Airlines Lose,Delay,or  Damage Your Luggage?

Well, it is a fact that one out of every 1000 travelers has their luggage damaged or lost by the airline. If you fly every day, you’d undoubtedly think that in such a case, you’d have to make the entire journey with whatever you had left. Use these recommendations to assist you if your luggage is lost, damaged, or arrives late by airlines.

What can be done in such a case is a question that everyone has, therefore our advice is to first and foremost maintain patience while also keeping the recommendations listed below in mind. These hints can assist you in locating your misplaced luggage or in obtaining reimbursement from your airline for lost or damaged baggage. It is not uncommon for you to board a flight and discover that your luggage has been misplaced. It is unclear what to do in such a case. It is also possible that your luggage has arrived at the incorrect airport. There is an issue in this situation, however, there is optimism that things will be delivered shortly. What would you do if you found yourself in this situation at the airport? Let us assure you that if your luggage is lost or damaged at the airport, you need not be concerned; all you need to do is complete this task.

You should be aware that if you are traveling in the United States and your luggage gets lost at the airport, you can notify the airlines immediately. Yes, you can seek reimbursement from the airline for up to $3,500, or $2 lakh, in this situation.

Make contact with the authorities

If you can’t find your item on the conveyor belt, give it at least 30 minutes before declaring it missing. If you have gotten your luggage but it is in poor condition or has been damaged, does not cause a commotion at the airport by shouting at the airline workers and accusing them of misplacing your luggage. Contact airline personnel right once and report your luggage as missing or damaged. Remember that in such a scenario, you should strive to act as fast as feasible. When damage happens while the bag is under the airline’s control during transit, the airline is liable for repairing or reimbursing the passenger for damaged luggage and/or its contents. In the event of damaged baggage, as long as it is not the result of overpacking and malicious intent to harm, you can seek reimbursement from your airline. The provisions for delayed luggage are determined by the number of hours of delay. You can be paid for the necessities you require while your suitcase is delayed.

Proceed to the baggage claim area

As soon as you discover that your suitcase has not arrived at its destination, notify the airlines. The sooner you begin the process of locating your misplaced item, the sooner the situation will be fixed. In many situations, the suitcase was misplaced on the incorrect aircraft rather than being lost. You may submit your report in writing. Take a copy with you to exhibit if necessary. On most airlines, you have up to 24 hours to report a claim for domestic flights and seven days for international flights, however, restrictions vary by airline. Southwest and JetBlue need claims to be submitted within four hours, whereas Frontier requires 12 hours. Luggage carousels or conveyor systems bring checked bags to the passenger in a traditional baggage claim area. The customer service station for claiming excessive luggage or reporting lost or damaged baggage is usually located in the baggage claim area.

Fill up the PIR Form

Fill out the Property Irregularity form in the Baggage Service to file a complaint regarding misplaced or damaged baggage. If your bag is not discovered, personnel will ask you for personal and flight information, as well as information about the bag and its contents, to help them identify your luggage. You may also obtain the tracking number from them, which will assist you in tracking the products online. Within the baggage claim area, most airlines offer a specialized luggage counter. You could get a Property Irregularity Report (also known as PIR.) You must also submit a formal claim to the airline within seven days. The presence of a PIR does not ensure that the airline will accept your claim. A Property Irregularity Report (PIR) reference number is a one-of-a-kind code that allows us to track down your misplaced or damaged luggage. It consists of ten letters and digits and is located above your name on the PIR receipt. You may check the status of your luggage using your PIR reference number.

Discuss compensation

Any unforeseen loss of baggage or a delay of more than 24 hours is the responsibility of the airline. Even yet, they do not fully compensate for the loss. You have seven days from the date of your flight to write to the airline and request sufficient reimbursement for missing luggage. In the event of bag damage, airlines propose bag repair/replacement, however, reimbursement will require some professional-level discussion. Airlines are obligated to reimburse customers if their luggage is damaged, delayed, or lost under DOT rules (for domestic travel) and international treaties (for overseas travel). Even if the cost of the Complainant’s lost baggage exceeds the aforementioned maximum responsibility, the carriers’ liability in the event of baggage loss/damage is restricted to a maximum of INR 20,000/-. There are no federal rules mandating airlines to compensate customers financially or otherwise when their flights are delayed. Each airline has its protocols for dealing with delayed customers. Whether your flight is delayed for an extended period, ask airline personnel if they would pay for meals or a hotel stay.

How are you going to receive compensation?

This is dependent on what caused the delay; if it was not the airline’s fault, don’t expect reimbursement. Disruptions caused by harsh weather, airport or air traffic control staff strikes, or other “exceptional circumstances” are not compensable. First and foremost, keep detailed records of your merchandise. Keep detailed records of the brand, color, and size of your bag or luggage contents. If it is lost, you will be able to offer accurate information about the missing luggage to airline or airport officials, making it simpler to locate the luggage. However, each airline has its own set of restrictions. According to United’s website and the Huffington Post, American Airlines does not accept claims for misplaced luggage after you leave the airport. Even if you have already filed a claim, you must go online and fill out a claim form within 45 days. If your suitcase takes more than three days to arrive, you may be entitled to reimbursement of up to $95 thousand.

Compensation Claim

If the airline does not locate your luggage within 21 days, it is declared lost. In this instance, you must file a formal claim with the authorities for your misplaced luggage. Most airlines can reimburse you in cash or over the internet for anything from the incorrect worth of your lost luggage to the original purchase price. Airline companies such as Air India pay up to Rs 3000 for delays of more than 24 hours. There are no federal rules mandating airlines to compensate customers financially or otherwise when their flights are delayed. Each airline has its protocols for dealing with delayed customers. Whether your flight is delayed for an extended period, ask airline personnel if they would pay for meals or a hotel stay.

Note: Most airlines have a list of things for which they are not liable if they are lost, such as jewelry, cash, and other valuables.

Maintain Contact

Every day, airlines encounter a slew of difficulties. So get in touch with the airline regarding your misplaced luggage. Don’t let them forget about your misplaced luggage.

This will help you to some extent if your luggage is misplaced. Aside from that, if you are planning to travel, try not to bring too much luggage. This way, you may take it with you even on the airline.

Other Ideas

Use these steps to lessen the possibility of baggage being delayed, damaged, or lost –

• Before booking the ticket, inquire about luggage transit.

• Avoid connecting flights since they increase the likelihood of your luggage getting lost on the flight

• When purchasing a baggage case, consider something that stands out from the crowd, such as the color of the bag.

• Before checking in your luggage with airport and airline personnel, remove any tags from your bags to avoid misunderstanding.

Claim Submission Deadline

There are many deadlines for filing claims for damaged, delayed, and missing luggage:-

Damaged Products – Within 7 days of receipt of the goods

Missing or damaged luggage contents – within days of collecting/receiving your baggage

Baggage delays- might occur up to 21 days after the original flight date.

Claim Lost Baggage- as soon as possible, ideally within 21 days.