If you’re planning to travel soon, you may have already planned out your airplane tickets (taking into account those varying airfare costs), and your transportation to/from the airport and your destination, but there might be something VERY important you’re not thinking enough about…

…your luggage. We’ve already shared a list of the BEST Disney luggage for 2023 and information about a suitcase that costs OVER $1,000 (and how to get its fancy features for less), but now we’ve got a luggage update that could SURPRISE you and make you really rethink how to pack.

More Bags Are Being Mishandled Than Before

In July of 2022, an Air Travel Consumer Report was released by The Office of Aviation Consumer Protection and shared by the Department of Transportation of the United States of America.

The report features data on flight delays, mishandling of luggage, oversales, consumer complaints, and more. The section about mishandled luggage all comes based on data that was collected by the Department’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics, and it reveals some interesting things you’ll need to consider ahead of your next trip.

First, let’s go over what the report means when it talks about mishandled baggage. The report looks at the rate of mishandled bags per 100 bags that were enplaned.

“Mishandled” bags are essentially checked bags that got lost, damaged, delayed, and pilfered (stolen), “as reported by or on behalf of the passenger, that were in the airline’s custody for its reportable domestic nonstop scheduled passenger flights.”

Bags enplaned include checked bags that got into the aircraft cargo compartment for a domestic nonstop scheduled passenger flight. So what do the numbers show?

In May of 2022, the number of mishandled bags for the airlines looked at was 237,828 (based on the U.S. reporting marketing carriers). That’s nearly double the number seen in May of 2021 — 132,071. In other words, a LOT more bags are being mishandled now compared to last year. 

With thousands of more bags being mishandled, it could mean that your bag is more likely to be one of the ones impacted. More on what to do about that in a second.

Wondering what airlines have the highest numbers of mishandled luggage? According to the report and the ranking of U.S. reporting operating carriers, American Airlines took the top spot with over 50,000 mishandled bags in May of 2022. (In case you’re wondering — the operating carrier is the airline that’s actually flying the plane, while the marketing carrier is the “partner airline” that actually takes care of selling seats on the operating carrier’s flight).

But when you look at the number of bags mishandled per 100 enplaned by operating carriers, Republic Airways actually takes the top spot with a 0.93 rate. American Airlines followed closely behind.

The airline at the lowest end was Allegiant Air with 888 bags mishandled or 0.15 bags mishandled per 100 enplaned.

While these numbers are much higher than what was seen in 2021, there is some good news. The total number of bags mishandled is just over 230,000, but back in December of 2021, that number was over 260,000.

Still, it is more than the 219,000 numbers seen in April of 2022.

So what can you do to prevent your bag from being one of the ones mishandled, or what can you do if your bag does become one of the ones impacted? Here are our top tips.

How to Prepare

It’s important to go on your trip preparing for the worst and hoping for the best. That’ll give you the best chance of being prepared for whatever twists and turns may come your way.

One thing you can do is grab an (or multiple) Apple AirTag. A single air tag on Amazon currently costs $27.50, or you can grab a 4-pack for $99.

What is an Air Tag, you ask? Well, it’s a device that can help you keep track of your items. The idea is that you could buy one (or more) of these, set them up, and then place one in your luggage (ideally you’d place 1 in each piece of luggage you’re taking with you). If your luggage gets lost, you can use the Find My app to track it down. It could be a HUGE help to let you know where that luggage is perhaps even more the airline has the time to track it within their system.

Click here to grab an AirTag

Another thing you might want to consider looking into is the type of luggage you’re using. There are many things to consider here. In an interview from 2011 with HuffPost, an airline baggage “thrower” shared that hard-sided luggage will get less damaged, but it’s important to look for ones with well-designed handles. They also noted that the bags with 4 wheels on the bottom can be rolled down the belly of the plane, rather than being thrown in, also potentially leading to less damage.

This Disney-themed American Tourister Hard-Sided Luggage has that harder outer shell along with 4 wheels at the bottoms (for one of the bags). That could give your bag a slightly better chance of being rolled down rather than thrown in certain instances. You can get a 2-piece set for $159.99 right now (on sale from $199.99).

Click here to check out this luggage

Another thing you could invest in is a TSA-approved travel lock. This could alleviate some of your concerns when it comes to potentially having items stolen from within your bag.

The lock pictured above is from Master Lock and comes in a variety of colors. It’s on sale from $7.99 to $6.70 right now.

Click here to get the Master Lock

You may also want to look into getting a really great travel backpack. There are many options online, including this backpack from Matein Travel that has over 67,000 ratings and 4.8 stars.

If you’ve got a good travel backpack, it can help you pack everything you want to take with you. For example, you’ll want to make sure that any important documents you’re carrying with you stay in your carry-on or backpack so that you don’t run the risk of losing them in your checked bag. Important outfits (like a bridesmaid dress if you’re heading to a wedding or a suit if you’re heading to a special event) may also be things you’ll want to bring with you on the plane (rather than packing away in your checked bag). That gives you the best chance of making sure they make it to your next destination.

If you can make it fit, you may also want to consider packing a small bag of essentials in your carry-on or backpack — things like a toothbrush, toothpaste, 1 set of pajamas, and 1 set of clothing. Having these with you can at least buy you some time before you need to run to the local store to grab other essentials for your trip if your bag won’t arrive in time.

Another tip is to take photos of your luggage before you check it in so you know what condition it was in when you dropped it off. That can help you with any claims you may need to make later or it can simply help you identify your bag.

What if Your Luggage Is Mishandled?

What should you do if the worst happens and your luggage is mishandled? The big thing here is to know the rules and understand what airlines are and are not responsible for. If you aren’t aware of what they are responsible for, you could miss out on some compensation owed to you.

Below is a list from the Department of Transportation regarding what airlines’ responsibilities are when it comes to damaged baggage.

If your bag is delayed, be sure to file a baggage claim as soon as possible and keep contacting the airline frequently to get updates. Know what your rights are when it comes to delayed baggage.

The same goes for lost baggage. Read up on your airline’s requirements for what constitutes “lost” baggage and what policies they have in place for reimbursements.

Another thing you can look into is travel insurance. Some travel insurance policies can reimburse you if your luggage gets delayed, lost, damaged, or stolen while traveling, but you’ll need to look at that policy’s specific terms and conditions. That’ll help you determine whether the cost of the travel insurance is worth it.

You may also want to look into whether you have a credit card that offers any kind of travel insurance and whether buying travel on that card can help provide you with any protection.

The important thing here is to be as prepared as possible. Reading up on your airline’s policies, knowing what coverage you do or don’t have, and bringing the right tools (the best luggage, etc.) can help make your trip a success.

We’ll continue to look for more travel tips and information to share with you. In the meantime, click here to read some air travel tips that’ll CHANGE your life, or click here to learn about the BEST and WORST airlines in the U.S. as ranked by customer complaints.

Click here to learn about important changes to Southwest Airlines’ flight credit policy

Have you ever lost your luggage? Tell us about your experience in the comments.