Airlines Fail to Deliver at Baggage Claim

As if delays and cancellations weren't enough of a headache, airline customers have another nuisance to deal with: a surge in lost bags. From May to July, US airlines delayed, lost, damaged, or confiscated a record 1 million pieces of luggage, the Washington Post reports. Airlines blame the air traffic control system and bad weather, but the culprits are manifold.

Restrictions on gels and liquids have resulted in more checked bags, and understaffed carriers, especially those that rely on flight-route hubs, aren't equipped to deal with the increase. None of these problems will be disappearing soon, and "the customer is going to keep taking it on the chin," said one expert. (More air travel stories.)