Travelers Have Options When Luggage Goes Astray
By Julie Bisbee, The Daily Oklahoman, The Daily Oklahoman
Dec. 23–It’s a sinking feeling that most travelers know all too well. The baggage carousel keeps turning, but your suitcase never shows up.
Car keys
Wallet
Medications
Contacts, contact solutions, eyeglasses
Valuable items, jewelry, electronics
Nearly five of every 1,000 travelers lost a bag while flying in October, according to the most recent figures available from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
Add holiday stress and suitcases full of presents into the mix and that situation could become really emotional for travelers. One thing travelers need to remember is to file a missing luggage claim with their airline before leaving the airport.
Airlines often require baggage claims to be filled out in person and sometimes on the same day the bag is lost.
Many airlines, including Dallas-based Southwest and Houston-based Continental Airlines, require passengers with lost luggage to file a claim within four hours of arriving at the airport.
To file the claim, however, passengers need to remember a little about their luggage and what they packed.
“We’ve had people come in and report lost baggage and they can’t remember what their bag looks like,” said Paula Berg, spokeswoman for Southwest Airlines.
“You should also remember a few things that you packed in your suitcase, so the airline can see some distinct items and know it’s yours.”
Travel experts recommend marking suitcases with tags that include the traveler’s name, phone number and address.
Adding an e-mail address to the tag wouldn’t be a bad idea either.
“I use e-mail all the time, so that’s the best way to find me,” Berg said. “I always put my phone number on it and the phone number of where I’m going to be staying, as well.”
Having bright tags or ribbons on luggage is one way to make sure you grab your bag and not somebody else’s off the carousel, but travelers should still have vital information on the inside of the bag, Berg said.
Travelers also should keep the baggage claim slip they are given with their ticket. The number on the slip helps the airline find a suitcase.
Delays, transfers and late check-in are some of the reasons why baggage gets lost.
Most airlines require bags to be checked in at least 30 minutes before scheduled takeoff.
“Bags sometimes get pulled off a plane because of weight or delays,” said Karen Carney, spokeswoman for Will Rogers World Airport.
“Most of the time they can get it to the passenger within the same day.”
Continental boasts a 95 percent recovery rate, airline spokesman Martin De Leon said.
Bags that don’t make it to their owners immediately are held between three and four months by the airline.
“There’s a whole team of people that are dedicated to trying to connect people with their missing bags, jackets and sweaters,” Berg said.
“It’s amazing what people will leave behind. Car seats, golf clubs, snow boards.”
If the luggage never makes it to you, most airlines will offer some sort of settlement or cash reimbursement.
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