You’ve probably heard me say that there are two types of bags: carry-on and lost. And it’s getting worse over the holiday season.
Overall, according to a SITA study, 25.8 million bags were mishandled in 2011 with 85.6 percent being delayed, 11.9 percent damaged, and 2.5 percent lost or stolen. NerdWallet did a recent analysis of the Aviation Consumer Protection and Enforcement department’s 2008-2011 data on mishandled baggage. It’s bad news for holiday travelers: airlines are more likely to lose, damage, or temporarily delay your bags in December and January than they are during the rest of the year.
And who are the worst offenders? Regional airlines. Their overall mishandling rates were higher than those of the legacy airlines. American Eagle actually came out on the bottom of the pile, while AirTran was found to be most reliable.
So how do you protect yourself from mishandled baggage? Carry-on or ship your bags ahead of time. And make sure your bags are marked with the proper identification on the outside of the bag as well as on a sheet of paper inside the bag.
For more information, visit the Luggage & Packing section.
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