Liquid Ban Increased Lost Baggage Claims

Diane Clarkson | October 04, 2006, 10:10 PM

Lost baggage statistics following the August 2006 ban on liquids and gels have been released and it is not a happy story. According to a Washington Post story, lost or mishandled bags have spiked by nearly 25 percent.

With fewer staff than in years gone by, the airlines are struggling to cope with the increase in checked luggage as travelers are forced to check bags they would otherwise have carried on.

This brings me to two customer service disappointments I’ve experienced recently – disappointments both for my own experience and for the lack of imagination causing them.

I’ve had, ahem, “mishandled” bags and the airline was ruder than usual.

I’ve also had to dump numerous tubes of toothpaste and containers of hairspray at security gates. After being without my bags for a day, abandoning toiletries seemed a better risk than checking luggage plus it assured me quick departure from the airport when I landed.

Immediately following the August 10 ban, there were a couple of hotels offering guests either complimentary or for-sale toiletries. I’ve travelled several times since August 10. I’ve yet to find one of these hotels.

If I were a business hotel manager, I’d be seeing these bans as an opportunity. First, there is a great customer service component. There is also revenue potential. I arrived in Chicago in the wee hours this morning after several delayed flights. At 3:00am, wandering downtown searching for a 24 hour drugstore to buy toothpaste, I pondered how much I would have paid for one in the hotel. I would have paid a lot.

Last week, officials revised the ban to allow passengers to carry-on small toiletries in a clear plastic bag.

Manufacturers of trial size products are the only winners.