BWI: Air Transport Industry Stays on Top of Baggage Management Despite Weather and Volcanic Ash

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: SITA
Thursday, April 14, 2011 11:39 AM IST (06:09 AM GMT)
Editors: General: Consumer interest, Travel & tourism; Business: Business services, Information technology, Travel & tourism; Technology
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Air Transport Industry Stays on Top of Baggage Management Despite Weather and Volcanic Ash


New Delhi, Delhi, India, Thursday, April 14, 2011 -- (Business Wire India) -- Despite an unprecedented 300,000 flight cancellations and a new record of 2.44 billion people travelling by plane last year, the air transport industry has maintained the overall downward trend in baggage mishandling.

SITA's 7th Annual Baggage Report, launched today at the major industry event, Passenger Terminal Expo, showed that the rise in mishandled baggage claims last year was significantly less than the 10.41% rise in passenger volumes recorded.

SITA, the world's leading specialist in air transport communications and IT solutions, reported a 4.4% rise in delayed baggage files last year despite three monthly spikes ranging from 15% to 20% due to bad weather in February and December, and the volcanic ash cloud in May.

The year saw the first increase in baggage mishandling since 2007 when 42.4 million bags were delayed and the rate was 18.86 mishandled bags per 1,000 passengers. In 2010, 29.4 million bags were delayed on arrival which translates into a mishandling rate of 12.07 bags per 1,000 passengers which represents a significant decline in mishandling over the last four years.

The mishandling trend is downwards since 2007 thanks to improved technology and greater vigilance on the part of airports and airlines, many of whom are working together in the IATA Baggage Improvement Programme.

*The report was launched today at the Passenger Terminal Expo, the world's largest industry event focussed on airline and airport passenger services taking place this week in Copenhagen. It can be downloaded at www.sita.aero/BR2011

Notes to Editors:

About SITA

SITA is the world's leading specialist in air transport communications and IT solutions. SITA delivers and manages business solutions for airline, airport, GDS, government and other customers over the world's most extensive network, which forms the communications backbone of the global air transport industry.

SITA's portfolio includes managed global communications, infrastructure and outsourcing services, as well as services for airline commercial management and passenger operations, flight operations, aircraft operations and air-to-ground communications, airport management and operations, baggage operations, transportation security and border management, cargo operations and more.

With a customer service team of over 1,900 staff around the world, SITA invests significantly in achieving best-in-class customer service, providing integrated local and global support for both its communications and IT application services.

SITA has two main subsidiaries: OnAir, which is the leading provider of in-flight connectivity, and CHAMP Cargosystems, the world's only IT company dedicated solely to air cargo. SITA also operates two joint ventures providing services to the air transport community: Aviareto for aircraft asset management and CertiPath for secure electronic identity management.

SITA is one of the world's most international companies. Its global reach is based on local presence, with services for over 550 air transport industry members and 3,200 customers in over 200 countries and territories. Set up in 1949 with 11 member airlines, SITA today employs people of more than 140 nationalities, speaking over 70 different languages. SITA had consolidated revenues of over US$1.49 billion (?1.07 billion) in 2009.

For further information go to www.sita.aero


CONTACT DETAILS
Quentin Browell, Director, PR and Corporate Communications, SITA, +41 78 600 7902, Quentin.Browell@sita.aero
Charlie Pryor, Leidar, +44 20 7031 8270, charlie.pryor@leidar.com

KEYWORDS
CONSUMER, TOURISM, BUSINESS SERVICES, IT, TRAVEL, TECHNOLOGY

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