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Lost baggage a major challenge

Johannesburg - A total of 7 868 items of luggage belonging to South African Airways passengers were reported missing from airports in Johhanesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth and East London in the three-month period between December 1 and February 29 this year.

That was in stark contrast to figures supplied to Independent Newspapers by SAA last week, The Star reported on Tuesday.

The airline said that according to its figures, about 6 600 of its passengers would have their luggage stolen each year.

According to Public Enterprises Minister Alec Erwin, most of the luggage - 7 617 items - disappeared from OR Tambo International Airport, while 178 SAA passengers at Cape Town International Airport lost their luggage.

Erwin's department supplied the figures in response to a parliamentary question put to Erwin by the Democratic Alliance spokesperson on public enterprises, Manie van Dyk.

Erwin's response was contained in a written reply, and consisted of three tables. The first detailed pilferage and theft; the second dealt with damaged baggage; and the third with "disappearances".

Erwin noted that baggage handling was "the joint responsibility of a firm contracted by SAA and the Airports Company South Africa".

- Sapa

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