Africa Records World's Highest Mishandled Baggage Rate, SITA Reports

Africa Records World’s Highest Mishandled Baggage Rate, SITA Reports focuses on baggage handling problems across the continent, with Africa topping global figures. SITA’s 2026 Baggage IT Insights report, published June 29, says Africa recorded 12.1 mishandled bags per 1,000 passengers, versus a global average of 4.9. The report attributes the gap mainly to the complexity of international connections, where multiple airlines, airports, and baggage handlers increase points of failure. International flights to and from Africa averaged 15 mishandled bags per 1,000 passengers, compared with 12.7 in Europe and 5.3 in both the Middle East and Asia-Pacific. By contrast, African domestic flights were far lower at 1.8 per 1,000. SITA also estimates each mishandled bag costs airlines $280 in Africa, slightly above the global $260.