Lost luggage at the airport: how to get compensation. Instructions. What to do if your luggage is lost Lost luggage at the airport what to do

If your luggage is lost at the airport, an unpleasant situation arises, the way out of which is difficult, but there is a way out. Anyone who travels frequently should know what to do if they lose their luggage. First you need to go to the counter where large luggage is issued. Even if the suitcase is small, it could simply be moved to this department by mistake. If the suitcase is not in the large section, then the airline has lost the baggage. Every airport should have a counter to search for lost luggage and hand over what is found. The first thing you should do is go there. Airport employees will give you a special form to fill out.

Lost luggage counter

It contains all the basic data:

last name and first name of the passenger;
contacts where you can contact the passenger: telephone, email, address;
flight number and route;
number of ticket;
you need to describe the lost suitcase, you can choose the appropriate one from the provided pictures.
it is advisable to describe the contents or indicate a few of the most remarkable things that will easily help you find your lost suitcase.

The form must be completed in the language of the destination country or in English. A total of 2 copies are filled out, one of which remains with the airline, and the other is given to the passenger. A claim about a lost suitcase is registered in the system and assigned a serial number. You can use the number to track the status of your lost luggage. Then all that remains is to wait for a message from the company that lost the luggage and is searching for it.

If the flight was carried out with the help of Aeroflot, you can contact its representative office at the airport.

It is also necessary to prove that the luggage contained essential items, for example, hygiene items. In this case, Aeroflot airline must provide money to purchase necessary items or a set of essential hygiene items.

If your luggage is lost at the airport, it will usually be recovered within 1-3 days. The airline that is at fault for missing luggage must notify the passenger that the luggage has been found and deliver it to the specified address. If the address was not specified, you will have to pick up your luggage at the nearest airport. In this case, the airline must compensate for transportation costs in the presence of appropriate receipts.

But it happens that the luggage is not located at all. It is considered irretrievably lost after 3 weeks or 21 days. In such cases, the passenger is entitled to compensation, which is determined depending on the weight of the loss. Each case is considered individually. On average, the amount of compensation is calculated at $20 per 1 kg, but not more than $1,500 in total. Regardless of how valuable the items were in your luggage, more than $1,500 will not be paid..

Aeroflot calculates compensation at 600 rubles per 1 kg of lost luggage. If the weight of the suitcase is unknown, compensation is automatically calculated at 35 kg of default weight.

If there is a video recording at the airport that luggage was taken from the transport belt by another passenger, then a call to the police will follow. It is better to transport valuables and expensive equipment in hand luggage, but sometimes they get lost. If you lose your hand luggage, you need to immediately contact the flight attendants; sometimes they shift the luggage to another compartment for safety reasons. If the loss is discovered after leaving the plane, you need to contact the baggage tracing service and draw up an appropriate report. The service, in turn, will contact the aircraft crew or the airport from which the flight took off.

If it is proven that hand luggage was lost during the flight, the airline will refund $400 regardless of what was in the luggage. In Russian airlines, the amount of compensation for hand luggage is 11,000 rubles. If there are receipts for goods that were in luggage, the airline must compensate their cost or part of it.

Reasons for losing luggage at the airport

The main reason for lost luggage at the airport is human error. This happens if, for example, the baggage handlers forgot to load the suitcase on the plane, or the wrong sticker was affixed, and the suitcase flew to Brazil instead of England. Things may be taken by mistake by another passenger who has the same suitcase. Most often, luggage gets lost if there are many transfers on the road. During the loading process, the sticker indicating the flight and passenger details may come off.

In order to avoid losing your luggage during a flight, you need to follow several rules:

It is better to choose a suitcase in a bright and catchy color to make it easier to find. You can attach some bright accessory, sticker or ribbon to it. It is advisable to take a photo of your luggage to make it easier to find it if lost.
If there are old tags from previous flights on the suitcase body, it is better to remove them, otherwise the scanner at distribution may send the baggage to the wrong place.
It is advisable to attach a tag with the owner’s contact information to the bag or suitcase.
It is better to arrive at check-in early, as there is less risk of losing your luggage in a hurry.
You need to carefully monitor that the tag is glued well and does not fall off during loading and unloading. The passenger must have a copy of it.
When flying with many transfers, you should definitely ask the airline if you need to check in your luggage again.
If you are transporting expensive and valuable items, it is better to insure your luggage. Then, in case of loss, you can count on compensation.
It is advisable to pack your suitcase in plastic to protect it from damage and opening.
For a fee, you can check in your luggage and declare its value.

If possible, it is better to choose non-stop flights, during which baggage most often goes missing.

Olga Stepanova

Reading time: 11 minutes

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Your luggage is lost at the airport - an unpleasant end to your trip! You arrive home from vacation, go to the baggage claim area - and after 5-10 minutes, you realize that your suitcase (and with it all your belongings, a camera with colorful vacation photos, souvenirs and favorite slippers) has disappeared in an unknown direction.

What to do, where to run, where to look for a suitcase and who to ask? Let’s sort out one of the most “popular” aviation problems without panic and depression!

Why do suitcases get lost?

According to statistics, out of 1000 passengers, 13 usually have their suitcases lost.

Moreover, 85% of them are lucky - their things are found literally in the first two days.

As for the rest, not everyone is lucky. Some have to seek compensation for damages.

Why do suitcases get lost?

Among the main reasons:

Airport staff made a mistake.
Passengers are looking in the wrong places. It is quite possible that the suitcase ended up in the large size department.
The tag was lost.
Someone took your suitcase by mistake.
Your suitcase was taken with malicious intent.
Your suitcase cannot keep up with you because the time period for the transfer is too short.
There was a tag left on the suitcase from another trip and there was a scanning error.

Video: Lost luggage at the airport - what should you do?

Where do lost suitcases go?

More than 10,000 unclaimed items are found at domestic airports every year. One suitcase is not taken away because the cargo was prohibited, another because it is even more expensive to return for it, a third because the passenger does not know where to look for it, etc.

Where do forgotten things go?

First, they are sent to the unclaimed baggage area - the one designed for suitcases left behind on international flights, or the one where items from domestic flights are stored.
After 30 days, in the absence of a request from the owner, the suitcase “goes” to the storage room for another six months.
If the owner never shows up, the item is disposed of. New items (if they have a label) are sold in a consignment store.

Where do you actually need to pick up your suitcase after landing?

Not everyone knows where to get their luggage after the plane lands.

Go through passport control.
Next - to the baggage claim line. Keep an eye on the board - it should indicate the flight number (it is on your boarding pass) and the tape number.
If there is no suitcase, make sure you are standing at the correct belt.
Still no suitcase? Check the “final point” where items forgotten on the belt are unloaded.
Check to see if your fragile or large-sized cargo is delivered elsewhere.

Video: Lost luggage at the airport - what to do?

Lost your suitcase at the airport - what to do?

Has your favorite suitcase gotten lost? Follow the instructions!

First, stay calm. You are far from the first person with a similar problem, and the mechanism for solving it has long been debugged and in most cases works well. If you remain within the law, then the law in this case is on your side. Therefore, resist the urge to attack the staff if your luggage is valuable to you. The more calm and confident you are, the more respectable you look in the eyes of the staff, the faster they will help you.
Have you pulled yourself together? Now go to the Lost & Found counter. It is usually located next to the baggage collection area.
If you couldn’t find this service, then there is a direct path for you - to the representative office (right here at the airport!) of the airline that managed to lose your suitcase. The carrier that checked and loaded your items onto the plane is responsible for your baggage.
Your task is to report the missing suitcase and file a claim. This can be done at the Lost & Found counter or at the airline representative.
We make a claim in writing and in free form (or on the form provided) , describing your luggage and all data as accurately as possible (flight number, number of missing suitcases, their signs, presence of tags or cellophane on bags/suitcases, brief description of the contents). Make a claim in 2 copies (one remains with the airport staff, and they certify and give the second to you) and do not forget to indicate your data in it - full name, passport, contact details, residential address within the city.
Documents for submitting an application: passport, tear-off coupon of your luggage tag, 2 acts of your claim with the date and time of its preparation, as well as with the number for checking your luggage through World Tracer.
Now all that's left to do is wait and periodically call the Lost&Found search department (don’t forget to get their contact number).

How to find lost suitcases at the airport?

Almost all major airports in the world operate with a single international search system. All data from the claim is entered into the database, and a search for a match with available information about unclaimed items immediately begins.

If a match is found, the search service staff will immediately find out where the suitcase is and notify the “lost” person. If the suitcase is stuck in another country, it will be sent on the next flight and the applicant will be contacted immediately upon arrival of the suitcase at the airport.

Important:

They may not call you. It is better to check the search status in World Tracer and call Lost&Found employees.
If an item is lost by a Russian airline, you can monitor the search on its website.
Some airlines do not deliver lost suitcases without a special letter from the applicant with a corresponding request. Please check with the search service in advance whether such a letter is needed.
The search for the suitcase usually takes 21 days. After this period, the item is considered irretrievably lost and compensation can be demanded.

How to get compensation for a lost suitcase?

An application for compensation should be submitted to the airline that caused the loss of luggage.

You can make such a demand within 2 years from the moment you register your loss.

How much will they pay for a lost suitcase?

17 dollars for each kg (approx. - according to the Warsaw Agreement). $35 for a suitcase that was not weighed.
1200-1300 euros for 1 piece of luggage (approx. – according to the Montreal Convention, according to the airline’s rate).

If the value of the items exceeds the amount of compensation offered to you, you can go to court.

If there is evidence, of course.

For damage to the suitcase, shortage of items or loss, the carrier is obliged to pay the following compensation:

For things that were with the passenger - according to their value. If the price is not determined, then it will be set at no more than 11,000 rubles.
For things with a declared value - according to the specified amount.
For items without a declared value - no more than 600 rubles per 1 kg.

We are not satisfied with the compensation – we go to court!

According to Article 118 of the Air Code of the Russian Federation, the injured passenger files a claim directly against the airline.

The following documents will be required:

Your statement.
Passport.
Baggage tag.
Your boarding pass (original!).
No. of the act on the search for your suitcase.
Details (your bank account) for transferring compensation.

Important!

If you have unexpected expenses due to the loss of your suitcase, then if you have receipts and evidence that the purchase was necessary (for example, you have an important business meeting, and the only suit was in your suitcase), you can request a refund of 50% of these expenses, or give the purchased item to the company and return 100% of the money.
Remember that you can demand compensation not only for the loss of a suitcase, but also for damage to things, for theft, for a broken or damaged suitcase, as well as for inconvenience caused to you due to the incompetence of the carrier. Therefore, be sure to save all receipts so that you have something to present later.
Before filing a claim, you should serve a statement on the carrier immediately after discovery of violations in order to try to resolve the dispute out of court.

Don't forget about compensation for moral damage!

You have the right to demand such compensation in accordance with the consumer protection law. You will need to prove not the fact that this harm was caused to you, but the fact that your consumer rights were violated.

There is no point in counting on millions maximum amount – 15,000 rubles , but it will not be superfluous if the case comes to court.

Important: The legal costs in the claim are borne by the defendant.

How to protect your suitcase from loss?

We reduce the risk of loss by following simple rules:

We save all receipts! Both for the things in the suitcase and for the suitcase itself.
We remove all stickers and tags from the suitcase after arrival, so that after scanning the old sticker the baggage does not go to another place.
We attach to the suitcase our own personal (in addition to the traditional luggage) strong tag with exact contact information (in Russian and English) - full name, phone numbers, your residential address, date of travel, etc.
When flying with a transfer, we clarify at which airport the baggage was checked in. Perhaps at the dock you need to get and check your suitcase again.
We provide the suitcase with brightness and visibility. First, choose a memorable, bright suitcase; secondly, we use all possible identification marks (bows, ribbons, badges, etc.).
We insure luggage if there are expensive items in the suitcase. the carrier will cost a pretty penny, so it’s better to choose a tour/insurance that will also cover your luggage.
We pack the suitcase in film.

Losing your favorite things at the airport will undoubtedly ruin the most memorable experience of any trip. Unfortunately, from lost luggage no one is immune. Both a novice and an experienced air passenger can encounter such a nuisance.

At the same time, many begin to panic, not knowing what to do and who to contact. And will it be possible to find the things and receive compensation from the carrier for the inconvenience caused? Every airline passenger has certain rights that they should be aware of. First of all, you need to go to the bulky baggage counter, where your suitcase could have mistakenly ended up. If there is nothing there, then most likely the airline has lost it. In this case, you should contact the lost and found baggage service (Lost & Found), which is available at every international airport, or the airline representative office.

You will need to fill out a report on irregularities during the transportation of baggage, the international name of which is P.I.R from the English property irregularity report. In the appropriate fields you will indicate:

contact information: phone number, email, residential address;
flight number along with the route you took;
air ticket number;
description of the missing suitcase. You just need to select the appropriate picture from the proposed options;
description of its contents. Be sure to include items that will make your luggage easy to identify. Agree that light green shoes or a Chinese dictionary are unlikely to be found in every second suitcase.

Please be aware that the airline may refuse to process claims if you do not complete a P.I.R. at baggage claim. The act is completed in two copies: for the passenger and the airline. Then you are given an individual application number, with which you can independently track its status on the airline’s website or using the World Tracer system. luggage search). You just have to wait for the results.

Air carrier assistance and baggage search

If your suitcase is lost abroad in another country in which you do not live, the airline is obliged to provide money for the purchase of essential items or provide a ready-made package. The rules of different carriers may vary. However, you have the right:

get a set of hygiene items
demand reimbursement of expenses for their purchase within the amount of 70-100 €. You just need to provide receipts.
demand a daily fixed payment for a specified period.

In most cases, a suitcase lost within the airport is found within 2-3 days, which the airline representatives will inform the passenger about. Found luggage may be delivered to the specified address, or you will have to go to the airport to pick it up. In this case, the air carrier is obliged to reimburse all transportation costs; you just need to provide the appropriate receipts.

Luggage is searched for 21 days from the moment of loss. If the suitcase is not found within this time, it is considered irretrievably lost or stolen. In such a situation, you have the right to demand compensation for material damage from the air carrier. The amount of compensation for damage to baggage, delay or loss is governed by the Warsaw and Montreal Conventions and the private rules of the air carrier. Each situation is considered individually. The approximate amount you can count on is $20 per kilogram of items, but not more than $1,500. You won’t be able to get more, even if there were diamonds or wads of money in your luggage. That’s why it’s so important to carry valuables in hand luggage.

How to get compensation

You need to make a written claim for damage (delay, loss) of luggage, to which a copy of the defect report is attached. Then describe the contents of the suitcase, indicating its approximate cost. If you have credit card statements or store receipts, it is advisable to provide them. The following must also be attached to the claim:

copy of passport;
baggage receipt;
boarding pass;
Bank details;
checks for the forced purchase of necessary things;
receipts confirming the costs of repairing the suitcase or a specialist’s conclusion that the luggage cannot be repaired.

To ensure that the air carrier does not refuse to consider the claim, it is important to comply with the deadlines for filing it. If the damaged suitcase was released at the airport building, the claim must be submitted no later than seven days from the date of its receipt. In the event that damaged luggage is delivered directly to your home, the application must be submitted no later than 21 days from the delivery period. If the suitcase is lost, you have the right to file a claim within 18 months. It happens that the airline refuses to pay compensation. Then feel free to go to court. In most cases, passengers win their lawsuits.

How to prevent luggage loss

Suitcases get lost for various reasons. For example, the check-in counter at the airport mixed up the stickers, and your luggage flew to Thailand instead of Turkey. The tag was poorly glued to the suitcase or it was torn off during loading, so your items did not end up on the plane, but rather at the Lost & Found service. The suitcase may get lost at the connecting airport when flying on a transit flight. Another passenger may take your luggage and confuse it with theirs. To prevent luggage loss, you need to:

buy a suitcase in a non-standard color, even purple with yellow polka dots. It's hard to confuse this one. You can add a distinctive detail: a large sticker, a bright ribbon;
remove tags from previous trips from your suitcase. Otherwise, the scanner may read the information incorrectly and send the luggage to the wrong place;
attach a tag with your name and phone number;
arrive early for registration so as not to lose your things in a hurry;
during check-in, make sure that the tag with your flight number is properly attached to the suitcase;
when flying with transfers, check whether you need to pick up your luggage at the connecting airport and check it in again;
It is advisable to wrap the suitcase with polyethylene, this will help protect it from some damage.

By following these simple rules, you will reduce the risk of losing your luggage and will be able to enjoy the vivid impressions of your trip, rather than spoil your nerves looking for your suitcase.

There comes a time in the life of every traveler when he is left alone near an empty baggage belt without his luggage and without a single chance for sympathy. What to do if your luggage is lost? Sequence of actions and possible options in case of loss of items checked in luggage.

If you are left without luggage, first of all, don't panic. There are two options, one good, the other not so good. There is a third option, a very bad one - but I hope it won’t come to that.

1. LUGGAGE WAS DELAYED IN TRANSPORT

Perhaps your luggage simply did not have time to be loaded onto the plane at the airport connection. This happens if a short connection occurs simultaneously with a time delay. You manage to change seats, but your luggage doesn’t. This case happens most often.

In this case, your luggage will arrive on the next flight or the next day and will be delivered to your hotel at the airline's expense.

This happened to us when connecting at Istanbul airport; we arrived from Kyiv and flew on to Hong Kong. The connecting time was an hour and a half, but the flight was delayed by about an hour and we literally managed to run from plane to plane at Istanbul airport. In Hong Kong, we didn’t see any luggage, we immediately found the Baggage sign in the arrivals hall, filled out a short receipt issued by the clerk, and indicated on the paper the address of the hotel where we were going to stay. The luggage arrived the next day.

2. LUGGAGE IS LOST

The luggage was lost and did not arrive the next day or several days later. The second most common option, which used to happen quite often in our native Boryspil airport.

As an example, I’ll tell you an incident that happened to my friends who were flying to Kyiv from Los Angeles via Moscow on an Aeroflot flight. Before Boryspil airport the luggage of one of them never arrived, it was not found, and the next day my friends flew home to Lviv without one suitcase. In the completed search application, they provided a description of the luggage - an approximate list of things and the address to which it could be delivered in Lviv. Three days later, airline representatives delivered their luggage to the specified address, but they did not receive any compensation.

3. BAGGAGE IS LOST IRREVOCABLY

If the luggage is not found within 5 days, which is extremely rare, then the carrier airline is involved in the search for another 21 days. After three weeks of searching, if the luggage is not found, it is considered missing and you can count on compensation from the airline. Usually it's $20 per 1 kg if you didn't check your luggage before the flight.

WHAT TO DO IN THE EVENT OF DELAY OR LOSS OF BAGGAGE

The sequence of actions is as follows:

We are looking for a sign in the airport arrival hall that says “Baggage Search”, “Lost and Found” or “Lost baggage” “Baggage Service”

We contact an employee of this service; if it happened abroad, suffice it to say - Excuse me. I have lost my baggage, help me, please.

We show baggage receipt, which is attached to the boarding pass - BaggageTag and passport.

We fill out the form given by the baggage tracing service employee; indicate the baggage delivery address - a hotel, for example, or a home address. If the address is unknown, the luggage can be collected at the airport.

Never lose your luggage receipt! Without it there will be additional problems and time delays, I hope it’s clear why.

I don’t have any examples of baggage being delayed longer than 5 days; such cases are quite rare. From my experience, I can advise that if you are flying on vacation together, take two suitcases, just do not put things according to the principle “each person has his own things in his own suitcase.” Distribute them evenly in both, if one is lost, you will have everything you need for the first time.

You can take photos of your luggage and luggage contents before departure. Well, if you are carrying something especially valuable, install a microchip in your suitcase or put a GPS navigator, then the luggage will be easier to find, although this is already from a parallel reality, as for me.

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