Acsa has denied outright allegations that baggage theft at South African airports is “out of control”.

Airport Operations Director, Bongani Maseko, told members of parliament’s tourism committee that there had in fact been a reduction in baggage pilferage at South African airports. “Increased security measures have been implemented by airports and airlines and we are spending R7m per annum on a baggage reaction team.”

Maseko says there are no regulations to force airlines to report cases of baggage pilferage. “Greater transparency among airlines is needed. The figures Acsa has on baggage pilferage are reported cases by airlines. But in SA there is no legislative requirement for airlines to report baggage pilferage. Acsa has no alternative but to rely on airlines to report cases of baggage pilferage.”

Acsa is represented together with domestic airlines on a baggage review committee. The total number of dismissals for baggage pilferage in 2010, he adds, was 35. “So far in 2011 we have had 20 dismissals. The baggage theft has also decreased from 36 incidences per day to 14 incidences.

“The reporting of baggage pilferage should be looking into by the SA Civil Aviation Authority. Acsa would support a system that could measure how bad the situation at each airport is.”

The Iata benchmark, meanwhile, is four mishandled bags per 1000 passengers. There is no international benchmark for baggage pilferage, explains Maseko.