A new Australian service takes on the global aviation industry’s worst enemy –passengers’ luggage. Luggage handling costs the airlines billions of dollars a year, a cost that the airlines are now letting passengers help pay for. Personal Porter™’s solution is designed to take the pressure off the airlines and provide the passengers with greater security and a more reliable travel solution.

Personal Porter™, an online global door-to-door luggage delivery service, aims to take away the burden of handling luggage for airlines, whilst offering passengers a solution to make their travel easier and more enjoyable. The approach opens up a spectrum of opportunities for the airlines, which in turn provides benefits to today’s passengers.

“Airlines worldwide have identified luggage handling as a major issue that needs to be addressed and in a move designed to be the beginning of the end of the carrying of luggage as a “free service”, a number of major airlines – including Qantas, British Airways and Cathay Pacific – have recently introduced stricter new luggage policies.
This is only the beginning of how airlines will manage luggage in the future,” says Gerry Flanagan, Co-Founder and Group Operations Director, Personal Porter™.

A recent study carried out amongst the airline industry by US-based Air Transport World identified that over 93% of respondents felt airlines need to actively and publicly seek cost savings in luggage handling. Almost 40% stated airlines should work towards separating the moving of luggage from the moving of passengers.

“By separating passengers from their luggage, airlines will be able to lower their fuel costs, allow for greater aircraft fleet renewal options or be able to increase premium freight capacity, issues that are all key to the future of the aviation industry, but also which would benefit the passenger in the end with potential price reductions,” says Flanagan.

Australian passengers travelling overseas or domestically are now faced with less luggage allowance and increased excess luggage fees. Despite this, each passenger is on average checking in 10% more luggage following last August’s terrorist scare at Heathrow airport in London [1].

With more checked-in luggage, the already disturbing figure of over 30 million mishandled bags annually [2] is set to increase further. Out of the 30 million mishandled bags, 204,000 pieces of luggage are lost or stolen every year.

At least 54 passengers would suffer from mishandled luggage at Sydney International Airport if they arrive between 6am and 9am on a typical weekday. An alarming 61% result from transfer mishandling at airports overseas during codeshare and interline arrangements between airlines.

“Personal Porter™ provides the traveller with a convenient, reliable and secure method of transporting their luggage from their home or office to the final destination of their choice, thereby reducing the stress of travelling and making it more enjoyable,” says Flanagan.
 
Personal Porter™’s service is aimed at the traveller who wants to enjoy a more relaxed journey, including business travellers, senior and leisure travellers, cruise passengers and sports travellers with equipment such as golf bags, skis and bikes.

By eliminating risks of mishandled luggage, shortening the travel time and avoiding the hassle of dragging luggage to and from the airport, Personal Porter™ simply makes travel easier for all travellers.