You know the feeling: That creeping dread that rises as the baggage carousel goes around and around with no sign of your luggage. In the best cases, your bags pop up after a few tortuous minutes of waiting. But what if the carousel stops with no sign of your bags? Here’s a rundown on what to do if your luggage is lost.
Keep calm
Though you might be filled with anxiety, fear or even anger when you find yourself bag-less after a long flight, it’s important to keep calm. Rather than have a breakdown or fly into a rage, find your luggage tickets, your photo ID and the nearest airline counter or luggage desk. Many airlines have policies regarding how quickly a lost luggage claim must be filed, so it’s important to keep a level head and start the claim process as soon as possible. You’ll have plenty of time to kick, scream and release your frustrations when you get to your hotel.
Go to the luggage desk
Some airlines have dedicated luggage counters or rooms near baggage claim. If you spot one for your airline, this is where you need to go. Otherwise, you can try speaking with a customer service representative at the airline’s check-in counter. Give the representative your luggage tickets so he can try to track your bags in the system. In many cases, bags get mixed up and are put on the next flight. If this is the case, the airline will likely be able to deliver the luggage to your hotel or home. Before leaving the airport, be sure to get a copy of the report for your records.
Follow up
If your bags aren’t delivered when promised or if airline employees haven’t confirmed they were able to locate your luggage, don’t hesitate to follow up. It’s up to you to stay proactive by calling or emailing the airline to see what progress has been made toward getting your bags back to you. Depending on the situation, you may want to follow up once a day or every couple of days.
Keep your receipts
Most airlines have a reimbursement policy for passengers whose bags are delayed. You’ll need to check with your airline directly for specifics, but in most cases, the airline will reimburse you to a point for reasonable purchases (like toiletries and a fresh change of clothes). You will need to file a claim with the airline for reimbursement, so hang on to your receipts for these purchases.
When the bags are really lost
In the rarest of cases, your bags might not be found. However, this doesn’t mean you’re completely out of luck. Most airlines have a policy regarding reimbursement for lost luggage. You will likely need to file a claim and produce an itemized list of everything in the bag. You can file for reimbursement up to the airline’s limit.
(Main image: jepoirrier used under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license)
