Baggage Damage at Airports: How Mystery Shopping Can Improve Passenger Experience
Baggage damage at airport carousels is every traveller’s nightmare. After a long flight, the last thing passengers want to see is a cracked suitcase, missing wheels, or damaged belongings. Yet, baggage mishandling remains a common issue across global airlines.
One airline, however, is raising the bar for passenger experience and service quality—Emirates. The airline has taken a proactive approach by stationing personnel at baggage carousels, using protective pads to prevent luggage damage. The result? No cracks, no broken wheels, and no unnecessary customer frustration.
At Incognito Mystery Shopping Consultancy, we specialize in passenger experience audits and service quality assessments to help airlines identify and resolve such pain points before they escalate into major complaints.
The Impact of Baggage Mishandling on Passenger Experience
2022 Data:
7.6 bags per 1,000 passengers were mishandled worldwide.
13% of these cases involved damaged or pilfered luggage.
Most airlines overlook baggage handling issues, focusing primarily on flight operations. However, the passenger journey doesn’t end upon landing. It extends to baggage claim, customs, and airport transfers. A negative experience at any of these touch points can damage brand reputation and customer loyalty.
✔ Small actions – Massive impact
✔ Proactive care – Fewer complaints
✔ Happy passengers – Stronger brand loyalty
How Mystery Shopping Can Help Airlines Improve Baggage Handling
At Incognito Mystery Shopping Consultancy, we conduct real-time passenger experience evaluations that cover:
Baggage Handling Audits – Assessing how airlines and ground staff handle luggage from check-in to carousel.
Passenger Journey Evaluations – Monitoring service touchpoints that impact overall satisfaction.
Customer Complaint Audits – Analyzing common passenger grievances related to lost or damaged baggage.
Service Quality Assessments – Evaluating how well airline staff address baggage-related concerns.
Brand Compliance Checks – Ensuring airlines maintain consistent service standards across all airport operations.
With mystery shoppers acting as real passengers, airlines receive unbiased, detailed feedback on how their baggage handling teams perform in real-world scenarios.
Emirates’ Approach: A New Benchmark in Customer Care
Emirates’ initiative of placing protective padding at baggage carousels is a simple yet powerful strategy that demonstrates proactive service. This small operational tweak leads to:
✔ Lower baggage damage rates
✔ Fewer customer complaints
✔ Stronger passenger trust and brand loyalty
This is exactly the kind of innovation that mystery shopping programs can help airlines identify and implement.
Why Airlines Need Mystery Shopping for Operational Excellence
Mystery shopping goes beyond assessing in-flight service—it plays a crucial role in evaluating the entire passenger journey, including baggage handling.
At Incognito Mystery Shopping Consultancy, we provide:
✔ Real-time performance insights
✔ Data-driven recommendations for service improvement
✔ Detailed passenger experience reports
✔ Benchmarking against industry best practices
By leveraging our expertise, airlines can enhance baggage handling operations, improve service quality, and boost customer satisfaction.
Conclusion
Baggage mishandling is an avoidable issue that directly impacts passenger experience and airline reputation. As Emirates has shown, small changes can make a big difference.
Are you ready to improve your airline’s baggage handling services? Partner with Incognito Mystery Shopping Consultancy to gain actionable insights and elevate your passenger experience.
Contact us today to learn how mystery shopping can help your airline set new service benchmarks!