Baggage Complaints Fall to 15-Year Low

Major U.S. airlines in May improved to the lowest rate of lost and mishandled baggage since regulators began keeping figures in 1987, aided by fewer passengers and tighter security since the Sept. 11 attacks.

The carriers had 3.32 mishandled bags per 1,000 passengers, down from 3.85 a year earlier and the previous low of 3.69 in April, the Department of Transportation said. The carriers’ on-time performance for May also rose to 82.8% of flights.