Airlines and airports often set formal targets in Service Level Agreements (SLAs) that specify baggage performance. An SLA (as IATA explains) is “a negotiated agreement between two parties where the level of service is formally defined” (iata.org). In practice, an airport SLA might commit to: how quickly bags are delivered, how often belts must operate, or how quickly lost baggage is located.
Key baggage-related metrics commonly included in SLAs include:
- Baggage Handling Time: The “in-system time” – how long a bag takes from check-in to loading, or from unloading to carousel (iata.orgiata.org). For example, an SLA might require 95% of bags to be on the plane within 20 minutes of check-in closing.
- Baggage Misconnect Rate: The percentage of bags not caught on their flights. Often measured per 1,000 bags, SLAs may set a maximum misconnect rate for the airport’s handling of bags (iata.org).
- Belt and System Availability: Requirements that reclaim belts, conveyors and sorters be available (e.g. “97–99% uptime”) during operating hours (iata.org).
- Bag Delivery Performance: Targets such as 99% of bags delivered to the correct carousel within a set time after landing.
SLAs can also include passenger-impact metrics (e.g. maximum wait time for baggage claim). IATA’s best-practice guidance notes that airlines and airports should set these measures jointly, with penalties or rebates if targets are missed (iata.org). In sum, SLAs create accountability: the airport (or its handling contractor) formally promises, for instance, that the baggage system will meet certain throughput and reliability levels (iata.org). When things go wrong, the SLA review committee (often part of the Airline Operators’ Committee or similar body) will analyze root causes and adjust processes.
