Thousands of people are being left stranded on holidays or having returned from a trip thanks to airlines losing their checked baggage.
Airlines in Canada, Australia and the US have come under massive pressure from travellers, while the situation can be captured by looking at the Dublin Airport arrivals lounge, where there have been hundreds of abandoned bags left.
These are there because passengers are not willing to wait to discover what's happened their luggage once it doesn't materialise on the carousel belt.
Cody Candee, CEO of luggage storage company Bounce told the Irish Mirror of his top tips on what to do should an airline lose your bags.
Contact the Airline
"Rather than the airport, it’s the airlines that you should get in touch with in the first instance, and you should do this as soon as possible. There should usually be a representative from the airline at the airport, but if not, be sure to source their contact information and give them a call.
"You may also be asked to complete a lost baggage report describing the model, make, and colour of your baggage.
Ask to Have Your Luggage Delivered
"When you do speak to someone from the airline, ask them to forward your luggage to you, either at your home or to your holiday destination's accommodation. The airline in question should always offer this service to you, however, make sure to double-check when the process will take place.
"To keep a check on the delivery of your baggage, exchange contact details with the airline and ask for a tracking number to be granted.
Check for a Refund
"If your luggage is lost then you may be able to have your checked baggage fees refunded. If your luggage is delayed or missing, the airline has 21 days to find it and get it to you.
"If you get your luggage back within 21 days, you can still claim compensation for delayed luggage.
"If you don’t, you can make a claim for lost luggage.
Keep Any Receipts
"If you’re stuck without your luggage for a number of days, it’s likely that you’re going to have to buy things such as clothing, toiletries, and other essentials to keep you going until you get it back.
If this is the case, be sure to keep hold of all your receipts as you should be compensated for these.
Check Your Insurance
“Different insurance policies will have different coverage; be sure to check whether your travel insurance covers lost luggage or not.
"If not, it may even be worth checking your homeowner’s insurance, or the credit card you used to book the flight, as these sometimes have lost luggage benefits too.
Check Your Luggage
"Hopefully, you eventually get your luggage back, but when you do, be sure to give it a thorough check for damage, and make sure that there are no missing items either.
"If items are found damaged or missing, the airline should repair them”.
READ NEXT:
