There were 34,000 claims made by foreigners in one year following lost suitcases!
Endless queues, possible delays, making connections but also the fear of seeing your luggage lost… Traveling can be synonymous with relaxing vacation but also with real stress at the airport. A recent ranking has been released for United Kingdom airports. It is based on several factors such as Google review scores, the number of reviews citing high stress levels, searches for lost luggage, flight punctuality and the number of passengers passing through each airport.
There are several airports in the top 5 of the United Kingdom, but it is London’s largest airport, London Heathrow, that takes the unenviable first place. Let’s not cry too soon when the Roissy-Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris is also in the top 5. The London airport has a good passenger satisfaction rating and shows an average flight punctuality: 65. 74%.
But if Heathrow excels others, the most surprising and rather disturbing statistic for travelers: the number of inquiries and complaints made by travelers who did not find their luggage on arrival! In one year more than 34,000 claims were made of “lost packages” at Heathrow. More than 100 per day, all the same…
Despite the flight punctuality of 65.74%, the airport faces an astronomical number of passengers. In one year, there were no less than 34,700 inquiries about lost suitcases at Heathrow, or almost 100 per day! Although the airport management did not want to act on this issue, we must remember that 80 million passengers pass through Heathrow Airport every year.
One last piece of advice, if you are going through Heathrow, which also applies to any airport, be extra vigilant. Carefully check your luggage, take a photo of its contents and keep any valuables or essentials in the cabin. So you put all the chances on your side to swell the ranks of victims in Europe’s most stressful airport!