Guide to Dealing with Lost Luggage

Avoid late check-in and tight connections

The number one culprit for misdirected luggage is late check-in. Luggage that trundles down the conveyor belt at the last minute might not be loaded on the same plane you’re boarding. Avoid tight connections too; your luggage might make it on the originating flight but miss a connecting flight because the time between the two was too short.

I recommend: Arrive at the airport with plenty of time to spare. To speed the process, check in and print out your boarding passes on the airline Web site before you leave home or office (make sure you do this within the required time period, usually 24 hours to 90 minutes before flight departure).Then check your luggage in curbside or at a baggage kiosk when you arrive at the airport. You’ll have to clear security too so allow plenty of time for that.

Reduce the risk that your bag will go to the wrong destination

Before you leave home, tear off old baggage tags or other bar-coded markers that could send your bags to Brussels when you’re going to Boston. Then when your bags are tagged at the airport, make sure they bear the correct airport codes for transfer airports and final destination.

I recommend: When you peruse the alphabet soup of three-letter airport codes, it’s easy to see how Phoenix (PHX) can be mistaken for Portland, Oregon (PDX). Make sure you know the exact airport codes for each of your connection and destination cities, and scrutinize the bag tags before the bag is tossed on the conveyor belt.

Increase the chances that your bag will catch up with you

Weather and mechanical problems can play havoc with flight schedules, delaying you while your bag goes merrily on its way somewhere else. The key is to make it as easy as possible for the airline to know where to find you while you’re still enroute.

I recommend: Attach a copy of your itinerary (both outside and inside the bag) and key contact information so they can find you along the way. If your bag goes missing, let the airline baggage claim office know about the itinerary and ask that they forward the bag to the appropriate stop. Consider signing up with a luggage tracking service too.

Make sure your bag is easy to spot at the airport

In that sea of black bags tumbling off the airport luggage carousel, it’s easy to confuse one bag for another. To avoid having your bag mistakenly snatched by a harried grab-and-go traveler, make sure yours stands out in the crowd.

I recommend: Give serious thought to retiring your black wheeled bag with the pull-up handle and getting one in a bright color that won’t be lost in a sea of look-alike bags. If that’s not an option, put something on the outside of the bag that’s an instant eye-catcher, such as a colorful MyTag or a Belle Hop luggage tag.

If your bag doesn’t arrive, file a claim before leaving the airport

If you deplane to find that your luggage didn’t make it, do NOT leave the airport without filing a missing luggage claim. Most airlines require you to do so within 24 hours, and some say you should file the report within 4 hours of your arrival if you want to maximize the tracing process.

I recommend: Know ahead of time your airline’s procedures for dealing with lost luggage. This information is available on the airline Web site. To help speed the retrieval process, consider taking a photo of your bag before you leave home, then ask that it be attached to your claim form.

Know what insurance coverage you have

The airlines will probably pay you a small sum to cover necessities for the first few days your luggage is missing. Don’t expect them to pay you big bucks if they permanently lose your luggage. There’s a maximum allowable compensation and it usually falls short of covering full value of lost items.

I recommend: Check your homeowners or renters policy and your credit card benefits before you travel to determine what if any compensation you’re owed in the event your luggage is lost. If it’s inadequate, consider buying travel insurance