Most people love to travel, and some even look forward to the process itself. Many flyers enjoy the calm and quiet plane ride and use that time to read, rest, meditate, relax, and sleep. In today’s frantically busy society, a forced break, even if it is in a rather crowded and uncomfortable setting and only for a short while, is a small respite often greatly welcomed, needed, and cherished.
There are countless benefits and perks of traveling; however, most would agree that one facet that can be extremely stressful, frustrating, and time-consuming is the airport baggage security checkpoint. With the frantic, rushed movement and shuffling of travelers and their belongings, the traffic jams and pile-ups at the shoe and item bins, and loud voices shouting, “Next! Hurry! Keep it moving!” this process can be exhausting and overwhelming. Luckily, measures are being taken to not only improve this endeavor but to quicken and ease it as well.
One of the most substantial recent improvements that travelers worldwide have been excited about is mobile baggage tracking. This cell phone notification and tracking system has improved customer satisfaction by 8.6%, according to a study conducted involving people from 19 different countries from across the globe, representing more than 70% of world air travelers. Passengers checked in more than 4.3 billion bags last year, and those who utilized baggage tracking on their mobile phones reported much greater satisfaction and less frustration than those who relied on conventional airport announcements and information boards. Data reveals that SITA’s WorldTracer baggage tracking technology is not only improving satisfaction and reducing anxiety, but reducing the actual rates of mishandled bags too.
Passengers are receiving these luggage updates via airline/airport mobile apps, text messages, or through the airline directly. A recent study called “SITA’s 2019 Passenger IT Insights” revealed that roughly 26% of travelers are utilizing mobile baggage tracking, a major increase from 2017’s 14%. In addition to monitoring luggage location, another major benefit of this mobile tracking system is user feedback. Travelers can and have been taking advantage of this option to report mishandling of their bags and other issues and difficulties they encounter.
Overall, mobile luggage tracking has improved the average airport experience and, in turn, customer satisfaction. Alleviating stress and increasing awareness, this addition to airport travel has begun to revolutionize the entire experience.
Kelly Hoggan resides in Washington D.C. and is the founder of H4 Solutions, a business which provides aviation security consulting services. With a career spanning nearly three decades in aviation security, operations, and technology, Kelly has been able to utilize that leadership experience to advise clients in the transportation section focusing on aviation security and aviation operations.
