Some Interesting Lost Luggage Facts

Although the rate of mishandled bags per 1,000 passengers in 2016 fell to 5.73 (6.53 in 2015), in Europe the rate of mishandled bags increased from 7.8 in 2015 to 8.06 per 1,000 passengers.

With 3.72 bn enplaned passengers, 21.6 million bags were mishandled – equivalent to 40 bags per minute!

82% of passengers surveyed in 2016 checked in at least one bag for their last flight.

In 2017, industry baggage systems are expected to handle over 4.5bn bags.

47% of mishandled bags occurred during transfers.

The cost to the industry for mishandled bags in 2016 was $2.1bn.
and Baggage mishandling cost the industry $27bn 2007 – 2016.

Source: SITA
Notes:
1. The facts above refer to baggage/luggage checked in on a commercial airline.
2. Mishandled bags include delayed, damaged or lost bags.

Q. What happens to unclaimed lost luggage? A. It goes to auction!

 
In America, nearly every airport has its own auction house! The Unclaimed Baggage Centre in Alabama receives 800,000 visitors per year and is, incredibly, the state’s biggest tourist attraction.

In the UK, Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton, Stansted, Manchester and Glasgow Airports all use Auction Houses to sell unclaimed lost luggage.

In Australia, Sydney Airport holds an annual charity lost property auction when thousands of items go under the hammer – ln 2015 their auction raised more than $234,000 for charity.

In Germany, Frankfurt airport auctions off lost luggage after 3 months.

Amsterdam Netherlands Schiphol Airport – The auction-house “De Eland” in Diemen has hosted past lost baggage auctions. Every three months or so, all the lost and unclaimed baggage that Schiphol has collected gets sent to this one auction-house.