You descend to baggage claim at your destination and begin waiting for your bag. Time passes as you wait and wait and the bags from your flight stop coming. Your nightmare came true. Starting your holiday without your belongings will be a real hassle.
There is more to knowing your lost luggage than just knowing its color, but you will also need to know its approximate size, maker, and contents. Knowing the steps to take when your bags go on a journey without you will go a long way towards minimising stress and helping you get on with your holiday. And remember to keep calm.
1. Don't panic
According to the Société Internationale de Télécommunications Aéronautiques's (SITA) 2016 Baggage Report, 79% of mishandled bags are just delayed and another statistic reports that there is a less than 2% chance that your bag is truly lost. Airlines today have sophisticated methods of locating luggage. Airlines also claim that they are getting better when it comes to safe handling of their passengers' belongings. The good news is that airports have been improving their statistics of finding lost items.
There is a 24-hour limit. Oftentimes the airport will find your missing luggage within 24 hours of your arrival. They usually find the bags on the next flight or mixed in with the wrong group of bags from a different flight.
2. Report your lost luggage immediately
Waiting to report your lost luggage is risky. Some airlines require that you report a lost bag within a certain number of hours. Inform the lost luggage counter before you leave the airport. You must file your claim immediately to receive compensation. Speak with a representative when filing a claim.
File a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) at the airline's customer service desk noting your flight details and a description of your bag. Narrate the following information: record locator number, flight number, and description of your bag (including color, shape, size, manufacturer, and any distinguishing characteristics).
The agent will give you an approximate amount of time that it will take before you hear from them.
3. Damaged luggage
In the event that your bag is damaged outside of these parameters, contact with the same customer service people in baggage claim.
4. Delayed luggage
If your bag is simply delayed, the PIR will let airline staff know how to return it to your next accommodation. Delayed luggage typically turns up on the next flight, so find out when that's due to arrive and ensure that the airline has details of your accommodation. For peace of mind, you may be able to track the progress of delayed bags online or by calling the airline.
5. Lost luggage
Airlines are obliged to cover the cost of replacement essentials. Reimbursing passengers for up to $3,300 when they can't find lost luggage on domestic flights and $1742 for international.
6. To avoid having your luggage lost again, purchase a luggage tracker tag.
'TRACE ME' offers a smart luggage tag with a personal identification number to make it easier for airlines to trace your bag.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
