rwoman
Jul 18, 12, 8:19 am
NBC News Overhead Bin: Which US airline loses the most checked bags? (http://overheadbin.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/07/10/12666130-which-us-airline-loses-the-most-checked-bags?lite)
Thankfully, I've had pretty good luck with baggage, with a few delays here and there, but always receiving my stuff. I think the worst of it was in 2007 (GM at the time) when I was booked MCI-DTW-AMS-KWI on NW/KL and, due to weather, was re-rerouted MCI-DTW-JFK-KWI (NW and Kuwait Airways) and then MCI-DTW-FRA-KWI (NW and LH). Needless to say, my baggage, including military weapons, gear, and uniforms, was MIA for several days...definitely worried for a bit since I was on my way to Afghanistan!
Since January, the clear leader in that department has been United. It holds the worst record of all the major airlines: It mishandled between three and four bags per 1,000 passengers in April (the most recent month we have stats for) versus 0.86 bags per 1,000 for the top airline, Virgin America. That translates into nearly 20,000 bags going astray that month — far worse than last year, when United passengers filed only about 10,000 mishandled baggage reports (though take into account that United and Continental were reporting separately until January).
Since January, United has ranked No. 11 among the 15 airlines required to report their baggage handling records to the DOT; it's trailed only by commuter lines such as American Eagle, which perennially lag the larger carriers due to their high volume of connecting bags.
Conde Nast Traveller article LINK (http://www.cntraveler.com/travel-tips/flying/2012/07/airlines-baggage-luggage-checked-fees-missing-bags)
Thankfully, I've had pretty good luck with baggage, with a few delays here and there, but always receiving my stuff. I think the worst of it was in 2007 (GM at the time) when I was booked MCI-DTW-AMS-KWI on NW/KL and, due to weather, was re-rerouted MCI-DTW-JFK-KWI (NW and Kuwait Airways) and then MCI-DTW-FRA-KWI (NW and LH). Needless to say, my baggage, including military weapons, gear, and uniforms, was MIA for several days...definitely worried for a bit since I was on my way to Afghanistan!
Since January, the clear leader in that department has been United. It holds the worst record of all the major airlines: It mishandled between three and four bags per 1,000 passengers in April (the most recent month we have stats for) versus 0.86 bags per 1,000 for the top airline, Virgin America. That translates into nearly 20,000 bags going astray that month — far worse than last year, when United passengers filed only about 10,000 mishandled baggage reports (though take into account that United and Continental were reporting separately until January).
Since January, United has ranked No. 11 among the 15 airlines required to report their baggage handling records to the DOT; it's trailed only by commuter lines such as American Eagle, which perennially lag the larger carriers due to their high volume of connecting bags.
Conde Nast Traveller article LINK (http://www.cntraveler.com/travel-tips/flying/2012/07/airlines-baggage-luggage-checked-fees-missing-bags)