Frequent Traveller #21: Lost Luggage what to do?

in travel •  8 years ago  (edited)

Arrived at your holiday location but your luggage didn't make it???

This is the worst thing most holiday travelers can imagine. You arrive in your holiday spot ready to go to the beach or explore the city and the airlines lost your luggage. But well don't worry about that as airlines are bound by law to pay compensation for your lost/ delayed luggage. Lost Luggage means usually delayed luggage, as luggage only gets lost in very rare cases. 

Any airlines is bound to the Montreal Convention so if your luggage didn't arrive the airlines will instruct you to buy anything you need and in Theorie they will re-imburse you. 

Berlin Lost Luggage Center

They got rid of the staff and you have to enter everything yourself....

This is a great idea.. except the pads are crashing all the time...

You can buy stuff you immediately need for up to 1000 SDR (around 1300 USD) 

Low cost airlines won't re-imburse you or will make problems if you buy too expensive stuff so if you fly try to fly normal carriers.

Carriers which pay once you make a claim:

  • Lufthansa
  • Swiss
  • Austrian Airlines
  • Cathay Pacific
  • Brithish Airways
  • ANA/ JAL
  • Airberlin (but takes up to 5 month)
  • American Carriers (Usually you get a gift card up to 250$ and you have to claim the rest)

Un-trustable Airlines:

  • Thai Airways
  • Singapore Airlines
  • Low-Cost Carriers
  • Turkish Airlines
  • Brussels Airlines (try to sneak out and not pay)

So if you have valuable clothes etc. in your checked luggage make sure to buy extra insurance yourself (via Creditcards or an annual fee insurance). Airlines usually won't pay up or try to only pay half etc. Write back and tell them that you don't want the clothes you bought and that they can pick it up and you want 100% re-imbursement. This will usually do the trick. 

The most important thing is to get a number at the missing luggage desk it will look like: LAX20199 (for L.A)

Did an airline mess up your vacation by losing your luggage?

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https://lf.wisag.aero/en/

link for berlin

AA once lost my luggage in NY, still waiting for reimbursement.

when did they loose it?

It was in 2014. It took them 2 1/2 days to find it. Unfortunately i m still waiting for an answer to my claim. I learned my lesson ;)

2 1/2 days is ok. anyway, if it is that long chances of getting payment is low

if you have proof that you have delievered everything to them, than I can help you with trying to get your money..pm me in chat

They already agreed on it. I sent them all the bills and waited, unfortunately never received an answer. Problem was I came from a sunny place for three days to NY, where it was -15° :( Anyway let's not look back :)

well, If you have proof that you sent it (registered mail or email scan) than they will pay even after 3-4 years. it might just be an error on there side. you could ask for miles instead of a flight. if the compensation was 300$ ask for 60.000 miles...

Do you know about this claim it website taking care of all the possible harassement on your behalf in exchange of 25% of anything they can get for you?

I have never tried it myself but I have read a lot about it in the press (I am rarely checking bags which solves all potential problems).

yeah, I know these companies, but why through away 25%? always try it yourself after rejection you could still give it to them.

Laziness? Although I cannot tell. Even if I am flying quit a few (although probably way less than you), I have my luggages in cabin with me most of the time which minimise the chances to get them lost.

me too. I barely check luggage these days ;) well being lazy might cost you 300$ so for me I take that 30minutes to write that letter if anything gets lost. ok but I made many claims in my life so I know how it works..

Interesting post thanks for the information congratulations and thanks for sharing

;)

These are great tips, especially Brussels Airlines!!