Dealing with lost luggage on a flight
I am looking for suggestions regarding how to get a response from an airline regarding lost luggage.
Any and all help is appreciated!
Good Answers (11)
Emmanuel D
Group Head of Human Resources at Ramky Group
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Dan
there are two aspects :
A. Delayed luggage: usually for various reasons the luggage gets delayed and does not travel with you, the process is now standard across the globe. you fill in a Property Irregularity report ( PIR) and wait for the luggage to arrive in the next flight or in the next 24 hours. you also get compensated for the delay to purchase essential clothing.
B. Lost Luggage: here the luggage is not traceable for more than 3 days.
first question have you filled in the PIR report? where are your baggage tags.
Pl write or meet the concerned baggage handling staff of the airline.
It pays to be polite to them especially these men and women recieve a lot of high decibel rough language. you can be different if you are polite and firm.
if there is no response with in 24hours escalate. usually european airlines must be having an ombudsman to deal with such issues contact him.
if still there is no response ask your attorney to write a simple letter on your behalf\
My luggage was missing for over 25 days with an European airline but they retrieved it with and gave me all my contents with no loss at all. except the delay.
also my suitcase was replaced since it was damaged in this case.
cheers
Emmy
Dan,
I recently had my luggage lost on a flight to Jamaica. I went through the normal steps at the airport reporting the lost luggage and found out there were about 10 people on my flight in the same boat as me. While going through the process I could not help but notice the difference in technology for tracking the luggage or for filing a claim. The people at the desk were very friendly and reassuring in the very laid back, "no worries" way of the culture. They gave me a tracking number and a phone number to call and promised the bags would be delivered to the hotel. It tool almost 3 complete days, biut it did arrive as promised. There were times I was frsustrated and had to buy a few items at the hotel to tide me over till my stuff arrived. The important thing I had to remember though was I was at a beautiful hotel on a beauitiful island with my beautiful wife and that i honestly really did have "no worries". We all face things in our lives that are not planned or scheduled. some can seem very daunting, but the big picture is my luggage was only clothes and toothpaste and my original objective was to have a vacation with my wife and that is what i did.
I write and speak on change management and work to help people embrace change.
Links:
Alice D
Human Rights Instructor Virginia Tech, Substitute Teacher MCPS and Court Appointed Special Advocate
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Hi Dan,
Flying has become very frustrating. Follow the airline's procedures and if you booked through a travel agency or online with the carrier, write their CS to explain your situation. This will not help getting your luggage back but will hopefully alert them to the fact that customers are not happy. Many people forget to complain and so nothing changes.
We travel with more carry-on items now and have even considered leaving some items with friends/family in areas we frequently visit such as basic clothes and toiletries. I never put anything I love in the checked in luggage anymore and that has resulted in more carry-on bags but it is worth it.
Cheers, Alice
send an email to the CEO of the airline.. it always works
Tom F
Editorial Director at BankInfoSecurity.com
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Dan:
I've had good luck going through customer service via the airline websites. US Airways was very responsive when I lost a bag earlier this year.
best,
Tom
Hi Dan,
I've had the same misfortune while traveling to a resort location for a business conference. The airline gave me a courtesy toiletry kit with single use quantities. The resort had a store that even gave me a shirt for free - although I ended up having to go to the first day of the conference looking a day old and under dressed. Now I never check my bag unless I have to and then will wear something on the flight that can be pressed into service the next day if needed.
Here I am sitting at the airport with my 'unlost' luggage next to me. My advice would be to go to the airport and see the agents face to face. I believe most airlines in the US would try to accommodate you and may even provide a voucher so you can replace necessary clothing. If you are persistent I've heard that flight vouchers may also be provided.
Good luck!
Nick
Terrence S
Facilitating Change - Achieving Results
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Just a true story to share...
My brother-in-law had a flight from Newark NJ to Portland Oregon for a job interview. In Denver for a brief stopover, his luggage went the wrong way unbeknownst to him. When he got to Portland, he realized that his suit was gone and that he would have to go to the interview in shorts and a t-shirt. I'm happy to report that he got the job!
Olga K
Research Professional, Translator, Citizen of the World
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yeah, there are only 2 types of luggage: carry-on and lost... right...
persistence works... sometimes...
check with your credit card - maybe you are insured?
it'll make it a little easier...
Sheilah E
Owner, ★SME Management:.......... Business Management and Accounting Consultant
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This may not help with the current situation, but for future flights always take photos of your luggae and also make sure there is a way to tell your black (or any color) luggage from everyone else's. I use a bright color (yes it is ugly) duct tape on mine. I put a short and a long strip on the back and one strip on the front. I also add the same color to the handle.
Since everyone adds something you want yours to be a little different and also to have pics you can give them. In the past I had lost luggage that took weeks to find, now since branding my bags, both times they have lost them they have also found them within hours.
Sheilah
My bags were lost once when I was late for a flight and had to check my bags at the gate. Call customer service, they will send you paperwork to itemize everything you lost. I think they insure up to about 2000$. I filled out the paperwork and right when I was going to settle my claim they delivered the bag about two months late.
Brian M
at Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories
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The way the system works, the last airline you flew is responsible for tracing the bag. So if you flew airlines A,B and C, but B lost your bag, C is still responsible because that was your destination. be sure you talk to the right airline or you will get nowhere.
Be sure to properly report the bag loss BEFORE you leave the airport. Get a receipt for your notification, a tracking number, the airline lost baggage number and the name or ID number of the person who took the report. Once you have these items DO NOT PART WITH THEM to anyone for any reason. Take a photocopy and hand that over if necessary.
Maker sure that the airline tells you what the policy is for replacement and help while your bag is found (see other comments about toothpaste, shirts etc.). Most have an immediate small assistance but try to duck larger, longer assistance if the bag is lost for a long time.
Finally, don't put your diamonds in your bag. Total loss values are limited by an old international treaty and are very small. The diamonds will not be covered.
Good luck,
Brian MacLeod
