7 Steps to avoid a drama with lost baggage at the airport
We have all been there; Waiting at the baggage reclaim, people slowly thinning out until you are the only one standing, waiting, for bags that are still at your departure airport.
The stress of "lost bags" has to rank high on the list of anxieties of anyone using the worlds airport system.
If you are the one left at the carousel don't panic. Don't assume that your Samsonite case and Louis vuitton vanity bag are irretrievably lost. Unfortunately delays in baggage are common and it is more than likely that your bags will be reunited with you soon.
Lets put this issue into perspective: the latest report from SITA (Specialist in air transportation communications and IT solutions) concludes that of the 2.2 billion travellers who took to the skies in 2009, around 25 million bags were delayed, damaged or lost. That works out as just over 11 mishandled bags for every 1,000 passengers, at a cost to the airline industry of…. {wait for it}….. US$ 2.5 billion!
We know what you are thinking, "The airlines should do more to fix this!" and we agree that the airlines still have a way to go to address this issue but there are plenty of measures you can take to maximise the chances of getting your bag back to you quickly.
There’s seven simple steps to ensure your bags have the best chance of coming back to you:
Before You Travel
1. Take out travel insurance with valid baggage cover
Travel insurance now a days is a must, but check if your luggage is covered. You will be advised to obtain insurance that includes cover for delayed bags as well as lost.
2. Book direct flights where possible
In general any time you have a connection you increase the chances of your bags not arriving. Where ever possible fly direct. I know it is tempting to take these connection deals that save money when flying from A to C via B instead of flying non-stop from A to C, but if a transfer is involved or you have a tight connection, there’s a greater chance that you’ll be separated from your bags.
3. Make a bag inventory
If you ever claim compensation for a lost bag through an airline or travel insurance you will get a better response if you have a concrete list of the bags content. If you can’t remember what on earth you packed, you’re presenting a very weak case to receive fair compensation.
Therefore Before you travel, create an itemised list of the main contents of the bag including clothing, electrical items and most expensive items in your bag for safe-keeping.
4. Pack a change of clothes in your carry-on bag
Always pack light essentials in your carry-on bag – including a change of underwear, clothes and toiletries (be careful of the 100ml rule now in place at security) . Now you will have something to wear while your bag is recovered.
5. Don’t pack valuables
Even if you lock your case you cannot assume that it is going to be secure. Try not to pack expensive valuables in checked bags like ipods, laptops, digital cameras. Some people even pack cash, credit cards and jewellery. DON’T!.
6. Identify your Bag
Those flimsy cardboard luggage labels that airlines generously hand-out at the check-in desk can be easily ripped off bags in the rat race to get them into the aircraft hold. They are also a route to giving away your identity to an identity thief.
Invest in a robust Luggage tag like the ReboundTAG Microchip Bag Tag from www.reboundtag.com which can identify your bag while you don’t expose your identity.
While the check-in agent will affix a bar code to your suitcase to help track and identify your bag, this can be removed or damaged especially during a connection transfer. Make sure that this bag tag is attached to a secure component of the case or bag. You don’t want the tag to arrive attached to a handle without the bag!
On the day of travel
7. Arrive at the airport early
With the modern convenience of Checking-in at home online it is easy to fall into the trap of arriving at the airport late. If you are going to check a bag then the queues can still be there for the fast bag drop as they were when you used to have to check in at a counter. There is a finite amount of time that is needed for your bag to transverse the conveyors, security checks and the loading process. The later that you arrive, the more chance there is for your bags to be delayed.
Hopefully you will not loose your luggage on the next flight you take but if you do you will be in the best position if you follow the suggestions above.
The ReboundTAG Team
