This is the reason your luggage keeps getting lost by airlines

A NEW report has revealed how likely you are to have your bags lost in transit — and why so many bags are lost or delayed.

AIRLINE passengers have less than a one per cent chance of having their luggage lost in transit, a new study has shown.

The report on the baggage management of the world’s airlines found that just six out of every 1000 bags handled were lost in 2016 as a direct result of mishandling, The Sun reports.

Air transport communications specialists SITA said last year’s lost luggage rate was the best ever recorded, down 12.25 per cent from 2015.

While it may have seen a significant decline, mishandled bags still cost the air travel industry a whopping $2.84 billion last year alone.

The report also highlighted the main reasons travellers find their bag has been delayed.

The majority of these instances are down to luggage being incorrectly transferred from one aircraft to the correct connecting flight, which accounted for 47 per cent of cases.

Around six out of every 1000 bags were lost as a result of mishandling in 2016.

Just over 15 per cent of delays came down to an error in ticketing or security checks, while 16 per cent were due to bags not being loaded onto the passenger’s flight.

Passengers travelling in Europe were most at risk of being forced to holiday without their luggage, with eight in every 1000 bags giving their owners the slip.

There was a slight increase on the average number of lost bags on European flights compared to the previous year, but overall time, the number of incidents is significantly declining.

The report stated: “In Europe, data reveals that the mishandling rate in 2016 was higher than the global average, at 8.06 mishandled bags per thousand passengers.

“Baggage performance in Europe has declined in 2015, when the mishandling rate was 7.82 bags per thousand passengers, [and] the longer-term trend is one of robust improvement.

“Europe has achieved a 51 per cent reduction in its mishandling rate since 2007, when it stood at 16.60 bags per thousand passengers.”

In comparison, just three in every 1000 bags went missing in the USA, while the number was as low as two in 1000 in the Asia-Pacific region.

REASONS FOR DELAYED BAGS IN 2016

• Transfer mishandling — 47 per cent

• Failure to load — 16 per cent

• Ticketing error/Bag switch/Security — 15 per cent

• Weather/Space-weight restriction/Customs — 10 per cent

• Loading error — 4 per cent

• Arrival mishandling — 4 per cent

• Tagging error — 4 per cent

This article originally appeared in The Sun and was reproduced with permission.