Ten minutes to write. Less time to read.

The airline industry announced yesterday that approximately 10,000 pieces of luggage go missing every day. And while this isn’t on the same scale as 10,000 people missing in some natural disaster, it makes me wonder what’s going on in the friendly skies. Ten thousand stray pieces of luggage a day amounts to over three million a year.

The report noted that most of the luggage eventually was reunited with its rightful owner, although I imagine each owner experienced a few hours of irritation beforehand. The scenario goes like this: You get off the plane and head for the luggage carousels, eager to have your possessions back in your hands. Maybe you’re starting your vacation and want to get to the beach; maybe you’re coming home and are tired. Regardless, you don’t anticipate that you will arrive at your destination and your stuff will not.

You wait while the bags begin to tumble onto the carousel or conveyor belt or whatever manner of assembly line the particular airport uses. You watch for the black one that is yours to come around, and it takes a while before you realize that many of your fellow passengers have gotten their bags and left the area. That’s when the first sinking feeling sets in. It’s my opinion that your luggage has been lost long before now; in fact, I suspect it didn’t even make the same airplane. But this is the moment of realization.

Each airline has a procedure in place for tracking missing luggage. Sometimes it can be traced quickly; other times, you need to go to the beach without your sunscreen or home to bed while the airlines do a search and replace. In that instance, your luggage — if it is retrieved — arrives at your door by taxicab, accompanied by an apology. You may have already had to purchase another swimsuit, but you’re willing to accept the apology anyway.

I’m glad that most luggage finally finds its way; but I also think passengers could help by taking only carry-on bags with them. I’ve seen what some people travel with, and it makes me wonder if they left anything at all behind. Airlines seem to be wondering this too, because recently several of them have inaugurated weight restrictions. You can still bring the kitchen sink, but you have to pay for it.