Dealing with a missing luggage while traveling is always an hassle and put travelers in a jeopardy. As much as a traveler tries to be careful in ensuring all items are safely secured, there are some moments when one has to deal with a missing luggage. A case of a missing luggage can either be the fault of the traveler, the airline, another traveler who has a similar bag or transit challenge.
When this happens, what will you need to do? Panic doesn’t solve anything, hence the best bet is to relax and follow some of the steps below to fix this issue.
1. KNOW YOUR LUGGAGE DETAILS
The first step to fixing the issue of a missing luggage during an air travel is to first know your luggage. It doesn’t stop as just knowing the luggage color or size. There would be other passenger with same type of suitcase similar to yours. To avoid this, know the color, size, brand and if possible, choose a suitcase with interesting colors. You can tuck your business card to a corner of the bag so it can be quickly linked to you when found. You can even brand a picture of your favorite pet on your luggage to avoid it been mistakenly picked by another commuter.
2. RETURN TO THE ARRIVAL GATE
In an event where you forget your luggage on the plane and have just remembered after you’ve deplaned. The first and important thing to do is to return to the arrival gate as there are chances the airline is still at the gate. In the event you find it, ensure you remember your seat number or have the detached copy of your boarding pass. This will make it easier for the flight employee to help you locate your seat quickly and trace the bag as you won’t be allowed back on the plane for security reasons.
3. VISIT THE BAGGAGE CLAIM DEPARTMENT FOR A MISSING LUGGAGE OR ITEM
In a situation where you have left the terminal but still within the airport and you suddenly realized you left your carry-on luggage on the plane. Or you remembered you forgot to pick your other phone from the seat pocket. Other times, you may never get to see your bag arrive on the conveyor belt.
If this happens, ensure you go to your airline Baggage Claim office within the airport and asked to speak to a representative. In some cases, all items retrieved from the plane may have been returned to this office. Or they may call the gate to confirm if the item has been found and returned to the podium. And in a situation where this hasn’t happened, fill out a Claim form for this missing item. Try to ensure it is as detailed as possible with a contact details you can be reached on when it is found.
4. CONTACT THE AIRPORT/AIRLINE
If you’ve left the airport by the time you realize you’ve lost an item or have a missing luggage, contact the airport or call the airline to report this. In most cases, you will be sent a form or directed to their website to fill a form detailing all the information on the missing item.
5. FOLLOW UP ON YOUR MISSING ITEM
If after all these has been done, make sure you follow up on your item. You can send an email or call the customer care number to check if your item has been recovered. Sometimes, the item may have been recovered but reaching you is proving difficult. When you follow up, you increase the chances of getting your lost item fast.
You can also track it online using the reference number you will be given to know how far the process of retrieval has gone.
In a situation where your bag cannot be found at all, airlines will let you know what your compensation options are. If you are traveling with valuables, it would be an advantage if you have the receipts of the items. Alternatively, ensure you have a travel insurance should you be traveling with valuable items to cover for the costs.
Below is a link to report a missing luggage on some airlines:
