Tips and Tricks on How to Reconnect to Your Lost Luggage

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Tips and Tricks on How to Reconnect to Your Lost Luggage

Have you ever wondered how many delayed, damaged, stolen or lost luggage and bags on a daily basis in air travel? Unfortunately, according to report out of 10 bags 3 are lost or mishandled. If it happens to you in the future, here's the basic actions you can do to reunite with your lost luggage without delay.

Report your lost luggage quickly   

                

You arrived at your destination and you're in a luggage carousel waiting for your bag to show up but it's nowhere in sight or you're wondering where your luggage ended up too. If your baggage didn't show up on the carousel, go directly to the airport baggage claim office and file a written report of your lost luggage and reference your bag tag so that the airline can act immediately of locating your lost baggage. 

Know your rights and do not leave the airport even you're so tired because of a long flight but stay calm, cool your head and do not yell at the airline employees. Bear in mind that they are not the one who lost your luggage and they will do their best to help you most especially if they see that you are a good guy, they will work harder to track and reunite you with your luggage (Its human nature to help.) Hunt down your bag patiently because if you leave the airport, there might be a possibility that you may just get a run around if you return the next day to file the claim. Or after filing a report and the airline employees say, you can leave and they will just contact you, make sure to leave your hotel or home address, email address as well as the mobile number or phone number where they can reach you the soonest.

By the way, here're lists from the A Consumer Guide to Air Travel & Baggage Liability

Keep your Bag Tag

Do not throw away your bag tag because you will be needing it to follow up for your lost luggage. Also, try to post it on social media like Facebook or twitter. Social media nowadays is one of a powerful tool to reconnect with someone, most especially if it's your luggage.

Request for a Refund for the Purchases you’ve made

Most airlines provide reimbursement for the basic necessities purchased you’ve made while waiting for your lost luggage and send to them the receipt. You may want to check with the airline on how to ask for the refund.

Know the Contents of your Bag

Make sure you know what is inside your bag so that you can make a claim for reimbursement if worse comes to worse and your luggage will never show up.

Be Persistent and Do Not Give Up on Your Bag

After filing a report and leaving the airport, if you didn't hear from the airline the next day - contact them for an update. Call them every day to remind them of your lost luggage but be polite. It is a must to monitor the progress of the search for your bag. Every time you follow up for your lost luggage, reference them to your lost luggage reference claim number. Remember that “Persistence guarantees that results are inevitable.” — Paramahansa Yogananda

Moral of the Story?

I will take the advice of my aunt: Whenever I travel, I always pack a carry-on luggage for emergency purposes so that when things happened like this I have a backup. Also, if you can, there are many innovative travel luggage nowadays you can use to easily track the whereabouts of your luggage in case they go missing on your next travel like BlueSmart carry-on luggage, Rimowa, Shelfpack check-in luggage and many more.