{"id":97190486,"date":"2017-07-28T18:48:46","date_gmt":"2017-07-28T18:48:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.com\/miles-away\/?p=97190486"},"modified":"2019-02-27T10:29:34","modified_gmt":"2019-02-27T10:29:34","slug":"guide-what-to-do-if-your-luggage-gets-lost","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.com\/miles-away\/guide-what-to-do-if-your-luggage-gets-lost\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cMy Bags Didn\u2019t Make It!\u201d A Guide on What to Do If Your Luggage Gets Lost"},"content":{"rendered":"

Imagine booking last minute flights<\/a> for a business trip. After quickly preparing and planning for a trip across the country you’re all packed and ready to go. Your plane lands, you disembark and head over to the baggage claim \u2014 only to find out that you\u2019re about to experience every traveler\u2019s nightmare: Your luggage is lost.<\/p>\n

Everything you brought with you, except the clothes on your back and what was in your carry-on is missing: clothes, shoes, toiletries. And you have a long week of meetings ahead. So now you have to scramble while your baggage is MIA for at least a few days to find replacements for everything that you packed…if you can.<\/p>\n

Whether you\u2019re traveling for business, leisure, or any other purpose, and your luggage goes missing; don\u2019t panic. Read these tips on what you can do to prevent landing at your destination bag-less and how to handle it if you do.<\/p>\n

Before Takeoff…
\n\"woman<\/a><\/h2>\n

Pack Your Bags in Preparation for the Worst Case<\/h2>\n

Oh, the joy of packing \u2014 so much to bring with so little space (along with following an abundance of TSA rules and regulations). It\u2019s better to be prepared than not be, so bring all your important and valuable materials (like jewelry, heirlooms, credit cards, and medication) along with your travel documents (passport, itinerary, tickets, etc) on your person or in your carry-on. \u00a0It\u2019s also a good idea to include some basic personal items in your carry-on –a change of clothes, travel size (and TSA approved) toiletries, etc — just in case your checked luggage isn\u2019t there when you land.<\/p>\n

Even if you booked last minute flights and you have limited time to spare, investigate the policies of the\u00a0airline you’re flying with regarding checked baggage, they can usually be found on the airline\u2019s website. Most policies are pretty similar, but it\u2019s helpful to know how much would be reimbursed if your luggage is lost. It’s a good idea to have an itemized list and receipts handy (like emailed to yourself)\u00a0to prove the value of anything costly\u00a0included in your checked baggage,\u00a0in case any explanation is needed while filing a claim for reimbursement. Be sure to attach a tag to the outside of your bag that has your name, phone number, and address. You can even get\u00a0techy and purchase luggage tags with a tracking chip<\/a>\u00a0to aid the search if your bags do go missing. Oh, and putting a note inside your bag with your itinerary and contact info\u00a0can go a long way in helping your airline reunite you with your luggage.<\/p>\n

Try to Avoid Short Layovers<\/h2>\n

A minimum layover of 90 minutes (and an extra 30 minutes during peak travel periods, such as the holidays) is recommended by most experts to ensure that you, your party, and your luggage have enough time to make it to a connecting flight. A commercial\u00a0flight can have over two hundred bags on board, which is why it\u2019s difficult for airport staff to quickly remove and transfer each bag from the plane in a short timeframe. If your luggage goes missing while connecting flights, the airline flying to your final destination is responsible and is who you should file a claim with.<\/p>\n

RELATED: Traveling with valuables? Here’s how to pack your most valuable possessions when traveling.<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Be Sure to Check in on Time<\/h2>\n

Just before you drop off your checked bags (and pray to the airline gods that they\u2019ll arrive with you), it\u2019s recommended to snap a photo of your bag with your phone, so you can give a detailed description if it\u2019s lost. Oh, and hold onto your receipt, it\u2019ll usually include a number to help track down your luggage if it doesn\u2019t make your flight.<\/p>\n

Late check-ins are one of the big reasons cited for why luggage gets lost. So, find out your airline\u2019s cut off time for checking luggage and try to get your bags in well before the very last minute.<\/p>\n

After You Land…
\n\"\"<\/a><\/h2>\n

File a Report for Your Lost Baggage ASAP<\/h2>\n

You\u2019ve been watching the baggage carousel slowly go around a million times but your luggage still hadn’t appeared, so WHAT NOW?! Keep calm and immediately go to the baggage claim office to file a report on your missing baggage. Before you leave the airport angry and empty-handed, take down the number of the clerk who filed your claim, request a copy of your claim, and ask for a customer service number to follow-up on the status of your bag. Keep in mind that all customers should be polite and understandable to the airline staff — remember they are doing their job to assist you and quickly find your luggage.<\/p>\n

Work Out the Reimbursement<\/h2>\n

In air travel, there\u2019s a difference between baggage that\u2019s \u201cmissing\u201d and baggage that\u2019s \u201clost.\u201d A missing bag can be returned within a few hours or days, but for international travel will be declared \u201clost\u201d<\/a> after 21 days.\u00a0Luckily, if you paid a baggage fee the airline is required\u00a0<\/a>to issue<\/a> you a refund<\/a> when your bag does not arrive with you. Depending on the airline you’re flying with and exchange rates reimbursement for baggage will vary. Check with your carrier for specific details on refunds.<\/p>\n

Check Your Insurance Policies<\/h2>\n

\"travel<\/a><\/p>\n

Have travel or home owner\u2019s insurance? If so, you may be in luck. Some insurance policies will cover lost or damaged items outside of the home including luggage. It\u2019s important to check your policy, sometimes even delayed luggage is covered. If you\u2019re a constant traveler, it may be a good idea to use a service like\u00a0Blue Ribbon Bags<\/a>, who (for a nominal fee before you depart) will keep you constantly updated on your luggage’s status\u00a0and offers $1,000 guaranteed for each bag not found after 4 days.<\/p>\n

Now that you’re aware of what to do when your luggage is lost, you’re all set to jet whether you booked those\u00a0last minute flights<\/a> or not.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Experience a similar traveling nightmare? Tell us your story in the comment section below!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Imagine booking last minute flights for a business trip. After quickly preparing and planning for a trip across the country you’re all packed and ready to go. Your plane lands, you disembark and head over to the baggage claim \u2014 only to find out that you\u2019re about to experience every traveler\u2019s nightmare: Your luggage is […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":192,"featured_media":97190488,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[52,56],"tags":[169,1740,2648,2647],"class_list":["post-97190486","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-air-travel","category-travel-tips","tag-baggage","tag-luggage","tag-travel-advice","tag-travel-emergency"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.com\/miles-away\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/97190486","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.com\/miles-away\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.com\/miles-away\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.com\/miles-away\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/192"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.com\/miles-away\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=97190486"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.com\/miles-away\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/97190486\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":97203645,"href":"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.com\/miles-away\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/97190486\/revisions\/97203645"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.com\/miles-away\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/97190488"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.com\/miles-away\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=97190486"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.com\/miles-away\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=97190486"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.com\/miles-away\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=97190486"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}