It’s every passenger’s fear: losing their baggage. More than the hassle, it can be expensive, and ruin your travel plans as well. Although the airline provides insurance for cases like these, the policies are usually limited and won’t cover the full cost of your loss. You can check with your own insurance company for extra protection in the event that you’re bringing expensive jewelry or equipment with you. It also won’t make up for the inconvenience a delayed, damaged or lost baggage will cost you. If you’re planning to travel anytime soon, here’s what you should know in the unfortunate event your baggage gets delayed or lost.
For lost or delayed baggage, if you have multiple flights on different airlines, the last airline to fly you is the airline that is responsible for your baggage. You’ll need to go to the airline counter to find out the status of your baggage. If the airline says that your baggage is just delayed, then you’ll have the option to wait for it to arrive, and ask the airline if they can buy you a meal while you’re waiting. Or, if you can’t wait, you can try requesting the airline to have your bags delivered to you. In any case, don’t be shy about asking for some sort of compensation. Although the airline isn’t obliged to take you on a shopping spree, ask if they have any overnight kits or, while your bags aren’t found yet, if you can buy an outfit you can get them to reimburse later. The airline will probably insist on seeing receipts for anything you claim, and may even require you to return the items to them in exchange for full reimbursement of their cost. You’ll also need to know the contact number of the airline so you can follow-up on the status of your baggage.