Flying the Unfriendly/Uncaring Skies

Post From Nov 12, 2006:

From NY Times:

"Since Aug. 10, when a ban on most carry-on liquids sent the amount of checked luggage soaring, airlines have been misplacing many more bags, and the fumbling could well escalate during the busy holiday travel season.

The Transportation Department reported that 107,731 more fliers had their bags go missing in August than they did a year earlier, a 33 percent increase. It got worse in September, with 183,234 more passengers suffering mishandled bags than a year earlier, up 92 percent.

Globally, about 30 million bags are mishandled each year, according to SITA, a company that sells software to airlines and airports for baggage and other systems. Airlines spend about $2.5 billion to find those bags and deliver them to waiting, often angry, passengers."

So, can you think of where and why this might be happening?

"Efforts are under way to fix two of the worst baggage operations in the United States — at US Airways in Philadelphia and at Atlantic Southeast Airlines, which operates as Delta Connection here (in NY). Both airlines had scrimped on workers and equipment at these airports. Many of the bag-handling problems are because of the industry’s cost-cutting. US Airways, twice in bankruptcy since Sept. 11, 2001, and then merged a year ago with America West Airlines, had a baggage meltdown at its Philadelphia hub around Christmas of 2004. Executives said they had known they needed to add people and equipment there."

So, few too people to get the job done? Nah, that couldn't be the reason. Could it? How about just sheer laziness and complacency? No incentive for improvement. No repurcusion for failure.