As the baggage handling landscape transforms, Africa remains a troublesome outlier, with the highest mishandling rate of any region in the world.
The latest Baggage IT Insights Report by Geneva-based SITA has uncovered an alarming truth about the state of baggage handling in Africa. While airlines and airports make headway in reducing global mishandling rates by 23% heading into 2025, Africa remains a troublesome outlier, with the highest mishandling rate of any region in the world.
The industry’s gains are notable. With global baggage disruptions costing approximately US$6.3 billion (R103.5bn) annually, the average financial impact per mishandled bag now stands at US$260, significantly surpassing the previous industry estimate of US$150. This increase highlights the growing financial pressure on airlines, where a single mishandled bag can erase profits from over 30 seats sold. In 2025 alone, 24 million bags were mishandled amid a booming passenger volume that saw 5 billion travellers worldwide.
Crunching the numbers, Africa recorded 12.1 mishandled bags per 1,000 passengers, starkly higher than other regions. The difficulty does not lie solely in technological limitations; instead, it is rooted in the complexities of international travel. Passengers often juggle multiple airlines, airports, and baggage handlers, creating numerous opportunities for mishaps along the journey.
