What are your options if you lose your baggage?
2nd December 2011
There are many things to consider when you ‘misplace’ your baggage. Here are just a few tips on what you can do once you believe your luggage has been lost.
Search other conveyor belts
Airlines aren’t perfect and baggage handlers deal with several hundred bags each day. It is almost inevitable that some may end up on the wrong conveyor belt. Before you start tearing your hair out about only having the clothes on your back to last you for the next two weeks, check other surrounding carousels for your bag.
Be aware of other travellers
It would not be the first time or the last that a traveller has mistaken his or her bag for someone else’s. If you are one of the few remaining people left standing by the conveyor belt, check to see if a bag similar in size and shape to yours has been left behind. Someone may have mistakenly taken your bag.
Inform lost luggage
Immediately inform lost luggage at the airport if you believe your baggage has been lost. They will often ask you for your hotel details so that they can arrange the bag to be dropped off there once it has been recovered. Keep a record of the contact details of the desk and any other documents you sign, in case you need them at a later date.
Request a refund
Request that the airline provides funding for your expenses accrued whilst waiting for your luggage. Keep receipts of all purchases, as they will be needed by the carrier to reimburse you.
Contact your travel insurance company
It may be worth contacting your travel insurance provider to find out exactly how much you would be compensated should your baggage not be found. Provide them with a detailed list of all the lost items that you may need compensation for. Check the terms and conditions of any travel insurance you may have to see what you should do in the event of this happening to you.
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