It is a scenario you don’t want to experience. You are watching the luggage carousel go round and round. Everyone else is gone and there are no more suitcases coming down the belt. You suitcase just isn’t there. You have just won the lost luggage lottery, a lottery that you would prefer not to win.
So just what do you do if your luggage goes missing or is delayed?
First you must report it to the airline immediately. Get a claim number and find out what, if any, compensation the airline will pay for delayed or missing luggage. Most airlines have a minimum time that the luggage must be missing before they will compensate you. It is usually 24 hours and the compensation is minimal.
Give the airline the name of your hotel and other contact information. If you will be starting a tour in the next day or two, let them know the name of the tour director, his/her cell phone number and where you will be in the next few days. Usually your luggage will arrive on the next flight and the airline will deliver it to your hotel.
If your luggage is delayed for more than a day or two or is lost, you are entitled to compensation. The amount will vary by airline and destination. Check with the airline for further information.
If you charged your trip/air fare on a credit card, the credit card company may provide lost luggage insurance. Check with the credit card company to see if you are eligible. If you purchased travel insurance, lost luggage may be covered under this insurance as well. Again, check with your insurance company.
Keep all receipts for the items that you need to purchase as a result of your missing luggage. Neither the airlines nor the insurance company will compensate you without receipts.
In most cases your suitcase will arrive within the 24 hours. The airline will have it dropped off at your hotel. It is a minor inconvenience to be without your things for a night but you will be so grateful to see that stray piece of luggage that you will soon forget all about it.
As more people travel, lost or delayed luggage is becoming more common. If you want to try to avoid this problem, if you are traveling on connecting flights and have sufficient time between flights don’t check your luggage all the way through. Pick it up at every airport where you change planes. This may sound like a lot of hassle but some airlines, like British Airways, are notorious for not getting your luggage on connecting flights. If you recheck your suitcase it is more likely to arrive at your destination on the same flight as you.
If you are traveling with someone else, pack a change of clothes in their suitcase. That way if one of the bags goes missing you still have a few things to tide you over until your bag arrives. Pack all your essentials in your carry on bag. I always put a t-shirt, a clean pair of underware and some flip-flops in my carry-on, just in case. With the new carry-on restrictions this is becoming more difficult to do but a t-shirt and pair of underware doesn’t take up much space and will be a godsend if your luggage does go missing.
