Middle East Airports & Airline Baggage Crisis | 2024 Update
airlines Improve Baggage Handling with Tech, Reducing Mishaps
Updated June 15, 2025
The airline industry is making strides in baggage handling, driven by technological advancements. SITA, an air transport IT provider, estimates that mishandled baggage costs the industry $5 billion each year. Airlines are investing in smart baggage systems to improve the passenger experience and reduce these costs. Real-time tracking plays a key role in these improvements.
The Middle East and Africa stood out in 2024 with a low baggage mishandling rate of 6.02 bags per 1,000 passengers, according to SITA’s 2025 Baggage IT Insights report. This is a slight increase from 4.5 in 2023 but still better than most other regions globally. Worldwide, the mishandling rate dropped to 6.3 per 1,000 passengers in 2024, a 67% reduction as 2007, despite an 8.2% increase in air traffic.
Of the 33.4 million bags mishandled globally, over 66% were resolved within 48 hours. This advancement is due to real-time tracking and automated resolution systems. Forty-two percent of passengers received real-time baggage updates in 2024, up from 38% the previous year.Nearly half of travelers expressed that mobile tracking would increase their confidence in checking bags, while 38% favored digital ID tags.
Airlines are investing heavily in automation. sixty-six percent of airlines now offer automated bag drop, and 65% of airports plan to implement biometric self-service bag drop by 2027. Integration with Apple’s Share Item Location is also helping to locate bags more quickly.
Delays remain the most common issue,accounting for 74% of mishandled bags,down from 80% in 2023. Damaged or pilfered luggage increased to 18%, while lost or stolen bags remained steady at 8%. Transfer mishandling accounted for 41% of issues, improved from 46% the previous year. Tagging errors, security, and misrouting increased to 17%, while loading failures remained steady at 16%. Operational issues like weather or customs accounted for 10% of mishandling.
The release of Modern Baggage Messaging (MBM) Version 2 in 2025 aims to further reduce mishandling by 5% by enhancing real-time data quality.
Airports like Red Sea International in Saudi arabia are implementing advanced solutions such as off-airport check-in and real-time tracking powered by SITA Bag Journey.
“we’re making progress, but baggage still causes stress. Passengers want reassurance. The future of baggage is rapidly evolving with automation, computer vision, and mobile tools, we’re making the experience much more reliable,” said Nicole Hogg, Director of Baggage at SITA.
“Passengers now expect their baggage experience to be as easy and obvious as using a rideshare or delivery app. It’s no longer just about moving bags, it’s about delivering a smooth, connected journey,” said David Lavorel, CEO of SITA. ”Airlines are ready to tap into technology that improves the passenger experience while keeping costs down and being simple to roll out.”
What’s next
The industry will likely see continued investment in technology to further streamline baggage handling processes, enhance real-time tracking capabilities, and improve the overall passenger experience. The role of automation and data-driven solutions will become increasingly vital.