What to Do If the Airline Loses Your Bag
You arrive at your destination, ready to finally unwind on your long-awaited vacation, but find that your suitcase hasn’t gone on the journey with you.
It’s an uncomfortable situation to get into, but it probably isn’t the end of the world either. So, first of all, take a deep breath and don’t let airline mismanagement ruin your trip. The second is to check with the airline if your bag will arrive on the next plane in your current region. Again, it’s okay to be upset, but don’t put it on the agent who helps you – he or she hasn’t lost your bag.
Then report the absence. You will want to do this immediately, and if you had a connecting flight, be sure to notify the airline you used for the first leg of your trip.
“Please provide a detailed description of the size, color and material of the bag, including any identification tags,” writes The Points Guy . “Make sure your claim includes your local address and contact information, and be sure to obtain a Lost Baggage Check-in telephone number, as well as any reference or claim number.”
Ask the airline to reimburse you
When filling out the form, ask the airline how much they can reimburse you for your lost baggage. For example, Delta will reimburse a “reasonable expense” of $ 50 per day for the first five days of delayed baggage. Make sure you save your receipts.
And if your baggage is delayed more than 12 hours, any baggage fee will be refunded to you. Please note that this is most likely not applicable if your bag is lost on your flight home.
Credit card insurance
After the initial airline reimbursement, you can use the airline’s credit card or travel insurance to purchase any other necessary clothing and other items. This doesn’t mean you can buy a brand new wardrobe, but you can buy toiletries and other essentials to help you on your trip.
See your card’s Benefits Guide for full details. Chase, for example, will cover the cardholder and immediate family members, even if you haven’t traveled together, up to a certain dollar amount.
Specifically, Chase Sapphire Preferred will provide “compensation for emergency purchases of essential items such as toiletries and clothing when baggage is delayed or misdirected for more than six hours by a regular carrier such as an airline, bus, cruise ship or train. on a covered trip ”up to $ 100 per day for five days. Again, remember to keep your receipts.
Airlines had an average of three baggage complaints per 1,000 pieces of baggage in August, according to the Department of Transportation , so hopefully you won’t run into a lost bag. But if you do, know that you have several different options to help remedy the situation – or at least make it more manageable. This way, you can still enjoy the ride.