Travel Tip: What to do when you lose your baggage?

10:32 AM




We all hear different horror stories when traveling. One of which is your checked baggage damaged or getting lost. On my last domestic trip, my bag got delayed for almost a day. Thankfully it was found 12 hours after I arrived at my destination. It was returned to me the next day. 

Step 1: First thing to do is to report it to the airline's customer desk at the arrival destination. if you're baggage is damaged during the flight and you fail to report it at the arrival airport you're unlikely to get any compensation from the airline. 
Step 2: Fill up the baggage lost or damage form. They'll need the luggage tag # of the baggage for delayed or lost baggage. Should the baggage not need to go through customs (domestic flight), the bag when found should be sent to your address.
Step 3: Depending on the airline, damaged baggage compensation may not be immediately given. For delayed or lost baggage, they'll get back to you if they find it. 
Step 4: Make sure to get a telephone number and person or department to contact for follow up. For domestic flights for instance, it may be the person you reported to at the airport. Cebu Pacific for example doesn't have a hotline number dedicated for delayed or lost baggage. 
Step 5: Once item is found and delivered, your compensation should be given to you. See your particular airline's conditions of carriage for the details. 

If you have travel insurance for the trip, notify them after reporting to the airline. They might require certification or certain forms from the airline for verification. Check with your travel insurance for details. 


Bag finally returned
My checked baggage returned finally after 24 hours I arrived at my destination. 



Here are a few tips i learned from that experience: 
  • Label the inside and outside of your bag. There are instances that your luggage tag is damaged or lost while in transit. I’ve put a sticker with my name and contact number or email address behind the handle of the luggage. There’s no need to put your home address but you can put your hotel/ destination address. For the info inside the bag, you can put a piece of paper with your contact information. 



  • Put stickers or ribbons, or something to differentiate your baggage from the thousands of bags that pass through the airport. This will help the airline locate your baggage in case of loss. Fortunately, i had a sticker on my white bag which helped the airline locate it. Although luggage covers can be helpful, they too sometimes get lost in transit. I’ve lost more than a handful of them on several airlines. 

  • Take a photo of your baggage before checking in. In case you arrive at the destination and your bag is lost, you can show the photo of the bag to help the airline staff in filling out the paper work and to locate the bag. 
  • Take a photo of your luggage tag stubs. In case you misplace your boarding pass or luggage tags before arrival. It’s a handy way to make sure you have the tag #. some airlines though have apps that keeps that info when you check in and keeps track of your bag’s current location. American Airlines & Delta Airlines’ apps allow you to do this as long as you’re logged in with your booking. Unfortunately, most airlines do not offer these services. 



  • If your bag is damaged, misplaced or lost when you arrive at your destination. Make sure to approach an airline staff and fill out the information sheet. If you leave & don’t report it, you won’t be able to claim after the airline.
  • Make sure to get contact info and name where you can follow up on your missing baggage. I had to call the staff the night of my arrival to check if they’ve located and if & when i can expect my baggage. I had lost my bag with Cebu Pacific in a domestic flight and fortunately, they found it in the departure airport. They flew it in on the last flight of the day and i received it the next morning. 
  • Make sure to bring an extra set of clothes, important medicines, any valuables in your carry on. 
  • The airlines are required to give you compensation for delayed or lost baggage. Compensation for Delayed Baggage for domestic flights is P2000/24 hours after the arrival of the flight and is presumed lost if not returned after 7 days. 




If the bag suffered any damage or is lost, the maximum amount applies to international flights and half the maximum for domestic flights in its peso equivalent depending on the relevant convention applies  and the half the maximum amount (see specific airline for it’s conditions of carriage to see which convention).

If the airline completely lost your bag. The cost of the bag and its contents will likely be a lot more than what the airline will shoulder. The airline’s compensation for lost baggage is smaller and is computed by # of kgs of the bag.  

Sample: Cebu Pacific:

International flights : 
performed under the Warsaw Convention: lost or damaged baggage: checked bag:  $20/ kg

Under the Montreal Convention:
Airline is liable only up to the amount of 1.132 SDR 

Domestic Travel: determined in accordance with applicable domestic laws

PAL:
Domestic (journeys entirely within the PH) 
Unless a higher valuation has been declared at check-in. Loss or Damaged bag at P40/kg . If a bag weighing 20kgs is lost maximum you can claim is P800. Sq

For most International travel: 
Liability is approx. $20/kg for checked and $400 unchecked baggage. So for a 23 kg bag the maximum you can get $460. 

For travel wholly between US points: federal laws require any limit on liability to be at least $2500/ passenger. 

Bag is presumed lost if the baggage if passenger doesn’t receive it in 7 days. 


This is when having additional travel insurance is worth it. Compensation is usually larger than what the airline offers. Make sure to review your travel policy on what and how much is covered.

Cash, jewelry, and gadgets are often not covered. There are some companies that do cover laptop theft but is often not included. Make sure to bring these with you in your carry on. Keep receipts of items you purchased due to loss or delay of baggage should your travel insurance provider require them for your claim. 

The compensation for my delayed bag was given in cash upon delivery of the bag.

Airlines are supposed to deliver your delayed baggage to your address unless it has to go through customs. So for international flights, the passenger needs to claim the bag at the airport in person

Make sure to read the conditions of carriage of your airline as details may vary slightly per company. 




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