11 Tips for Coping with Lost Luggage

Lost luggage is the worst nightmare of many travelers.  Frequent travelers I know actually refuse to check bags as a way to avoid fees.

I personally got over the “checking bags makes you less of a road warrior” shtick many years ago.  Sometimes it’s just a necessity – and no longer one I feel guilt or shame over. But occasionally one is forced to check a bag even against their own best plans to carry on.

Where does checking bags become an issue?

On one of my trips to Istanbul, I knew checked bags would be a necessity.  I was on a 12-night trip that included a 7-night luxury cruise.  AI technically could have made it with a carry-on bag. But I also had planned to do some bulky shopping in Istanbul. That necessitated checked bags on the return.

Rather than risk Turkish packing, I traveled with two regulation-sized carry-on bags. The first held most of my clothing as a cabin bag. The second was a half-empty carry-on bag. On my way over, that bag contained sunscreen cans/bottles that were over 100 ml, a roll of bubble wrap, a roll of packing tape, and a large collapsible Longchamp tote. On the way back, the second bag was packed with carefully wrapped dishware and dirty clothing.  The collapsible tote came in handy when I made an 11th-hour unplanned rug purchase in the Grand Bazaar.  But my other packed carry-on held all the essentials for the next 48 hours of travel, including toiletries and clean clothing.

I was flying British Airways Club World to London, where I would overnight and then fly BA First back to the US the next afternoon.  Istanbul ground staff decided that my regulation-sized Tumi carry-on was not appropriately sized for cabin baggage. I decided not to argue about the appropriateness of my bag size. My carry-on was handed over with a request to “short check” the bag to London Heathrow, meaning it was supposed to be offloaded for my layover. But after I arrived in London, I discovered that my short checked bag did not arrive on the carousel with the others. Everything I needed for the night was in that force-checked bag.

Eleven lessons I have learned

The moral of this story is that there are things I could do that might have mitigated my chance of lost bags – or at least eased my pain.

1. Make certain that your bag is properly tagged with identifying information. Your frequent flyer bag tag (should you have one) may be sufficient if you are on your usual airline. But ideally, you should have a second tag with a business card or other contact information.
2. Keep a tracker tag (such as an AirTag) in all of your bags, even the ones that you don’t plan to check. This can it make it easier to locate exactly where your bag last was if it does get misplaced. It can also provide an extra level of reassurance that your bags are where you hope they are.
3. Keep essential items in one place, such as a packing square at the top of your bag.  While you might not plan to check your bag, this makes it easy to quickly grab anything essential should a counter agent or gate agent decide that your bag will NOT be boarding the plane with you.
4. Double-check the bag tags that are being put on your bag.  If it’s at the check-in counter, they should be printed, and you’ll receive a numbered receipt that includes the destination.  Don’t leave the counter without checking these.  If it’s at the gate, it may be a handwritten tag.  Double-check the agent’s instructions.
5. Monitor your airline’s baggage tracking app, if available. This will help you know early if something is wrong. In some cases, you can even flag the problem before your flight pulls back from the gate.
6. If your bag is not on the carousel, check other areas, such as the oversized belt or pulled baggage.  If you have encountered delays or had a connection, it’s possible your bag flew on a different flight and arrived ahead of you.
7. File a missing bag report with the airline as soon as you realize your bag did not make the flight.  Ask them to trace the last scan for your bag as well.  This will sometimes offer clues about where your bag might be and when it might arrive.
8. Proactively ask what the airline can provide you.  When I’ve had an urgent business meeting, and I’m missing files or business-appropriate attire, I have been successful in getting the airline to agree to reimburse a specific amount of expenses until the bag is located.  Many airlines also have emergency kits – in my case, BA provided me a kit that included a toothbrush/toothpaste, shower gel, shampoo, a razor, and an XL men’s white t-shirt (which became my sleepwear for the night).
9. Provide the airline with as much specific information as possible if you can give them a contact number and a lodging address. Staff can get your bag routed to you once it is found.
10. Follow up with baggage services in connecting airports. If you are in transit and your bag has not been located before you leave that location, follow up again at each subsequent location.
11. Consider carrying travel insurance – and also know what protections your credit card company offers. Last year, my bags were delayed more than 24 hours on one trip. Rather than panic, I bought about $1,200 worth of necessities, including cosmetics and clothes. Those were all reimbursed with receipts and proof of my delayed luggage.

Conclusion

Upon my onward check-in at Heathrow, BA First check-in staff followed up on the request and expedited my access back into the International Arrivals Hall, where I discovered my bag sitting in a supervisor’s office, ready for onward routing.  They released the bag to me as a properly sized carry-on, and I was able to finally change into a different outfit (after 24 hours in the same dress) and freshen up in the Concorde Lounge, so my adventure with lost baggage ended, at least for this journey.