ATLANTA — It’s no surprise that travelers are probably going to start packing less when flying, given the airlines’ mediocre approach to handling luggage.
Last November, there were 247,305 reports of lost, damaged, delayed or stolen pieces of luggage. On top of the less-than-impressive baggage-handling record, many airlines have started charging fees for checked luggage.
A recent AAA Travel Pulse survey found that 55 percent of travelers plan to reduce what they pack to cut down how many bags they have to check. In addition, 23 percent of travelers said they will try to fit everything into a carry-on bag to avoid paying fees all together, the survey found.
“Now that travelers have to pay these new baggage fees, they seem to expect more when it comes to the way their luggage is handled,” Jim Sweat, managing director of AAA Travel, said in a news release. “However, more fees do not always equate to a guarantee.”