Lost Luggage
When London Mayor Boris Johnson made a scathing attack on Gatwick Airport after his holiday luggage went missing, many of you were probably nodding your head in vigorous agreement. It's a shameful fact that as many as two bags for every 1,000 passengers are lost or delayed. According to the Association of European Airlines, one out of every 2,000 delayed bags is lost for good. Sadly, there's not a lot you can do to prevent an airline or airport mishandling your baggage but here are some tips to minimise the risk and increase your chances of getting compensation.
Minimising the risk
One of the main reasons airlines cite for bags not making it to their destinations is passengers checking in late, so make sure your bags have enough time to travel from the check in desk to the aircraft by arriving early at the airport.
Airlines find it easier to reconcile passengers with their missing bags if they are clearly labelled. Some people don't like to put tags containing their name and address on the outside of their cases and these can easily get pulled off anyway, so it's advisable to put an address label on the inside of your luggage.
Your bags are far more likely to go missing when you transfer from one flight to another — according to the Air Transport Users Council 61% of mishandled bags relate to connecting passengers — so it's best to take direct flights with no change of plane. If you can't avoid a connection, pack some overnight essentials in your hand luggage, just in case.
Making a claim
You should inform the airline before you leave the airport that your bags have not arrived. This is not a legal requirement but it's difficult to make a lost baggage claim if you don't. Track down an airline representative or speak to someone from the airline's baggage handling company and ask to fill out a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) — a lost luggage form, to you and me.
You should be given a telephone number to call to check on the status of your missing bags. Make sure you also get the name and number of the person dealing with your complaint and call them regularly to check on the status of your lost luggage.
There are strict deadlines on claims for lost baggage compensation so make a formal claim in writing within 21 days. If your journey involved several airlines but your baggage was checked through to your final destination, you can claim against any of the airlines involved.
Dealing with delayed bags
If your bags are delayed by more than 24 hours, airlines will reimburse you for the purchase of essential items, such as toiletries and underwear, but it is advisable to check with the airline how much it will pay before you splash out on a new wardrobe. Some pay a fixed sum, others pay x amount per day up to a maximum number of days. Some pay cash at the airport, others will reimburse you later. Keep all receipts though — otherwise they could wriggle out of paying you a penny.
When a “missing bag” is “lost”
If a bag hasn't been found after 21 days, the airline must treat it as lost and pay you compensation. To assess your claim, the airline could ask for a list of items that were inside and may even demand original receipts for the goods.
Lost baggage compensation
You might be shocked to hear that an airline's maximum liability is 1,000 Special Drawing Rights, which in layman's terms in roughly £800. And that's per passenger, not per bag. Also, the airline will deduct an amount for depreciation.
Don't pack valuables
Airlines will not refund you for cash, jewellery or other valuables packed in lost luggage. You are advised to keep these on your person or pack them in your hand-luggage. Airlines also refuse to accept liability for perishable articles — so don't even think about bringing home some juicy steak from Argentina in your suitcase.
Take out insurance
A good, comprehensive travel insurance policy will usually pay more lost baggage compensation than an airline. Baggage cover comes as standard with all Travel Insurance Web policies — with £2,000 cover included for single trips and £2,500 on annual multi-trip policies.
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