Travellers can now have confidence that their bags are left in good hands as 2011 saw the lowest number of mishandled baggage amongst airlines.

According to research conducted by the Transport Department, 2011 was the year for the least missing bags with only 3.99 reports of missing luggage per 1,000 passengers, the lowest since 1988, KTUU reported.

2011 was also the year with the lowest rate of passengers bumped due to overbooked flights with only 0.81 passengers bumped per 10,000 passengers, the lowest rate since 2005.

While airlines shape up in the luggage and passenger treatment department, more grooming is needed in customer service as 5.1 percent more passenger complaints were filed about airlines’ services.

In total up to 11,545 complaints were submitted compared to 10,988 in 2010 and even 31 percent higher than 2009, which recorded 8,821 complaints.

"Our members are committed to and are delivering levels of safety and customer service that no other industry, given its complexity, matches," Airlines for America president Nicholas E Calio said.