21 February 2006 Lost luggage woes for travellers
Airports in America lost an average of 10,000 bags a day last year, according to statistics released by the US Department of Transportation (DoT).
Emphasising the need for cover for lost items, more than 3.5 million passengers filed missing luggage claims - almost one million more than in 2004 and the highest number in 15 years.
US Airways was one of the worst offenders, with almost ten bags lost per 1,000 passengers.
Delta Air Lines lost more cases than any other carrier, misplacing 573,419 bags last year.
According to the DoT, the large number of lost bags was due to an increase in the number of passengers, airline budget cuts, tighter baggage inspections and backed-up flights.
The Air Transport Association (ATA) has attributed the problem to new security measures which have taken away responsibility for baggage handling from the airlines.
"Bags are delayed in the security screening process, which has been a cause of baggage mishandling," said ATA managing director of communications Victoria Day. 
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