Why do airlines still mislay 25 million bags a year?
Paxing All Over The World
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Why do airlines still mislay 25 million bags a year?
BBC webnews
The carriers like to say how much they have improved.
The carriers like to say how much they have improved.
The airlines say they are applying technology to the problem.
Never mind technology, how about following the airlines own SOP, telling the truth, and sometime answering a phone?
If they can't answer a phone, how can we expect them to apply technology? My worst in recent years was Virgin Aus. I just wanted them to get my bag from Sydney to Cairns. This was, of course, completely beyond them. I went to Cairns. My bag went to Hobart. They then ignored their own SOP, and ignored me, and were not completely truthful.
And they would not pay for basics like toothpaste and underwear.
Never mind technology, how about following the airlines own SOP, telling the truth, and sometime answering a phone?
If they can't answer a phone, how can we expect them to apply technology? My worst in recent years was Virgin Aus. I just wanted them to get my bag from Sydney to Cairns. This was, of course, completely beyond them. I went to Cairns. My bag went to Hobart. They then ignored their own SOP, and ignored me, and were not completely truthful.
And they would not pay for basics like toothpaste and underwear.
Having been on both sides of this story (as a dispatcher and a passenger), I fail to understand this, too. With the application of AAA, which has been in effect for more than 20 years, I think it is reasonable to believe that all the checked bags which are on board are supposed to be there and those which were unaccompanied are properly accounted for. Clearly SOPs are not being followed in many places.
Because they, or someone acting on their behalf, is careless...........!!
If it's not too 'Big Brother' I don't see why we don't have mandatory microchips in suitcases and linked to passangers passports. The technology is there already and surely would make it easier for all?
Paxing All Over The World
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I agree, which is why I posted the link as I thought they are protesting too much! My cynical view is that - as with most aspects of airlines and life - it's money. They don't want to spend money on the system or the people. I recall a debate about RFID tags built into the bag tag a few years ago and it was all about cost. Yet the cost of money and reputation in NOT fixing this?
Paxing All Over The World
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Without divulging incriminating evidence, Exup, why are you so surprised? Is it the overall system of barcodes, how the carriers hand off to the handling companies?
Delay in delivery at destination after missed baggage transfer - that’s another issue
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More to the point why do they fail to transfer at hubs even when within published connection times? Thinking of you KLM/AMS!
Don’t talk to me about MCTs! Air NZ generates city pairs close to physically possible connecting times, failing to acknowledge that their afternoon flights (especially regional turboprops) are consistently trailing knock-on delays and getting their passengers to leg it at speed between terminals, providing zero assistance and then shouting at you for being late at the gate...
(Bags tend to make it, though...)
(Bags tend to make it, though...)
I recently transited through Hong Kong but with only a 50 minute connection time - i was a bit concerned that my bag would not make it.. i checked with ground staff before boarding and the confirmed that it was onboard - phew. Aircraft then went tech so it was everybody off and onto another one so eventually departed 3 hours or so late.
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Baggage tags are somewhat variable in quality. In my experience
European ones seem to be quite strong and difficult to remove.
Australia/New Zealand on the cheap side and not sticky enough.
Best to make sure you have some secondary ID on your baggage.
European ones seem to be quite strong and difficult to remove.
Australia/New Zealand on the cheap side and not sticky enough.
Best to make sure you have some secondary ID on your baggage.
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One of the reasons is the bar code, outdated, technology. Tags are automatically read by 360º optical scanners in conveyor belts, which move flipper-like parts that direct them to the destination flights. Tags falling of, twisted/bent mean identification is inconclusive. After the bag is set aside, and an employee checks it manually, it is then redirected to the right destination. Sometimes this makes the bag to miss the flight, or lost.
Then there is theft...
Then there is theft...
Paxing All Over The World
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Interesting, thanks JLSF. Does it seem likely that the bags whose tags are poor and cause the bag to be set aside are more at risk of being opened/stolen?
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Cases where thieves rip the tag themselves to create the opportunity is not unheard of, but things may differ from place to place.
Of of the easiest way to smuggle stuff is to pack & steal in baggage handling....
Having said this: never put in the cargo hold any valuable items, electronics, documents or medicine.
There have been many R&D projects to add RFID tags to bags, which would push the automatic identification sucess rate to 99%. But that is simply impossible to make a reality, except in some specific airports. Tag cost is higher, printer and monitoring systems overhaul also, and RFID tags can obviously be rippped off anyway.
One interesting apprach was to embbed the RFID tags in the bags. That would be perfect if everyone bought brand new SAMSONITE Enable RFID and threw away current bags, and no cartons boxes, bags, etc were allowed anymore.
Better monitor what is going one in the cargo/bag terminals, I'd say.
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I flew out of Heathrow terminal 3 yesterday and saw a bag fall out of a container as the baggage train it was on turned sharply. The bag lay on the road for maybe 15 minutes as several people drove past. A worker did eventually pick it up and put it on the concrete barriers where again it was ignored by everyone. (Another 15 mins as i had to get to my gate at that point) i have no idea if it was collected and reuited with its owner. Through binos i could see PSA on the label so if you are the owner of a silver metallic case and it did not arrive, that is the reason why.
