who have faced problems with their baggage has increased from 25% of those surveyed in 2022 to 42% in the last 24 months

In the last 2 years as the air traffic has increased in India, so have the incidents of baggage being delayed or lost has increased. The survey shows that from 75% of fliers surveyed in 2022 who stated they have always got their luggage on time, the percentage has dipped to 56%. Similarly, those who have faced this issue once in the last 2 years have increased from 14% in 2022, to 24% in 2024. Respondents who faced this problem 2 times in the last two years have risen from 11% in 2022 to 14% in 2024, while this year 4% of respondents have stated that they have faced the problem 3 times in the last 2 years. To sum up, the percentage of fliers who have faced problems with their luggage has increased from 25% of those surveyed in 2022 to 42% in the last 24 months.

1 in 2 fliers have had an experience in the last 2 years where the airline(s) damaged their checked in bag(s)

The careless way in which the luggage is put on the conveyor belt and handled in general by staff of some airlines or at some airports often causes damage to the checked-in luggage. The survey next. asked fliers, “How many in the last 2 years (2022-24) have you had a situation where the airline you or your family traveled on damaged your checked in bag(s)?” The query received 14,147 responses with 48% stating “never” in the last 2 years has their luggage been damaged. However, 24% of respondents stated that “once” in the last two years their luggage has been damaged; 14% of respondents stated “2 times”; 5% indicated “3 times”; 7% indicated “4 or more times” and 2% of respondents did not give a clear reply. To sum up, 1 in 2 fliers have had an experience in the last 2 years where the airline(s) damaged their checked in bag(s).

As against 65% of respondents who had not faced this problem in the 2 years prior to 2022 survey, there is a noticeable dip to 48% in 2024.

The percentage of fliers who had an airline damage their bags rose from 35% to 50% in the last 12 months. As against 65% of respondents who had not faced this problem in the previous 2 years as found in the 2022 survey, there is a noticeable dip to 48% in 2024. In the case of those who have had their luggage damaged 4 or more times, the percentage has increased from 5% to 7%; while those who have faced this situation at least once has jumped from 5% in 2022 to 24% in 2024.

1 in 4 fliers who had a delayed, lost or damaged baggage issue with airline(s) in the last 2 years rate the customer service and responsiveness of the airline as poor or worse

The normal procedure on finding a luggage damaged, delayed or missing is to inform the customer service at the airport. The survey asked “When you or your family member had a delayed, lost or damaged baggage issue with the airline(s) in the last 2 years, how would you rate their customer service and responsiveness?” Out of 13,710 fliers who responded to the query 10% rated the responsiveness of customer service as “excellent”; 27% rated it as “good” and 31% as “average”. Of the remaining, 12% rated the customer service as “poor”; 12% as “pathetic” and 8% did not give a clear response. In effect, 1 in 4 fliers who had a delayed, lost or damaged baggage issue with airline(s) in the last 2 years rate the customer service and responsiveness of the airline as poor or worse.

Airline customer service and responsiveness to baggage complaints improved in the last 2 years with only 24% rating it as poor or worse as opposed to 50% in 2022

While complaints have clearly increased in the last 2 years, the airlines seem to be handling them better than before with 69% of those who had a complaint rated its handling as average or better in 2024 as compared to only 50% rating the handling as average or better in 2022 survey.

In summary, the survey shows that 2 in 5 fliers surveyed have had an experience in the last 2 years where the airline(s) delayed their baggage or lost it. In fact, 1 in 2 fliers surveyed faced at least once the problem of damage to their checked in bag(s). The experience with customer service of the airline(s) and their responsiveness has been rated as poor or worse by 1 in 4 fliers surveyed, though in comparison with the survey done in 2022, the percentage of fliers who had bad experience with the airline(s) customer service has reduced from 50% to 24% currently. It is good that the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has taken note of the passengers' woes aired on social media and has been proactive. LocalCircles hopes the government will move forward and make the airlines more accountable and ensure fliers are not faced with undue harassment. Airports also have to be more responsive to customer care and handle baggage more efficiently.

LocalCircles will share the findings of this study with Ministry of Civil Aviation and Airports Authority of India such that actions can be taken to make baggage handling more efficient.

Survey Demographics

The study received over 41,000 responses from airline fliers located in 303 districts of India. 67% respondents were men while 33% respondents were women. 41% respondents were from tier 1 locations, 30% were from tier 2 locations while 29% were from tier 3, 4 and rural locations. The survey was conducted via LocalCircles platform and all participants were validated citizens who had to be registered with LocalCircles to participate in this survey.