Personal Porter set to revolutionise travel

A new service aiming to reduce the long queues at check-in, move passengers more quickly through airports and make travel easier for everyone, has launched in the UK this month. Personal Porter is the first company in the UK to offer travellers an online and seamless global door-to-door luggage delivery service with real-time tracking via SMS.

The service bypasses traditional check-in by picking up your luggage at your home or office and delivering it to your final destination, ahead of your own arrival.

When compared to other existing door-to-door luggage delivery services in the UK, Personal Porter stands out as the only company to offer flexible luggage options, time definite windows and pro-active luggage management. With operations in both the UK and Australia, it provides unrivalled customer service and support.

British Airways’ recent introduction of their new luggage policy, along with similar moves from other airlines such as Aer Lingus, Flybe and Ryanair, signals the beginning of the end for the carriage of luggage as a free service by the airlines.

While airlines seek to lower luggage handling costs and reduce the number of lost and damaged bags, passengers are increasingly looking to the alternative where their luggage travels more reliably and securely, such as the service provided by Personal Porter.

Reduced luggage allowances and an increase in excess luggage costs, along with passengers carrying an additional 10% more in their hold luggage since last year’s terrorist scare, make things more difficult for the customer. Every year 204,000 checked-in bags are lost or stolen and a total of 30 million bags are being mishandled* – and these figures are set to rise. At Heathrow this means that an estimated 417,000 bags will be mishandled, 55,000 will be damaged or pilfered, and 14,000 bags will be lost or stolen per year.

For the UK’s Air Transport Users Council, luggage-related complaints were the number one source of complaint every year from 1999 to 2005. Even in 2006, when it was second, complaints increased again indicating that there is no sign of change.

“Airlines all over the world have identified luggage handling as a major issue and are wrestling with ways to address this. It costs the industry millions of pounds each year and we are witnessing the beginnings of how airlines will manage their luggage in the future” says Nick Blackledge, Managing Director of Personal Porter.

“On the other hand, 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. Our service reduces the stress of travelling and makes the whole experience more enjoyable. It can also reduce their journey by several hours that would normally have been spent either queuing up to check their bags in, or waiting for them in the arrivals hall,” says Blackledge.

Personal Porter aims to simplify today’s travel concept for both passengers and airlines. The 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.

For more information on Personal Porter, please visit Personalporter.com.

* Statistics were researched and published by SITA in January 2006. SITA are a service provider of IT Business Solutions and communications services to the air transport community.