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How can I decrease the
chance of losing my luggage?
Where can I find information on how often
an Airline loses or damages baggage?
How can I protect my luggage once I’ve made
it to my destination?
What should I do if my luggage is lost or
delayed?
How can I avoid damage to my luggage?
What will the Airline do if they have damaged
or cannot find my luggage?
How can I get a better reimbursement for
lost luggage?
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How can I decrease the chance
of losing my luggage?
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Get to the airport early so your bags will
make it on your flight.
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Carry on as many bags as the Airline allows.
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Allow plenty of time between connecting
flights so your luggage will be able to transfer on to your
next flight.
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Never leave your luggage unattended; always
keep an eye on them.
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Label your bags clearly with your name,
address and telephone number.
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Keep the paperwork you are given by the
Airline when you check your bags so that they will be easier
to track if your bags go missing.
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If your fashion sense can handle it, mark
your bags with bright colors by using colored tape. It will
be easier to find and criminals know they are more likely to
be noticed and remembered carrying out a unique bag.
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Remove any old flight information tags,
they may route your luggage to your last destination.
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Make sure the new tags placed on your bags
are from the correct Airline and they have the proper Airport's
destination code on them.
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You should label both the outside and the
inside of your bags, in case the outside tag gets pulled off.
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You should include the hotel information
where you are staying with dates so the bags will have a better
chance of finding their way to you.
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Pay attention to what type of luggage you
are carrying so you'll have a good description of them if they
go missing. Medium size black nylon probably describes half
the luggage on the plane. Identifying the brand name, size,
color, material, and distinguishing marks will help the Airline
to locate your luggage.
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If you are traveling with a friend, you
might consider switching some of your items with each other.
Putting a few outfits in their bag will give you something to
fall back on incase your bags go missing. In exchange, you can
offer to carry a few items for them in case their luggage goes
missing.
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Avoid using an Airline that loses or damages
lots of luggage.
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Where can I find information
on how often an Airline loses or damages baggage?
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www.dot.gov/airconsumer/index1.htm
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The U.S. Department of Transportation's
Air
Travel Consumer Report web page. This site contains information
on flight delays, mishandled baggage, oversales or overbooking
of flights, consumer complaints, and disability complaints for
the ten largest U.S. Airlines. Each of these sections provides
valuable information to assist the traveler in evaluating which
major Airline would provide them the best service.
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How can I protect my luggage
once I’ve made it to my destination?
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Once you have arrived, find out where your
luggage is being unloaded. It usually takes some time for the
luggage to get there, but it might also take a while for you
to get there. You don't need to run, but it is better that you
get there and wait for your bags then to have them waiting for
you. Remember they come out on a conveyor belt and anyone can
come up and get them. How is anyone else in the crowd supposed
to know to stop someone because they took your bags?
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It may not just be criminals, but other
passengers who mistake your medium sized black nylon bag for
their medium sized black nylon bag and off they go. You want
to be able to watch them drop and if they are not there, notify
the Airline immediately.
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Since so many bags do look alike, make sure
you check to make sure that the baggage you take is really yours.
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Check your bags and notify the Airline of
any missing or damaged luggage before you leave the airport.
This is where making a packing list will come in handy.
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As you leave the airport, watch your bags
until you get to your hotel room. Taxicab waiting lines, rental
car counters and hotel or rental car shuttle vans and even hotel
lobbies are all good places to loose your bags.
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Don't assume the drivers will unload all
your bags, they may be hurrying right back to the airport.
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Don't assume that if you just leave them
in the hotel's lobby that someone will bring them to your room.
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Rental car shuttle vans often have several
drop off points and another customer might accidentally grab
your bags and be out the gate before you even realize your bags
are gone.
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What should I do if my luggage
is lost or delayed?
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Make a claim before you leave the airport;
some claims will only be honored if they are made before you
leave airport property.
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Leave a good description of your luggage;
it will help the Airline to locate your luggage.
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Leave complete contact information and itinerary
for both your home and where you are currently staying.
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Notify those where you are staying of your
situation to make them aware for phone calls or deliveries.
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Find out whom you should call and when they'll
be available for updates on your luggage. Some Airlines are
beginning to offer an online tracking service that you can access
if your bags are lost.
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Find out the Airline's policy about missing
luggage. The Airlines will have a policy in writing that they
can provide to you. You want to know what will happen if you
buy replacement items and your luggage is found the next day.
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How can I avoid damage to my
luggage?
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Remove any shoulder straps; pull handles,
or other loose elements that could get caught on a conveyor
belt.
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Buy luggage with only retractable wheels.
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Consider using a shrink wrap service for
your luggage if your airport has one.
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If your bags have locks, use them, but better
yet avoid putting anything of real value in your checked bags.
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Avoid using an Airline that loses or damages
lots of baggage.
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What will the Airline do if
they have damaged or cannot find my luggage?
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It depends on the particular Airline, but
almost all Airlines currently set their liability maximum at
only $1250.00 USD per paid passenger fare on domestic flights.
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Particularly valuable items such as jewelry,
cash or electronics and fragile or perishable items are usually
not covered at all.
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You may also need to provide receipts for
the items lost.
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The value of the items will also be depreciated
so don't expect to get replacement value.
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International flights base the value of
your luggage on weight so make sure the weight of your luggage
is noted at check-in. If your luggage is not weighted, they
generally assume a weight of 70 pounds.
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How can I get a better reimbursement
for lost luggage?
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Purchase travel insurance.
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Declare and pay for a higher valuation of
your luggage.
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Check to see if you have any coverage under
your homeowner's policy.
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Check to see if any of your credit cards
offer coverage for your luggage.
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Keep the receipts for items you brought
with you.
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Keep the receipts for any replacement items
you purchased while your luggage was missing.
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Make packing list and leave a copy in a
safe place at home. This will not only help you to organize
and remember all the essentials, while cutting down on the fluff,
but it will also help you make out a claim form if your luggage
goes missing.
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Make a claim before you leave the airport;
they may not honor a claim made after you leave the airport
property.
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Appeal to the Airline's customer service
department for help with the claim since this issue may effect
your future use of the Airline's services.
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Section: AIRPORT SECURITY
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