Baggage Operations

Need Help?

Baggage operations are a critical part of airline operations and the passenger experience. Every day, millions of bags move through a complex network of airlines, airports, and ground handlers.

IATA’s baggage strategy defines the industry roadmap for the next decade, guiding the improvement and modernization of baggage operations by serving as a common reference to support alignment, coordination, and long-term planning across the global air transport industry.

Our Strategic Roadmap

Need Help?

Built with airlines, airports, ground handlers, and industry partners, the global baggage strategy provides a 10-year framework that enables the industry to evolve baggage operations in a coordinated and sustainable way. It supports progressive adoption of technology across the different baggage touch points while preserving global standard and best practices.

At its core, the strategy aims to ensure that baggage operations are underpinned by trusted data and information exchange, automation of handling processes, reduce mishandling, claim and combat fraud in the baggage supply chain enabling:

Improved end-to-end baggage visibility
More timely and reliable passenger information
Interoperability through common standards

Baggage Strategy Pillars

Baggage Information Exchange and Data Standardization: Modernizing baggage messaging through Data exchange standards to replace outdated systems and eliminate $1B annually in legacy messaging costs.
Baggage Tracking & Automation: Achieving a fully automated baggage handling system and all IATA member airlines provide real-time baggage updates to their passengers.
Passenger Experience, Claims & Fraud Prevention: Streamline claims, reduce fraud, and enhance passenger experience.

Baggage Journey

The baggage journey represents the complete, end‑to‑end lifecycle of a checked bag, from the moment it is accepted at the original airport to its return to the passenger at the final destination.

Baggage Standards

Resolutions and Recommended Practices (RP) for baggage handling, processes, and pro-rates.

Baggage Tracking

IATA Resolution 753 aims to improve the baggage handling processes and reduce baggage mishandling.

Passenger Baggage Rules

What passengers need to know about checked and cabin luggage rules.

Digital Baggage

IATA leads initiatives enabling modern, structured, and interoperable baggage data exchange forming the foundation for automated, data-driven baggage operations, and improved passenger experience.