After baggage delays, the first question passengers usually ask is, "Where is my bag?" Now, this question will first be answered by AI. China's first domestically produced large cruise ship, the "Adora Magic City," successfully completed its first commercial voyage on January 7, 2024. The ship departed from Shanghai and sailed to various destinations in East Asia, including South Korea and Japan. The voyage lasted for seven days and carried over 5,000 passengers. The successful launch of the "Adora Magic City" marks a significant milestone in the development of China's cruise industry and demonstrates the country's growing capabilities in shipbuilding and tourism.
The event took place in Doha, at the 59th annual meeting of AACO, which was hosted by Qatar Airways. According to SITA’s official press release and Aviation Business Middle East, SITA and the Arab Air Carriers Organization (AACO) signed a memorandum of understanding on November 3, 2026, making SITA’s AI-powered baggage service, WorldTracer Bag Mate, available to member airlines. This is not the first time the two organizations have collaborated; it marks the fourth consecutive year that they have launched a joint initiative.
According to a SITA press release, passengers can now use their own words to describe lost or damaged baggage on the airline's website or via WhatsApp. The same process applies to delayed baggage. AI will listen, ask clarifying questions to gather any missing information, and operate only within the established rules and guidelines of each airline. The case will be registered within SITA's global baggage tracing system, WorldTracer. Passengers will receive updates on the progress, and the AI will also handle any subsequent inquiries. Cases requiring human judgment will be transferred to baggage specialists, but by this point, all necessary information will have been collected.
This service is fully managed and operated by SITA. The entire process, from reporting to retrieval, is visible not only to airlines but also to airports and ground handling agents. The pilot program shows that a significant proportion of passenger interactions can be automated. However, its performance needs to be tested with a larger passenger volume.
At the time of signing this agreement, the industry faced significant baggage handling challenges. According to SITA’s “2026 Baggage IT Insights” report, the global baggage mishandling rate decreased by 23% in 2025. This decrease is genuine. However, mishandled baggage still cost the industry $6.3 billion that year, with three-quarters of the cost attributed to delays rather than loss or damage.
The situation in the Middle East is particularly unique. Selim Bouri, President of SITA Middle East and Africa, explained that approximately 40% of passengers in the Middle East are transit passengers, which is more than double the global average. Transit passengers are the primary cause of mishandled baggage. Therefore, baggage recovery capabilities have been incorporated into the service commitments of hub airlines in the region.
According to a press release and Ground Handling International, AACO Secretary General Abdul Wahab Teffaha stated that the memorandum reflects the shared commitment of both parties to leverage digital technology to enhance passenger experience and support airline operational efficiency. The goals of the collaboration are clearly defined: to help member airlines streamline baggage declaration and retrieval processes, and to provide passengers with clearer information and greater peace of mind.
For airlines, the direct benefit lies in reducing redundant calls and messages, allowing baggage teams to focus on handling cases that genuinely require human intervention. As for passengers, knowing the location of their baggage reduces anxiety, minimizes delays in the arrival hall, and consequently alleviates complaint pressure.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this memorandum isn't the technology itself, but rather the method of implementation. The regional association will uniformly sign the agreement at its annual conference, and the service will be delivered through a managed service model. This means that member airlines will not need to individually purchase and integrate the system, allowing even smaller airlines to quickly adopt the same process. Given the large number of airlines in the Arab region, with varying sizes, this approach represents a practical solution for them.
Globally, airlines are deploying AI in areas involving high repetition and low decision-making requirements, such as handling passenger complaints, initiating system-based investigations, and communicating progress updates. Human intervention is then reserved for cases requiring individual judgment. However, one point to note is that the automation percentages mentioned in the press release are based on the pilot phase, and specific figures have not been disclosed. The actual effectiveness will need to be verified through subsequent pilot programs.