Losing luggage can make travelers feel anxious and sick as they rummage through their belongings and try to find a solution.
Despite advances in airline technology and procedures, mishandled baggage remains a frustrating reality for many passengers.
And while some airlines seem to be managing baggage more efficiently, others have repeatedly found themselves at the center of complaints.
A new study by OddsMonkey digs deeper into the issue, revealing which airlines are most likely to send your bags on a different journey.
The study analyzed more than 700,000 TripAdvisor reviews and considered estimates from the Lost Baggage Database, which tracks live information for more than 18,000 airports and airlines. revealed a comprehensive picture of baggage mishandling.
The findings highlight the wide variation in performance, with some airlines receiving an overwhelming number of complaints, while others have perfected their baggage handling systems.
Topping the list is Aer Lingus, with 3.14% of 14,003 reviews mentioning lost luggage. This means that for every 100 reviews, more than 3 passengers reported an issue with their luggage not arriving at their destination.
Kenya Airways also has a poor reputation, with 3.03 per cent of reviews mentioning lost baggage, closely followed by Air Canada, with 2.58 per cent of its 31,620 reviews mentioning baggage issues.
Royal Air Maroc and Ethiopian Airlines were also in the top five for baggage mishandling, with 2.31% and 2.21% of reviews respectively.
However, this study did not just focus on the worst-performing companies. Meanwhile, low-cost airlines like Jet2, Ryanair, and Wizz Air all do very well, with 0.28%, 0.32%, and 0.50% of reviews mentioning lost luggage.
Jet2 also earned the title of airline with the lowest rate of baggage complaints. This is an impressive feat for a low-cost airline.
Interestingly, despite being one of the world's largest airlines, British Airways recorded 1.21% mentions of lost baggage across 61,227 reviews.
Although this number is relatively low compared to other airlines on the list, it still illustrates the problems airlines and their customers have to deal with. However, this study also takes into account the volume of flights operated by these airlines, which naturally increases the opportunity for mishandling to occur.
Looking at the data from another angle, the study also takes a closer look at the estimated probability of losing luggage, based on a database of lost luggage people. Here, the results were equally clear.
Frontier Airlines topped the list with 1 in 22 passengers having the highest chance of experiencing baggage loss, followed by Air India and Indigo. British Airways and Iberia were also notable, with odds of 1 in 47 and 1 in 56 respectively. Despite their size and influence within the industry, these airlines are more likely to mishandle baggage.
But it's not all bad news for passengers. Meanwhile, airlines such as Jet2, Ryanair, easyJet and Wizz Air not only have the highest scores on TripAdvisor, they also have the highest probability of baggage handling, with Wizz Air having a 131-in-1 chance of losing luggage. 1, and even Jet2 is better at 1/674.
To address these concerns, British Airways is piloting a new system developed by Microsoft that allows flight attendants to receive alerts mid-flight if a passenger's luggage is missing on board. With over 10,000 passengers testing this new system, it helps proactively address baggage issues and lets travelers know about potential mishandling before they land.
Here are the five worst airlines to lose your luggage based on probability.
Frontier Airlines Air India Indigo British Airways Iberia
Here are the top 5 airlines that won't lose your luggage, based on probability:
Jet2RyanaireasyJet Air France Wizz Air
