Now that most airlines want to charge to check any bag, who has the best service and has it service overall improved?

According to the TSA (Transportation Security Administration), the incidences of lost luggage are down in 2008. Five out of 1,000 travelers on domestic flights have complained about lost luggage in 2008, the TSA reports. That number is down from seven in 1,000 passengers who complained about lost luggage in 2007. Overall, carriers in the U.S. have identified reports of mishandled luggage at 3.86 per 1,000 customers as of September 2008. This is a definite improvement from September 2007 when the overall rate was 5.36 and the rate for August 2008 was at 4.98. The statistics for September 2008, compiled by the Department of Transportation (DOT) and released in November 2008, indicates AirTran Airways came in at being the best in handling passengers' luggage, while Comair came in worst.

Airline Rankings for Mishandled Baggage

Comair, a Delta subsidiary, ranked last in performance in the September 2008 list, with a rating of 9.37 instances of mishandled luggage per 1,000 passengers as of September 2008. ASA (Atlantic Southeast Airlines), a carrier for Delta Connection, was next to last in ranking at No. 18, while Delta came in at No. 13 out of 19. Spirit Airlines was ranked sixth worst in complaints filed against it, which included baggage handling along with other services, but was not included in the DOT's September 2008 listing.

AirTran Airways came in first place at handling baggage properly at an incidence ranking of 1.94 reports per 1,000 passengers. Northwest Airlines came in second, while Hawaiian Airlines came in third. Continental Airlines was in fourth place, and Frontier Airlines rounded out the top five. US Airways ranked sixth on the list with 3.09 reports per 1,000 passengers, and JetBlue Airways was listed at seventh place. American Airlines was ranked at No. 8, Alaska Airlines was ranked as No. 9, and Southwest Airlines rounded out the top 10 airlines with complaints of mishandled baggage.

Pinnacle Airlines ranked 11th; United Airlines was No. 12; Delta Airlines came in at No. 13; ExpressJet Airlines was 14th; and No. 15 was SkyWest Airlines. Mesa Airlines came in at No. 16; and, as previously noted, American Eagle was No. 17; ASA was No. 18; and Comair came in last.

Better Service or a Decline in Baggage?

The number of complaints is down, but is that because customers aren't checking as many pieces of luggage due to the fees or is it that service has actually gotten better? Has service improved? Take the case of the Cheetah who was found recently roaming around the inside of a Delta cargo area on an aircraft. Did someone search the Cheetah and forget to latch the cage door back? Statistics indicate that a reduction in the amount of baggage checked, relative to the added fees, have substantial input on the lower rates of baggage handling miscues.

New Shipping Options

Shipping options also seem to be taking a new direction. United has recently begun offering passengers a new luggage option: Send it FedEx. It's not cheap but it is guaranteed overnight. The new program is called the "Travel Options by United Door to Door Baggage" service option.

In spite of the decrease in overall mishandled baggage, the number of cancellations among air travelers increased and the number of checked baggage items decreased. Has service, from a baggage handling standpoint improved, especially in relation to the addition of fees for first, as well as second, checked bags? From all reports, at this point in time, the answer would have to be no. Still, with a ratio of only 3.86 per 1,000 persons having baggage handling complaints, overall, your chances of arriving at your destination with no luggage mishaps is pretty good.

 

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