A Japanese airport is celebrating a major milestone: Kansai International Airport (KIX) has never lost a piece of luggage in 30 years. The airport won the Skytrax Award for the world's best airport for baggage delivery 2024.
In a press release, the airport said: “We believe that the record of no baggage losses since the airport opened is the result of the daily efforts and careful work of all involved, including airlines and handling companies.”
Kansai Airport, Osaka opened in 1994 and has served 20 million to 30 million passengers annually to date. The airport has won the award eight times New York Post reported. The evaluation is based on the waiting time before baggage collection, the efficiency of baggage delivery and the response to lost baggage.
KIX Airport handed over approximately 10 million pieces of luggage in fiscal year 2023.
What makes their track record so successful? Well, it's their “multi-layer control work”. The airport has assigned two or three employees to review the types and numbers of bags for each aircraft, as well as passengers' transit information.
“It is important for multiple staff members to share information to avoid mistakes arising from wrong assumptions,” Tsuyoshi Habuta, who oversees baggage operations at airport operator CKTS, told Nikkei Asia.
In anticipation of the 2025 World Exhibition, they expect to welcome no fewer than 37.3 million passengers in the 2025 financial year. To ensure a smooth travel experience, the airport has a detailed baggage handling guide for each airline.
This guide is regularly updated based on the staff's experiences and suggestions, and their goal is to get your bags to you within 15 minutes of your flight arrival. Despite their impressive efficiency, airport staff seem to consider this just a standard part of their service.
“We don't feel like we've done anything special,” Kenji Takanishi, a public relations officer for Kansai, told CNN. 'We worked as we normally do.
“We just do our work on a daily basis and we are recognized for that. We are certainly happy with the award. I think our staff, especially those who work in the field, feel more satisfied.”