India’s travel boom is creating a lost-luggage problem nobody talks about

Every frequent traveller knows the feeling of standing beside a baggage carousel, watching dozens of identical suitcases circle past while wondering, "Has mine already gone by?" For years, we've associated that anxiety with airlines losing luggage. Luggage (PTI Photo)Today's airline baggage systems are remarkably.

Delays are often caused by tight transfer windows, late check-ins, airport code mix-ups, adverse weather or operational disruptions. Even in the rare cases where baggage is genuinely lost, it is often because the airline baggage tag has been damaged or detached, leaving automated systems.

What Happened

Which brings me to a controversial thought, the airline doesn't lose your luggage. The biggest recovery challenges happen outside the baggage handling system.

• More than 99% of checked baggage is eventually reunited with its owner, and most mishandled bags are simply delayed rather than permanently lost.

• Looking ahead, airports and the travel industry may eventually explore standardised digital identity systems that complement existing baggage infrastructure—not only to improve lost-and-found recovery, but also to assist in identifying unattended baggage more efficiently.

• As India's travel ecosystem continues to evolve, I believe digital identity for luggage will become just as important as digital boarding passes and online check-ins.

Key Details

We accidentally pick up someone else's suitcase because it looks identical to ours. We leave our backpack in a taxi after reaching the hotel.

• Because QR codes are universally recognised and require no special hardware, the solution works globally, enabling anyone to help return a misplaced item without worrying about international calling charges, country codes or language barriers.

• For example our digital identity platform uses QR-enabled luggage tags and luggage stickers that allow an honest finder, airport staff member or fellow traveller to contact the owner without seeing their personal phone number.

• In a digital-first world, there is an opportunity to build something better.

Why It Matters

We forget a cabin bag in the overhead compartment. We walk away from an airport café or lounge without our shopping bag.

• However, traditional luggage tags expose names, phone numbers and addresses, making many travellers uncomfortable from a privacy perspective.

• In many mature travel markets, permanently identifying luggage is considered a basic travel habit.

What Reports Say

Coverage of the story so far points to:

• Continued reporting by Hindustan Times as more details emerge