Over 680k bags were mishandled by the top 10 US airlines in the first quarter of 2022
People constantly complain on the social networks of numerous airlines that their luggage was misplaced or that it went to an entirely other location. LuggageHero regularly updates its report highlighting lost and mishandled luggage by leading US airlines. Below is a quick overview from the first quarter of 2022, which reflects the significant rise in post-pandemic travel and the resulting increase in problems with baggage.
Quick overview:
- There were 684,112 mishandled and lost bags in Q1 2022.
- 105 million bags were checked in 0.65% of them were mishandled.
- The year 2021 was relatively less damaging for travelers due to pandemic.
- The most trustworthy airline for handling your bags is Allegiant Air, while the least is American Airlines, according to data.
From January to March 2022 there were 684,112 mishandled bags by the top 10 US airlines. More than 105 million bags were checked in and 0.65% of them were mishandled.
It’s important to note that this isn’t lost luggage: it’s considered lost if it hasn’t been found in three weeks, but 99.98% of luggage is recovered within that time frame, so it’s not lost, but delayed.
In the first quarters of 2020 and 2021, the US Bureau of Transportation calculated the mishandled baggage numbers. The year 2021 was less damaging for travelers, with 241,908 bags mishandled.
Allegiant Air has the best luggage-handling record
Three years in a row, Allegiant air has been named the leading airline for luggage safety, with only 0.17% of enplaned bags being mishandled. Allegiant Air, Southwest Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines round out the top three airlines for safe luggage handling.
American Airlines has the worst luggage-handling record
American and Alaska Airlines ranked as the worst airlines in terms of hand baggage handling. In 2022 Alaska airlines performed worse than in 2021 which made the airline take a lower position than in 2021. Between January and March, American and Alaska Airlines have mishandled more than 250k bags total.
The bigger sample size
It is worth noting that the sample size used in the first quarter of 2022 is significantly bigger than in the first quarter of 2021. Nonetheless, bags were and continue to be mishandled in 2021 and 2022, and there are airlines that perform better than others.
About LuggageHero
LuggageHero is a network of convenient, safe and affordable luggage storage locations in local shops, cafés, and hotels. We charge from $1 per hour and have more than 760 drop-off points in 70 cities in Europe and North America, including New York City, London, Barcelona, Lisbon, Rome, Montreal, and Copenhagen . In case you were wondering, we have a significantly better track record than airplanes. In spring 2022 we reached 3,5M hours of stored luggage and since starting in 2016, we have not had a single claim for damaged or lost luggage.
About our methodology
LuggageHero analyzed airlines by luggage performance based on U.S. Department of Transportation figures about Mishandled Baggage in Air Travel Consumer Reports from January to March 2022 Air Travel Consumer Report, a monthly product of the Office of Aviation Enforcement and Proceedings, Aviation Consumer Protection Division. From there, we generated pivot tables, compared airlines in regards to mishandled onboarded carries included luggage and compared months in regards to average mishandled luggage per 100 passengers. DOT baggage reports come from passenger reports of mishandled baggage, which includes lost, delayed, damaged, or pilfered luggage.
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