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| Delays to air luggage 'worsening' | Delays to air luggage 'worsening' |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Travellers flying with some of Europe's major airlines suffered more luggage delays last year, with British Airways still among the worst, figures suggest. | Travellers flying with some of Europe's major airlines suffered more luggage delays last year, with British Airways still among the worst, figures suggest. |
| An average of 16.6 bags per 1,000 air passengers were delayed in 2007, compared with 15.7 the previous year, the Air Transport Users Council said. | An average of 16.6 bags per 1,000 air passengers were delayed in 2007, compared with 15.7 the previous year, the Air Transport Users Council said. |
| BA, the poorest performer in 2006 with 23 bags per 1,000 delayed, was ranked second worst in 2007 with 26.5 bags. | BA, the poorest performer in 2006 with 23 bags per 1,000 delayed, was ranked second worst in 2007 with 26.5 bags. |
| A BA spokesman said the one-bag rule and heightened security had not helped. | A BA spokesman said the one-bag rule and heightened security had not helped. |
| The Air Transport Users Council (AUC) said complaints made to them showed luggage delays could be stressful, inconvenient and expensive for travellers. | The Air Transport Users Council (AUC) said complaints made to them showed luggage delays could be stressful, inconvenient and expensive for travellers. |
| WORST-PERFORMING AIRLINES TAP Air Portugal British AirwaysKLM Alitalia Air France | WORST-PERFORMING AIRLINES TAP Air Portugal British AirwaysKLM Alitalia Air France |
| Its figures relate to members of the Association of European Airlines, but not all carriers submitted figures, including Virgin Atlantic Airways and Aer Lingus. | Its figures relate to members of the Association of European Airlines, but not all carriers submitted figures, including Virgin Atlantic Airways and Aer Lingus. |
| Among those that did, the worst-performing airline last year was TAP Air Portugal with a delayed bags ratio of 27.8 per 1,000 passengers. | Among those that did, the worst-performing airline last year was TAP Air Portugal with a delayed bags ratio of 27.8 per 1,000 passengers. |
| Other below-average performers included KLM (19.7 bags delayed per 1,000 passengers), Alitalia (19.7), Air France (17.6), Luxair (17.2) and the UK's bmi (17.0). name="text"> The best-performing airlines were Air Malta and Turkish Airlines with a lost bag ratio of 4.5 per 1,000 passengers in 2007. | |
| class="bodl" href="#graph">Best and worst performers | |
| Airlines operating through "hub" airports such as Heathrow fared the worst last year, the AUC said. | Airlines operating through "hub" airports such as Heathrow fared the worst last year, the AUC said. |
| It said this was partly due to the increased levels of hold luggage as a result of the one-bag rule at UK airports. | It said this was partly due to the increased levels of hold luggage as a result of the one-bag rule at UK airports. |
| AUC chairman Tina Tietjen said: "But, whatever the extenuating circumstances, when passengers hand their bag in at check-in, they should expect to see their bag at the other end." | AUC chairman Tina Tietjen said: "But, whatever the extenuating circumstances, when passengers hand their bag in at check-in, they should expect to see their bag at the other end." |
| British Airways apologised to customers affected by baggage delays last year. | British Airways apologised to customers affected by baggage delays last year. |
| BA director of operations Gareth Kirkwood said: "While our performance at the vast majority of global airports remains good, we continue to experience a wide variety of difficulties at our main home at Heathrow. | BA director of operations Gareth Kirkwood said: "While our performance at the vast majority of global airports remains good, we continue to experience a wide variety of difficulties at our main home at Heathrow. |
| "Although Heathrow Airport continues to suffer from a very stretched infrastructure running at almost double capacity, we also accept that on occasions our own levels of service have not been as high as we would like." | "Although Heathrow Airport continues to suffer from a very stretched infrastructure running at almost double capacity, we also accept that on occasions our own levels of service have not been as high as we would like." |
| A BAA spokesman said its baggage infrastructure was "very resilient" and the opening of Terminal 5 in less than two months would bring much needed terminal and infrastructure capacity. name="graph"> | |
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