Ah, the excitement of travel! The melodic hum of an airport, the cacophony of languages swirling in the air, and the anticipation of a new destination. But alas, there's a hiccup in this symphony: the dance of dread at the luggage carousel.

Picture this: You, weary traveler, alighting from a taxi in the murky light of dawn. A mediocre brew in hand, perhaps the flight was slightly delayed, but no matter - you're here. Right? And then it hits you: that sinking, gut-wrenching feeling when your once-pristine suitcase, now a shadow of its former self, limps around the carousel. Or worse, fails to make an appearance entirely.

Behold! Forbes, the torchbearer, shines a light on this all too familiar scenario. In a revealing exposé, they've enumerated airlines most "celebrated" for misplaced or damaged baggage from 2018 to 2022.

In the hot seat? The ever-frugal Ryanair, clocking in a whopping 950 complaints. Trailing not too far behind are the esteemed British Airways (844) and the sprightly easyJet (565).

But wait, a word from our friends at the Civil Aviation Authority. The data maestros, whose numbers have been invoked by Forbes, whisper a comforting reassurance: airlines must bear the burden when your baggage goes astray or finds itself in, ahem, a compromised condition.

Yet, as with all tales, there's more beneath the surface. Not accounted for? The sheer volume of passengers these airlines cater to. So while numbers don't lie, they might not tell the whole truth either.

EasyJet, not taking this lying down, took to the podium. With a declaration to This Is Money, they affirmed: ‘Our track record? Nearly immaculate. The independent luminary, World Tracer, confirms our prowess in luggage handling.’

Ryanair, not to be outdone, tossed its hat into the ring. With an arched brow, they quipped about the very backbone of Forbes' study. "Over 3,200 flights daily, across a staggering 230 destinations. The pièce de résistance? Just one bag amiss per nearly 10,000 patrons," a spokesperson coolly remarked.

So, fellow globetrotters, here’s the roll call of those airlines that have, shall we say, 'misplaced' their passengers' trust (and bags) from 2018-2022:

1. Ryanair (954 misadventures)
2. British Airways (844 escapades)
3. easyJet (565 capers)
4. Wizz Air (552 odysseys gone awry)
5. Norwegian (419 sagas)

6. Flybe (297 tales)
7. Turkish Airlines (195 narratives)
8. Virgin Atlantic (182 yarns)
9. Tap Portugal (160 chronicles)
10. Iberia (105 episodes)

Remember, adventurers, always keep your essentials close and your expectations closer. Safe travels!

Photo: [mukphotos] © 123RF.com