Mishandling during transfer is one of the primary reasons why luggage may be delayed or lost. This can occur when handlers do not have adequate time to transfer bags between flights.

Airlines delay luggage for three primary reasons: tight connections, late check-ins, and mechanical failures in the baggage handling system. The most common cause is a "short layover," where a passenger manages to run across the terminal to catch a connecting flight, but their suitcase cannot be processed through the airport's underground maze of belts and scanners in time. Second, "late check-in" is a major culprit; if you check your bag at the 45-minute cut-off, it might not make it through the security screening and out to the tarmac before the cargo doors close. Finally, simple human error or tag damage plays a role; if a luggage tag is torn or misprinted, the automated scanners cannot route the bag, and it gets set aside for manual "problem-solving," which can take hours. In 2026, while more airlines use RFID tracking to reduce these errors, the complexity of moving 100,000 bags a day through massive hubs like Heathrow or Atlanta means that even a minor belt jam or a 10-minute weather delay on the ramp can lead to your bag arriving on the "next available flight" instead of yours.