TravelTST’s Experts

The sad fact is that Airlines mishandle 7.34 out of 1000 pieces of luggage. Mishandle equals damaged, stolen or lost.

Most lost luggage gets claimed within 24 hours – keep your baggage sticker. Unclaimed bags usually are kept for 5 days at the airport. Then they are kept for 60 days in a storage centre; then they are donated to charity or sold.

Here are 7 ways to avoid or reduce the stress of losing your luggage.

1. Write a list of everything you have in your bags. The hardest tip first… This suggestion won’t be done by most people, but if you do it, you have a couple advantages. If you lose your bag, your airline will ask you about everything in it, in many cases even refusing to pay without receipts. With a packing list this is much easier to deal with. Also this is a checklist to use for your next, similar trip.

It’s always best to have what you packed, documented.

2. ID tag your bag. Attach your own luggage tag with your name and phone number on the outside of your bags. (Don’t put your mailing address on there.) When you check your bag, make sure that the baggage tag the agent provides you has the right flight number and destination on it.

3. Keep your baggage claim sticker. The baggage sticker you get when you check your bag is more important than it seems. Keep it safe. If your bag gets lost and you don’t have the claim check, the airline can claim that you didn’t have a bag.

4. Carry-on one change of clothes and don’t pack all your underwear in one bag. If you’re checking multiple bags, split vital stuff between them. That way if one gets lost, you won’t be without.

5. Fly nonstop as much as possible. The most common way luggage gets lost is during transfer between connections. So, if you can avoid changing planes, do it. Get your travel agents help to avoid connections that require switching terminals or airports.

6. Ship your baggage using UPS, Fedex or similar. More and more people are following this advice – see this ship your bags article. Airlines refuse to pay for many things that you might carry in your bag – basically they exclude all the most important stuff!

7. Get baggage insurance from a major insurer. Also, check if you have baggage coverage as part of your homeowner’s insurance policy, or it may be included with your credit card if you use that credit card to pay for the travel.