According to the newly released SITA 2025 Baggage IT Insights report, Europe reduced its mishandling rate to 12.3 bags per 1,000 passengers in 2024, marking a 26% improvement compared with 2007 and an impressive recovery from 15.7 in 2022.
The SITA 2025 Baggage IT Insights report reflects the views and data of 280 airlines and IATA passenger traffic data. SITA applies a weighting system, based on IATA passenger traffic statistics, to its WorldTracer data to calculate the baggage mishandling rates.
Global picture
Despite an 8.2% increase in worldwide traffic in 2024, the overall mishandling rate dropped to 6.3 bags per 1,000 passengers, down from 6.9 the previous year and 67% lower than in 2007. The total number of mishandled bags decreased to 33.4 million, compared with 33.8 million the previous year.
Of the 33.4 million mishandled bags, over 66% (22 million) were reportedly resolved and closed in SITA WorldTracer within 48 hours. Specifically, out of the 22 million, 25% were resolved within 12 hours, 38% within 24 hours, and another 38% within 48 hours. However, while these results show clear improvement, baggage mishandling still cost the industry an estimated US$5bn in 2024.
“In air transport, transformation isn’t a phase, it’s the norm. The industry is constantly evolving, driven by technology, passenger expectations and global change,” said David Lavorel, CEO of SITA. “We’ve seen a radical shift with automation and the widespread use of real-time tracking. Passengers now expect their baggage experience to be as easy and transparent as using a rideshare or delivery app. It’s no longer just about moving bags, it’s about delivering a smooth, connected journey. Airlines are ready to tap into technology that improves the passenger experience while keeping costs down and being simple to roll out. Together with our partners, we’re reimagining baggage handling to give passengers full visibility and control from departure to arrival, giving them peace of mind and making travel simpler and better.”
In 2024, 42% of passengers had access to real-time baggage updates, up from 38% the year before. According to the research, nearly half of travelers said mobile tracking would boost their confidence in checking in a bag, and 38% value the addition of digital ID tags. As a result, 66% of airlines offer automated bag drop, and another 16% plan to do so by 2027. On the airport side, 65% plan to roll out biometric self-service bag drop by the same year.
Where most bags go missing
The report found that delayed bags remain the most common issue, accounting for 74% of mishandled baggage, down from 80% in the previous year. Lost or stolen bags made up 8%, while damaged or pilfered bags increased to 18%, up from 15% in 2023.
Transfer mishandling was recorded as the biggest contributor at 41%, showing improvement from 46% the previous year.
“We’re making progress but baggage still causes stress,” said Nicole Hogg, director of baggage at SITA. “Passengers want reassurance. The future of baggage is rapidly evolving with automation, computer vision, and mobile tools; we’re making the experience much more reliable.”
New standards to reduce mishandling
In 2025, the air transportation industry approved the new Modern Baggage Messaging (MBM) standard. Designed to enhance data quality, MBM Version 2 is expected to reduce mishandling by another 5%.
These improvements build on IATA Resolution 753, which mandates baggage tracking at four key stages. The focus now is on using shared data to predict and prevent issues, not just report them.
For more of the top insights into the future of returns, read the exclusive feature, How consistent baggage tracking can support off-airport baggage processing, by Monika Mejstrikova, director of ground operations at IATA