(Posted 04th July 2026)
Baggage handling may happen behind the scenes, but for passengers, it is one of the most visible measures of airline reliability.
According to SITA data Africa recorded the world’s highest baggage mishandling rate in 2025, with 12.1 mishandled bags per 1,000 passengers.
This is not just a baggage issue. It is a passenger trust issue.
Every delayed, damaged, or misplaced bag affects the traveller’s experience, the airline’s reputation, airport efficiency, and the wider confidence people have in air travel across the continent.
As African aviation continues to grow, operational excellence must grow with it.
That means stronger baggage tracking systems, better coordination between airlines, airports, and ground handlers, improved turnaround processes, investment in automation, and real-time communication with passengers.
Passengers do not only remember the flight.
They remember whether their journey was smooth from check-in to baggage claim.
Aircraft must fly on time.
Passengers must arrive with confidence.
And their baggage should arrive with them.
