Lost luggage, every traveller's worst nightmare
Report your luggage as missing
All baggage is managed by the airlines from check-in to arrival. So once you are sure your luggage has not arrived, report it as missing at your airline's desk in the baggage reclaim hall (this is sometimes operated by a third-party ground handler). If there is no one at the desk, call your airline instead.
File what's known as a property irregularity report (PIR) before you leave the airport. This official document is used to report incidents involving damaged, lost or delayed baggage. It serves as a record of the incident and is essential for initiating claims and tracking the status of the baggage.
To complete the PIR, you will need to provide: the details on your baggage claim tag (attached to your boarding pass or passport); your flight number and travel itinerary; a detailed description of your luggage; contact details; and a delivery address for where you are staying.
The airline will give you a reference number. Keep it safe as you will need this if you end up making a compensation or insurance claim. You can also input the reference number into the WorldTracer website, which provides up-to-date information on the status of lost baggage.
Meanwhile, the airline will use the information on the PIR to locate your luggage (hopefully).
Know your rights
Your rights to compensation for lost luggage depend on whether you are abroad/on holiday, or arriving home, when your suitcase goes walkabout.
If you have arrived at your holiday destination, you will usually be entitled to reimbursement for essential items, such as toiletries, basic clothing, medication and baby items. Some airlines offer a daily allowance for each day that your luggage is delayed, while others will reimburse you if you provide receipts for items you have bought.
You will get less cash from the airline if your luggage is delayed on your return home. This is because airlines presume you have clothes and other essentials available to you at home.
If your luggage is found, you will be notified by phone or email. The onus is on the airline to return your luggage to you – you shouldn't have to go back to the airport to collect it.
If your bag is still missing after 21 days, it is officially declared lost. You can then file a claim for compensation directly with the airline. You will need to include a list of lost items (with estimated values), proof of purchase if available, receipts for interim expenses, and a copy of your PIR.
The maximum compensation under international law (the Montreal Convention) is about £1,000 (the exact amount depends on currency fluctuations).
Depending on your cover, your travel insurance may pay out for amounts over this limit if the airline refuses to fully cover the loss.
Reduce the chances of your luggage getting lost
Label your luggage inside and out with your name and contact details, and take a quick photo of your bags before checking in. Make sure you remove barcodes and tags from previous flights. Consider tracking devices such as AirTags or Bluetooth trackers for easier tracking in the event that your bag does get lost.
Fly direct where possible. Direct flights significantly reduce the risk of lost luggage as they eliminate the potential for baggage transfer issues. If you need a layover, allow ample time for baggage transfers.
Get to the luggage carousel as soon as you can. This will reduce the chance of your luggage being stolen or taken by someone else by mistake. Use a unique luggage tag or accessory to make your bag easily identifiable.
Pack essentials, vital medication, a change of clothes and high-value items, in your hand luggage, just in case.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
4 hours ago
- The Sun
Motorway near major UK airport closed in BOTH directions as cops warn drivers to ‘find alternate routes'
A MOTORWAY close to a major UK airport has been shut in both directions. The M42 is closed between the junctions at Tonge and for the M1 at J23a, Leicestershire Police said. Cops have advised motorists to find alternative routes. The nature of the closure is not yet known but CCTV images show traffic having built up on the route. is your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video. Like us on Facebook at and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSun. 1
Telegraph
7 hours ago
- Telegraph
The truth about the commission airline staff earn on booze, bag charges and scratch-cards
You don't need to watch one of those fly-on-the-wall documentaries to appreciate that working for an airline can be a stressful job – and one that isn't always handsomely compensated. In theory, then, most of us wouldn't begrudge the opportunity for staff to earn themselves a bonus for good performance. In reality, some bonuses can prove more contentious than you might expect, particularly when customers are kept in the dark about them. For a prime example, look at the comments earlier this summer from Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary – never one to avoid controversy – when he said he wanted to see ground staff given extra money in return for enforcing the airline's notoriously strict baggage rules. Naturally, the comments ruffled some feathers from those who fear the low cost carrier is tough enough with its allowances. Ryanair has since confirmed that its ground staff are already paid a small commission, reportedly around €1.50 per bag intercepted. 'That is likely to rise to €2.50 per bag in October,' says a Ryanair spokesman. 'We are determined to eliminate the scourge of oversized bags which delays our boarding process and annoys the 99.9 per cent of passengers who comply with the rules.' It certainly isn't the first time that Ryanair's 'incentives' have come under the spotlight. It's been known since the mid-2010s that cabin crew were being paid a commission on any on-board sales – including alcohol and scratch-cards – to help the airline make more money. There were also suggestions at the time that staff with lower sales figures were being given less choice over their roster – something that the airline denies. An American invention Like many things in the budget airline world, the practice was pioneered by American carriers, who have become notorious for badgering their passengers to sign up to airline credit cards. According to one Spirit staffer, cabin crew can receive as much as $70 when a customer successfully takes out one of their cards. Either way, these incentives have now become an essential part of the deal when working for low-cost carriers and charter airlines in particular. 'When I worked as cabin crew for a major charter airline, around 40 per cent of my earnings was made up of on-board sales commissions,' says Charlotte Crocker, a former flight attendant who now provides training to cabin crew. 'We would sell duty-free products, headsets, food, drinks and anything else that was available. We weren't put under a huge amount of pressure from the airline, but they would offer extra bonuses – like a pair of designer sunglasses or something similar – to the best sellers.' As for the current incentives, Ryanair pays 10 per cent on all in-flight sales, as does its competitor Wizz Air. There are also extra incentives for high performers: when travel writer Rob Crossan attended a Wizz training day for The Telegraph a few years ago, he found that top sellers were given more choice over which routes they worked, meaning they could pick the higher-spending flights. While commission is still a big deal, the pressure from above has eased up over the years, say insiders, partly due to the number of airlines scrambling to recruit cabin crew. Though the ongoing cost of living crunch means that staff have an extra incentive to earn their bonuses, particularly when the standard salary for low-cost airlines can be around £20,000 per year. As for the legacy carriers, the emphasis on bonuses is much smaller. 'On the short-haul flights you can get commission on food and drink sales, but it's generally a much smaller part of your pay,' says a British Airways staffer. 'It's not like Ryanair where people make money from the non-stop alcohol [sales].' Mixed messages It's all rather intriguing given the general push towards responsible drinking, with Michael O'Leary in particular emerging as an unlikely voice of moderation in recent years. Last year, he even called for airports to enforce a two-drink minimum to help prevent on-board misbehaviour. Though when you weigh up the economics of in-flight hospitality, it's not hard to see why Ryanair might take a slightly different approach towards its own alcohol sales. According to IATA, the global aviation trade body, European airlines generate an average profit of just £6.80 per passenger (indeed if you divide Ryanair's profits by its passenger numbers, you get a very similar number). Those kinds of margins mean that hospitality sales can make a sizeable difference, particularly with alcoholic drinks. According to US industry figures, airlines typically make around 50 per cent profit on every alcoholic drink they sell, not least as they aren't subject to the same taxation rules as restaurants and bars. Even if they pay a 10 per cent bonus to the staff member who sold the drinks, they're still making a healthy profit. As for the baggage fees, Ryanair currently charges up to £75 for each item of over-sized baggage that gets stopped at the gate. If ground staff get €1.50 (or £1.30) for each bag they intercept, they're still getting a much less generous deal than their cabin crew peers. Arguably, they're also doing the far tougher job of having to tell disgruntled customers they need to pay more. Interestingly, the idea of paying bonuses to ground staff gets a thumbs up from cabin crew too. 'Sometimes I think that ground staff don't bother about stopping people with larger bags as they don't want the trouble,' says a flight attendant with one full-service airline. 'But that creates problems for us on board when there isn't enough locker space to go around.' On the other hand, if ground staff had an extra incentive to enforce the rules then passengers would be less inclined to try their luck in the first place. It also means that those who have shelled out the extra cash in order to bring on board more luggage won't feel aggrieved for having wasted their money, they suggest. That's the thing about airline bonuses: we might not always like them, but they do tend to make sense – at least from the perspective of those responsible for keeping the industry moving in the first place.
The Herald Scotland
8 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Council invests in new plane to support isles connectivity
The council is also set to purchase a landing craft vessel to provide flexible support across the internal ferry network and a runway roller/compactor to improve the maintenance of island airfields. The new aircraft will provide resilience for the islands as well as additional capacity by reducing the number of shared flights, while the landing craft will provide essential cover during ferry outages and peak periods. The roller/compactor will enable in-house teams to maintain airfields, ensuring compliance with the Civil Aviation Authority. READ MORE: Scotgov commits millions to support Orkney ferry fleet Airline to deliver 'world's first commercial hydrogen route' Highland Council backs plans for major windfarm off Orkney The full package is aimed at ensuring continuity for island residents and businesses, reducing service vulnerability and mitigating operational risks. With the proposals for the purchase agreed by Elected Members at Full Council in July, the council said it can now move to procurement and consulting with North Isles communities on the inter-island air services timetable based on a three aircraft operation. Council Leader Heather Woodbridge has welcomed the backing of her fellow Elected Members on the proposals, describing the decision as an "historic moment" for Orkney Islands Council in its ongoing work to meet isles connectivity challenges. She said: 'This investment represents a vital step forward in securing the future of our lifeline transport services. By taking a proactive approach, we're not only addressing current challenges but also building resilience for the years ahead. 'These assets will help ensure that our island communities remain connected, supported, and sustainable. The support from the Scottish Government in meeting these aims is hugely welcomed and testament to the good work that is taking place through our meetings with ministers and officials. Together these positive relationships and effective collaboration means we can tackle the challenges our communities face across our transport networks. 'The decision by Elected Members to use the funding in this way and take the huge step of purchasing an aircraft is an historic moment for this Council and I'm proud that we are making smart use of this one-off funding to deliver real, lasting benefits for Orkney.' Scottish Government Finance Secretary Shona Robison said: 'We recognised the unique challenges faced by island communities and the importance of targeted support to improve connectivity for people in Orkney. This funding helps the local community to develop solutions to these challenges whilst delivering on the ambitions of the National Islands Plan.'
