How to prevent delayed or lost luggage or recover it if the worst happens


Delayed or lost luggage can ruin any trip. Find out how to prevent your bags from going missing or being delayed, plus help the airline locate them to recover them faster. 


Lost LuggageThousands of pieces of lost luggage have been piling up at London’s Heathrow Airport. Last week, things got so bad for Delta Air Lines customers that Delta dispatched an Airbus A330–200 to Heathrow, without a single passenger aboard, to retrieve a thousand pieces of Delta’s passengers’ stranded luggage and flew them to Detroit to return them to customers.

Flight disruptions take place normally this summer, both domestically in the U.S. and across the globe. Staff shortages continue to plague the airlines. That has largely caused much of the mishandled luggage problems plaguing air travel at the moment.

U.S. Government statistics show that there’s been a 65 percent increase in lost or delayed bags in 2022 compared to 2021.

In the U.S., the statistics accumulated and reported by the Office of Aviation Consumer Protection give an accurate picture of mishandled luggage; lost, damaged, delayed, and pilfered bags. Looking at the 2022 data (January-April), we see an average rate of mishandled bags at 6.4 bags per 1,000 bags enplaned, compared to just 3.9 during the same period in 2021. That’s a 65 percent increase in mishandled bags this year in the U.S. compared to last year, a troubling jump for air travelers.

Due to the current baggage mess, air travelers must do everything possible to prevent the airlines from mishandling their luggage and help recover their bags if lost or delayed. I have 18 hacks to help you accomplish the task.

Booking direct, non-stop flights or connecting flights with sufficiently long layovers can prevent your luggage from being lost or delayed.

You are being secretly taxed at airportsBook direct, non-stop flights, if possible:
According to SITA, more than half of the delayed and lost luggage occurs due to luggage transfer problems. Booking direct, non-stop flights eliminates those problems, increasing the chance your bag will arrive safely.

If you’re using connecting flights, schedule a long enough layover:
When booking connecting flights, choose long enough layovers to ensure you and your luggage make it to your next flight. I currently try not to schedule layovers of less than 90 minutes.

lost luggagePack light. Traveling with carry-on bags will prevent lost, stolen, damaged, or delayed luggage.

Travel only with carry-on luggage:
It’s obvious, but if you can, pack light and take everything in your carry-on.

Obtain travel insurance coverage for your luggage and contents:
The airline’s liability for your luggage and its contents on U.S. domestic flights is limited to their actual value, at a $3,800 maximum and much less for international flights. Travel insurance is your best bet if your luggage is significantly delayed or lost and you need to replace it.

Ship your luggage ahead:
Mainline shippers lose far fewer bags than the airlines. While they’re generally more expensive than checking your bag, shipping it to your destination can prevent your bag from being lost or stolen.

Be sure your luggage is properly identified inside and out and contains no old airline tags that can send your bags to the wrong airport.

Place a copy of your itinerary inside your bag:
To help you recover a lost or delayed bag while traveling, a trip itinerary in your bag and your business card can help you recover your bag.

Remove old airline and security tags:
Old airline tags can easily point your bags to the wrong destination. Before leaving for the airport, ensure no old tags or stickers are on your bags.

Remove anything dangling from your luggage:
Anything dangling from your luggage can cause your bag to be knocked off by airport baggage handling systems, which will likely, at best, delay your bag.

Identify your ownership of your luggage inside and out:
Most travelers have one ID tag on the outside of their bag. I use two, as I’ve found that luggage ID tags are often broken off. I also keep my business card prominently displayed inside my bag.

Pack duct tape on all travels:
I bring a couple of small rolls of duct tape to temporarily fix or seal my bags during my trips in case they’re damaged to keep my belongings safe in my bag. Unfortunately, I’ve needed to use duct tape on a few past journeys.

Photograph your bag and contents to help the airline find it if lost or delayed and help prove its value in case of a claim.

Photograph your bag and contents:
While it won’t prevent your checked luggage from being lost or delayed, photographing your bag and its contents before you leave home can help you recover it and ensure you’re properly compensated within the limits of airline and insurance liability. In addition, the photos can help the airline find your bag quickly to return it. I keep the photos on my smartphone for quick access while traveling.

Make your luggage stand out:
Make it difficult for someone to steal your luggage at baggage claim by making your bags impossible to miss. I use bright neon color luggage belts on my bags.

Use an electronic luggage tracker:
My smartphone is an iPhone. I insert an Apple AirTag into each of my bags to track them. In my opinion, the Apple “Find My” system is the best worldwide and U.S. domestic tracking system available today. If my bags are lost or delayed, I can help the airline find my bag using “Find My,” or if it’s in the airport, I use it to find it myself. I know from experience that Apple AirTags work.

Check your bags early:
Air travelers who arrive at the airport with minutes to spare may find that their luggage misses their flight. This year, I’ve been arriving at the airport at least two hours before my departure for a domestic flight and three hours before an international flight. Flying out of some airports may require me to arrive even earlier.

Ensure your airline baggage tags are accurate and keep your claim stub safe.

Check airline baggage tags for accuracy before they’re attached to your luggage:
Incorrect airline baggage tags can send your bags to the wrong airport. More than once, I’ve had a ticket agent begin to put the wrong tag on my bag. Check your tag’s accuracy before it’s put on your bag.

Safely keep your luggage claim stub until you’ve retrieved your luggage and checked its contents:
Your claim stub is your only checked bag proof and the only bag identification in the airline baggage system. If your bag is lost or delayed, you’ll need the stub to process a claim with the airline or insurance company.

Get to your flight’s gate on time:
The later you board your flight, the more likely you’ll be required to gate check your carry-on because the overhead bins are full. Even gate-checked bags can be lost or damaged.

Join Our Membership Program TodayPrepare for your luggage to be lost or delayed, just in case, so your journey isn’t ruined.

Prepare for a luggage loss:
I’ve had bags delayed for days at a time while on journeys. It’s not fun. I am prepared for delayed or lost luggage by packing all my valuables and breakables, plus essentials such as medications and a complete change of clothes, packed in my carry-on whenever traveling.

Using one or all of the above prevention methods will not guarantee you’ll never have lost or delayed luggage. But using them will improve the odds that your bags will arrive safely at your destination. If your bags are lost or delayed, following my other suggestions can minimize your loss and assist you and the airlines locate them.


READ ALSO:
Take time for travel gratitude — don’t focus on the doom and gloom
Beware in-flight theft while you get 40 winks during your flight


Previous

Next