The global aviation industry’s specialist IT and communications group, SITA, has reported that Africa is still the region with the highest rate of mishandling airline luggage. Its 'Baggage IT Insights Report 2026' showed that Africa experienced 12.1 mishandled bags per 1 000 passengers last year. This compared with rates of 10.5 for Europe, 5.6 for all the Americas, 5.0 for the Middle East, and 3.41 for the Asia-Pacific, and the global rate of 4.9.
Globally, the mishandled baggage rate fell by 23%, year-on-year, last year. In terms of the actual number of mishandled bags, that also fell year-on-year in 2025, by 19% (from 30-million bags in 2024 to 24-million in 2025).
But, when it came to the mishandled baggage rate on domestic flights, Africa ranked second best in the world, with 1.8 per 1 000 passengers, after the Asia-Pacific at 0.8. After Africa came North America, at 2.0, the Middle East (2.7), South America (2.9) and finally Europe (3.8). The global average was 1.65.
It was in international air travel that Africa scored poorly. Compared with a global average rate of 9.12 mishandled bags per 1 000 passengers, Africa had a rate of 15.0. The best scoring regions were the Asia-Pacific and Middle East, at 5.3 each, followed by South America (7.5), North America (11.6) and Europe (12.7).
