A new study, conducted by digital marketing agency Ink Digital, has revealed the top ten airlines most likely to misplace passenger luggage in the UK.
The study analysed the average monthly search volume for lost luggage related to each major airline in order to rank providers from the most to least likely.
Coming in at number one with 6,938 monthly searches relating to lost luggage is British Airways, followed by Dutch carrier KLM with 1,372 monthly searches.
In third place is easyJet, who not only receive around 1,208 searches per month but, according to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), received the third highest number of customer complaints in the final quarter of 2024 with 2,953 cases opened.
Fourth is luxury airline Emirates, with 1,048 searches per month, and rounding out the top five is Germany’s largest airline, Lufthansa, who whilst seeing a monthly search rate of 987, only gained a total of 2 customer complaints in the final months of 2024 (according to the CAA).
With European arilines making up the top (or, perhaps, bottom) five entries of the list, the remaining number features placements for Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways, Aer Lingus, Ryanair and American Airlines.
Michael Ryan, Owner & CRO of Ink Digital, commented on the findings:Lost luggage remains one of the biggest concerns for air travelers, especially as international travel rebounds post-pandemic. British Airways, KLM, and easyJet topping the list suggests that even well-established airlines face ongoing challenges in baggage handling.
The issue often arises due to tight layovers, staffing shortages, and mishandling during transfers. Passengers can reduce their risk by using carry-on luggage where possible, investing in smart trackers like AirTags, and ensuring they have proper travel insurance to cover any unexpected losses.
