lost luggage

When we go on a long-awaited vacation, we want it to be perfect, but sometimes it happens that troubles begin as soon as we step off the plane. After waiting in vain at the conveyor belt, you suddenly realize that your luggage is missing... What should you do to find it?

First of all, make sure that your luggage is not actually on the conveyor belts. Most often, luggage is not unloaded immediately, but in batches. Or suddenly it happens that a fellow traveler grabs your bag instead of his (that’s why I put a bright name tag on my suitcase), and then, realizing it, runs to return it to the owner. Well, what to do if your luggage is lost?

Instead of getting discouraged, you should file a lost luggage claim right away. You can file a claim at the office of the special search service ( Lost&Found), which is present at any major international airport.

1. In the baggage loss report, you must describe in detail the main characteristics of your lost baggage: size, color and shape, texture, handles, locks, number of wheels, etc.
2. The act must include the application number, your contact details, address, telephone numbers, as well as telephone numbers of the baggage tracing service or a representative of the airline you were flying with.
3. You must attach your passport and baggage tag to your written complaint. It is very important to keep your baggage check-in receipt, which is usually attached to your boarding pass. Without this receipt, it is very difficult to prove that you had luggage at all, so treat it with care.

Most international airlines are connected to the global baggage search system. The report drawn up by the baggage tracing service employee immediately falls into international program by luggage World Tracer, and the system begins to look for matches between the passenger’s request and information about the luggage found. After all, the most common reason luggage loss is commonplace - the tag came off, which is attached to a suitcase or bag when checking in for a flight at the airport. When this happens when transporting baggage to or from a flight or when transshipping from flight to flight, it is very difficult to determine which aircraft the baggage should be assigned to and who its owner is. Accordingly, the luggage is transferred to the Lost & Found department.

After entering into the system, the passenger is given a printout with the search request number. As soon as the system indicates that the luggage has been found and indicates its location, a Lost & Found employee finds out how long it will take for the luggage to be delivered and informs the passenger about this. As a rule, luggage is sent on the next flight, and in cases where it takes several days, the airline service ensures delivery to the exact address provided by the passenger.

But what to do if you still have personal hygiene items and urgently needed items in your luggage? Almost all companies provide a small monetary compensation ranging from 50 to 200 dollars.

If all efforts to find your lost luggage are unsuccessful, then after 21 days the luggage is considered lost or stolen. And now you can safely file a claim and demand compensation for the damage you have suffered. Compensation for lost and delayed baggage is governed by the Warsaw Convention and the Hague Protocol, which take precedence over local laws regarding international transport.

According to the Warsaw Convention on the Rules of International air transport and the Air Code of the Russian Federation, paragraph 2, paragraph 1, article 119, the carrier is obliged to compensate for the loss of checked baggage in the amount of:

- accepted for air transportation with declared value - in the amount of declared value

- without declaring value in the amount of the cost of luggage, but not more than six hundred rubles per kilogram of weight of luggage or cargo;

— if for some reason the luggage was not weighed, then the weight of 35 kilograms is reimbursed

- if by luck you still have receipts for the purchased items, then the carrier is obliged to reimburse the cost of the items on the receipts.

If you do not agree with the amount of compensation, then you need to submit a claim to the air carrier, accompanied by a letter explaining why you are not satisfied with the amount of compensation. It is very important to comply with the deadlines for filing a claim.

If you were given damaged luggage at the airport, you must submit a claim no later than 7 days from the date of receipt of the items. If damaged luggage was delivered to your home or office, the period increases to 21 days from the date of delivery. If luggage is lost, a claim must be filed within 18 months.

Well, if you are lucky, you can receive up to 5 thousand dollars as compensation. Otherwise, the air carrier must refuse you in writing. You can go to court with this refusal, as well as a copy of the claim. You can file a claim within two years from the day the baggage should have arrived at the destination airport. According to judicial statistics, judges most often side with the passenger. After all, they are also passengers...

According to statistics, 70 thousand suitcases are lost every day at airports around the world, 97 percent of which are found in the first week of searches. For those who are planning to fly to other cities and countries, Inde journalist Dinara Valeeva has compiled a small manual in case you are left on a trip without luggage.

What do the statistics say?

It's not the airlines that lose luggage, it's the airports. However, it is the carriers who are responsible to passengers. The tourists' hate list includes Charles de Gaulle in Paris, Heathrow in London and La Guardia in New York. Oddly enough, the safest in this regard is Moscow Domodedovo Airport: it has the lowest rate of baggage loss in the world - 0.6 pieces per 1000 pieces of luggage.

Every hour, 3,000 pieces of luggage are lost at airports around the world, and these numbers reach 25 million a year. 61 percent of this is luggage from passengers on connecting flights. By the way, in 97 percent of cases it would be more accurate to talk about a delay rather than a loss of a suitcase: according to statistics, airlines find luggage within one to five days. And only three percent of luggage ends up missing forever.

Why is this happening?

• Insufficient time to load suitcases between transit flights. The minimum connecting time should be at least 1–1.5 hours.
• Overbooking. Some airlines allow the purchase more flight tickets than the plane can accommodate. If you are left without a seat on the flight, you may be transferred to another plane, and your luggage may be delivered on the originally intended flight.
• Overload In addition to free luggage spaces, there are additionally paid spaces. If the plane is overloaded, the transportation of such baggage may become a higher priority for the airline for commercial reasons.
• Error in the baggage sorting system. Before entering the cargo compartment of the aircraft, suitcases pass along belts through scanners. The system's task is to determine where to send your suitcase using the barcode on the luggage tag (it is stuck at the check-in counter). If, in addition to the new sticker, it contains stickers left over from previous flights, there is a high probability that the suitcase will fly to another city.
• Human factor. For example, the negligence of baggage handlers who may forget to load your luggage onto the plane during connecting flights or lose your suitcase on the way to loading. If the luggage trolleys of passengers on a flight are overcrowded, there is a chance that a suitcase will fall out and end up on the runway.

What to do to avoid losing your luggage?

Follow a few simple rules:

• Be sure to tear off all tags left on the suitcase from previous trips. They can confuse automatic baggage sorting systems and send your suitcase to another airport.
• Use details that could distinguish your luggage on the endless delivery belt from other nondescript suitcases - for example, tie a bright ribbon or a toy keychain to the handle. This will help reduce the risk that your suitcase will be taken away by mistake by other passengers on the flight who have the same or very similar suitcases.
• If you have connecting flights, be sure to check the route of your luggage. You may have to pick up your suitcase at some airport and return it to the check-in counter.
• Attach a tag indicating personal information - addresses, Email and telephone numbers.
• Pay attention to the tag that is placed on your luggage at the check-in counter: it should indicate the code of the city you are flying to. Heading to Moscow? SVO, DME or VKO. Saint Petersburg? LED. Fly home to Kazan - KZN.
• Insure your luggage in advance if it contains valuables.

15 airports in cities that are popular destinations among Russian residents in 2015:

Sochi – AER
Kaliningrad – KGD
Vladivostok – VVO
Riga – RIX
Helsinki – HEL/HEM
Prague – PRG
Budapest – BUD
Paris – CDG (Charles de Gaulle) / ORY (Orly)
Berlin – TXL (Tegel) / SXF (Schönefeld)
Vienna – VIE
Rome – FCO
Barcelona – BCN
Tel Aviv – TLV
Dubai – DXB
Phuket – HKT

I've arrived. My suitcase is not on the delivery belt. What to do?

• Look around. Someone on the same flight as you could mistake your suitcase for their own and take it off the belt.
• If you are waiting for oversized luggage (musical instrument, baby stroller, porcelain statue, animal cage), go to a special counter - Bulky Baggage.
• Go to airline representatives (in case transit flight- to the last carrier), to the Lost & Found counter, and write a statement. Keep your passport and luggage tag with you - it is glued to your document or boarding pass. Indicate in the application all known information: route, appearance, the contents of your luggage (even down to the brands and colors of clothing), leave permanent and temporary contact information. The more detailed you do this, the greater the chances of finding your luggage. After submitting the application, you will receive a code with which you can track the status of the search for lost luggage on the Internet, on the WorldTracer website.

Tatiana Solomatina

How to return lost luggage: my experience with Aeroflot

Good day, friends! Lost your suitcase? It’s unpleasant, but it’s not worth killing yourself, it’s not the worst thing that can happen to you. In addition, according to statistics, 90% of lost bags are found in the first two days. But in order to be among the lucky ones, you need to inform the relevant services about what happened. There is a certain procedure that it is better to know about in advance.

Today we will talk about how to return lost luggage. Read the article, at the end I’ll tell you how Aeroflot returned my bag a year after the incident. I don't know whether to laugh or cry, but this real case from my life.

When crossing long distances, people usually use an airplane. If you consider that you need to get to overseas countries, then he has no equal in this matter. Currently, this is a very popular and convenient transport, but the ticket costs a lot. Passengers pay money and hope for a comfortable, conscientious flight. Unfortunately, sometimes when they arrive at their destination, they find out that their luggage has been lost by the air carrier.

What to do in such situations? How to return lost luggage? How can he even get lost? Let's look at these questions in more detail.

There are many reasons, from the banal human factor - the tag was poorly glued, the connection was not sorted out at a third-party airport, the passengers themselves mixed up the suitcases, to technical failures in electronic system moving luggage.

Let's look at the statistics that cause luggage to be lost:

• No connection on connecting flights - 50%
• Problem with tags - 15%
• Owners do not take it - 15%
• Other reasons - 20%

Along with the old method of sorting luggage, innovations have been introduced in major air harbors, new system moving luggage. I suggest you look short video, which shows the entire path of luggage, from the plane to the belt. This will give you a better understanding of how luggage is delivered at major airports. I'm sure you've never seen anything like this before.

What to do if your luggage is lost?

Important! It is best not to delay the search and begin to resolve the issue immediately. There is no need to go to the arrivals area. Most often, the baggage search counter is located in the hall where the tape is spinning. It is rare, but it happens that the airport does not have this service, then you should directly contact the airline that made the flight.

We prepare documents

First of all, you need to notify the baggage tracing service about lost luggage. He will need to present his passport, luggage tag, and boarding pass.

The service employee will provide a receipt form that the passenger must fill out. Next you have to fill out a few more forms. The list of documents is different at each airport.

Standard documents are a statement from the passenger about missing luggage and a report (receipt) about its search.

You should not write in your statement about your dissatisfaction with the carelessness of the airline employees. This is of no use.

You need to provide information that will help you find your luggage - full name, date of flight, flight number, residential address, length of stay in the country, residential address in the country, contact information, for example, telephone number.

Appearance of luggage

The statement should describe the lost luggage itself - its shape, color, any distinctive characteristics, contents of the suitcase.

The employee will ask you to identify the shape of the suitcase using a table. Each piece of luggage is digitally coded and entered into a spreadsheet.

Important! It happens that when packing, luggage loses its shape. This happens when the film used to pack luggage compresses it, thereby giving it a different shape. This means that it is very easy to confuse your luggage with other luggage. Therefore, it is worth telling the service employee about this in order to make appropriate amendments to the search system.

Baggage assessment, paradox

The procedure ends with baggage assessment. This has its own difficulties.

According to the Air Code of the Russian Federation (Article 119), if baggage is accepted for air transportation with a declared value, then in case of loss, the passenger must be returned the declared amount. But in practice, rarely does anyone evaluate a suitcase before returning it, this payable service and it is not mandatory; there is no such clause in the contract between the airline and the passenger. Therefore, the carrier returns only the amount set by him - no more than 600 rubles per kilogram of cargo.

In principle, each airport compensates for damages differently. It happens that the carrier sets monetary restrictions.

What happens next?

Based on your data, the employee will register a statement in the World Tracer search system. This automatic system Luggage tracing allows you to find a lost suitcase anywhere in the world.

After registration of all necessary documents, the specialist will issue a copy of the receipt with the case number and telephone numbers that the passenger can call and inquire about the results of the investigation.

When you arrive home or at a hotel, you shouldn’t relax. It is advisable to call the service daily and inquire about the ongoing investigation. At every telephone conversation Different employees will talk to the passenger. Get ready to tell the “baggage” story more than once.

In addition, you can independently track the path of searching for lost luggage using the World Tracer system, using an identification number. If the baggage is recorded in the system, there will definitely be information there.

Baggage change

There are common cases when someone else's suitcase may be taken away by mistake in the baggage claim area. This situation is called baggage swapping. It is registered differently in the search system. In this case, they will look for the owner of the abandoned luggage.

But there is one caveat. While the documents are being processed, the passenger who took someone else’s luggage can already leave the airport. Therefore, if possible, it is worth insisting on a speakerphone notification. Then we can hope that the person who took the wrong luggage will hear this information.

Baggage badges are not checked in international terminals. The level of baggage exchange here is quite high. It's much easier for domestic flights. There, tags are most often looked at and inattentive passengers are immediately identified.

It is worth remembering that the system is not perfect, and it can make mistakes. Don't trust her completely. You need to allow for the human factor, and not be afraid to look ridiculous in this whole situation. At the airport, it is better to be vigilant, look around, and do not hesitate to approach people and ask them to double-check whether they have taken their luggage. Timely steps taken will help avoid unpleasant situations.

Transit flight

If the passenger is in transit at the airport, and boarding for the next flight has already been announced, you must immediately contact the airline and report the situation. Some carriers accommodate the passenger halfway and delay the flight while the passenger completes the paperwork.

If there is no time for this procedure, then you can in writing report the incident and attach the necessary documents. The time limit for filing a claim is limited by the interests of the passenger. The carrier begins to consider the application within a month.

Official dates

• Within 21 days from the moment the plane arrives, they try to find the lost luggage.
• It will be officially considered lost on the 22nd day.
• The deadline for filing a claim for lost luggage is 6 months. This is for domestic flights. For international applications, this period reaches 18 months.
• The airline reviews the submitted application within 45 days. After given period they communicate their decision in writing. If the letter has not arrived, the passenger has the right to file a claim and decide this question in a court.

What payments and compensations are possible?

• Airlines Russian Federation They only give out 600 rubles per kilogram of cargo.
• During your search, major carriers may issue non-refundable credit for essential items such as linen, toothbrush and pasta. This loan is approximately $50.
• Lawyers recommend keeping receipts for lost items. They can then be attached to the application, then the airline will compensate for the damage using these checks. But they determine the extent of the damage themselves. Perhaps it will be 50% of the amount on checks.

Baggage insurance

The easiest way to protect yourself from financial losses is to insure your luggage. But for this, again, you will have to fork out money.

Each Insurance Company offers such a service. However, keep in mind that this measure will in no way save you from the problem of “staying naked” if your suitcase is lost on the way to vacation. Because insurance payment you will receive only upon returning home.

The easiest way is to insure your luggage with the company where you purchased your medical insurance. You need to add this service when purchasing a policy. However, this option is not always profitable. It often happens that some insurance companies best deals By medical services, while others have better offers on other types of insurance. Here you need to carefully analyze the market and understand the issue. I wrote more about insurance.

Advice. Before you buy insurance, find out how much it will cost to check your luggage with the declared value of the compensation amount. This can be done for a fee. Perhaps this solution to the problem will be more beneficial for you.

How to avoid a situation with lost luggage?

• You must make your suitcase “unique”. For example, attach a ribbon to its handle or stick bright tape over the packaging. This measure will not only allow you to quickly find it on the belt, but will also help other passengers not to confuse their luggage.
• Before checking in, be sure to clear your suitcase of stickers from old trips.
• It would be nice if you attach a tag with the owner’s contact information to your luggage.
• Make sure that the sticker is properly attached to your luggage during check-in.
• During a transit flight, your baggage is usually transferred to the next flight without your participation. However, it is still worth clarifying this issue when registering. But do not confuse a transit flight purchased with one ticket with a flight where you purchased tickets for each flight separately. In the second case, you will definitely have to receive and check in your luggage at intermediate points yourself.
• Statistics say that every minute someone loses their luggage. Therefore, it is worth being safe. Just in case, take the most necessary and valuable things in your hand luggage.

My experience with Aeroflot

Like many frequently traveling tourists, I also lost my luggage. It happened in 2015, the carrier of the ball was Aeroflot airline.

We were returning home from Thailand, the flight was long and we were very tired. Plus, I wasn’t feeling well on the plane; I wanted to get home quickly, go to bed and take some medicine.

Right before the flight, we took a swim so as not to put wet swimwear, fins and masks in the suitcase, and packed all this stuff in a separate bag. That’s why we missed her at Sheremetyevo.

Realizing that the bag was lost, we went to the baggage search counter, where there were already about 50 of the same “lucky” ones from our flight. With the last of my strength I filled out the paperwork and only after 30 minutes was I able to make my way to the counter.

Then it turned out that instead of the passport data, I entered the data Russian document. I don’t know what hit me at that moment, I can’t explain my actions other than poor health and extreme fatigue.

Naturally, they gave me blank forms and told me to rewrite them. I didn’t stand in line again and fill out the huge footcloth again, it was beyond my strength, and the contents of the loss were not worth such agony. I gave back what I had filled out and said that I no longer wanted anything from the airline and that I was ready to forget about the lost luggage. She turned around, went home and forgot about the incident.

About a week later, a representative from the airline called me. I inquired about the reasons for refusing to search for lost luggage and the behavior of the employee with whom I spoke after the flight.

I said that I had no complaints against the carrier, that such a decision was related to my poor health and had nothing to do with them. I was offered to drive up to Sheremetyevo and fill out the paperwork again. She refused, because Sheremetyevo is not a nearby place, and I didn’t want to drag myself there because of cheap Chinese fins and probably rotten (they were wet) swimsuits and swimming trunks.

An Aeroflot employee warned me that I have a year. He said that if I happen to be nearby during this time, I can run in and arrange everything. On this, in fact, they parted, satisfied with each other.

11 months have passed, I have already managed to fly to other countries from Sheremetyevo 4 times, and I have never even remembered about the lost luggage.

Suddenly - a call. The Aeroflot lost baggage delivery service informs me that within 24 hours my bag will be delivered to my home (for a minute - Kratovo, 120 km from Sheremetyevo).

And they delivered it! And even though I didn’t need it anymore, naturally everything was rotten and moldy, and I immediately threw it away, and even though they brought it only 11 months later - it’s a fact, they delivered it without any movement on my part. My surprise knew no bounds. Only applause!

Conclusion

Of course, my case is not a panacea. And if my luggage were valuable, I would act differently. But in any case, there is no need to despair - you are not the first passenger to lose luggage, and you will not be the last. Unfortunately, this is not uncommon. You shouldn’t spoil your nerves and delve into the reasons, because everything has already happened. What difference does it make now?

I can only say that Aeroflot’s baggage search and return system is well established, and as you can see, it has been personally checked. I think other airlines are not lagging behind. So don’t be upset, this is not the worst thing that can happen in life!

I repeat. According to statistics, 90% of lost luggage is found quickly. The main thing is not to delay in registering the loss, do not be lazy and fill out an application.

You may be interested in the article, or.

With this I say goodbye to you. I wish everyone never to find themselves in such situations!

Tatiana Solomatina

These agonizing minutes of waiting. Everyone has already left, and you stand and peer into the blackness. Into the blackness of rubber bands from which your luggage should appear. The thought flashes through my head: “Lost luggage at the airport. How to live with this? But half an hour has passed and it seems that even if you’ve been here for an eternity, nothing will change. What to do if your luggage is lost and where to go if you are the owner of that same lost luggage?

How to check in luggage correctly

You've arrived at the airport and the first thing you need to do is find out where your check-in counter is. This can be seen on the large electronic board at the airport. When you get to the counter, you can check your luggage. On all flights, baggage weight is regulated general rules. There are exceptions, so it is best to check your baggage allowance with the airline.

Overload is paid separately. If you are bringing fragile items, you can ask the front desk for a “Fragile” tag. Relatively sports equipment And musical instruments, baby strollers: you can take them into the cabin or check them in as excess baggage.

Also, initially try to buy a suitcase of an unusual color so that you can immediately recognize it at the delivery line and so that your luggage does not get lost at the airport. Or you can attach a ribbon or some recognizable detail to the suitcase. You can provide your suitcase with a card with your personal information. If your luggage is lost at the airport, it will be easier to find it. After registering at the counter, the suitcase will float off into the distance, and you will meet it only upon receipt.

Flights with transfers

Proper baggage check-in is very important when flying with transfers. If connecting flights is not an independent matter, but you just bought tickets for a route with transfers, then there is nothing to worry about. At the check-in counter, simply remind the airport employee that your flight has several connections and you are worried about the airline losing your luggage. In this case, your luggage will be transferred automatically.

There may be exceptions. The likelihood of losing luggage at the airport increases if:

1. The airport does not provide direct transfers between flights of the same airline. Baggage will have to be collected and checked in at the transfer baggage site.
2. There is no agreement between partner airlines. You will be warned about this at the check-in desk and at the connecting point you will have to check in and receive your luggage again.
3. If there is an agreement between the countries of travel on the declaration of prohibited items. Baggage is collected at the transit point and checked in at the transfer baggage counter. If this is not done, then the loss of luggage at the airport will be your fault.

Losing your luggage at the airport can happen if you have two different tickets for different flights. You will collect your luggage at your arrival airport and check it in again and check it in for your next flight. Please remember to do this, otherwise you yourself will cause the airline to lose your luggage.

Receiving baggage at the airport

You will collect your luggage from the baggage collection area. The tape number lights up on a special display, just like your flight number before the flight. Go to her and calmly wait for him to come to meet you with open arms.

The worst thing: the airline lost luggage - what to do

What to do? And how to find lost luggage? First of all, don't panic. Losing your luggage by an airline is not the end of the world. Calmly go to the counter with the inscription “Lost&Found” and fill out a report of lost luggage. In the application you will need to indicate your passport information, which airline lost your luggage, information from the luggage tag (it is attached to your air ticket) and a description of the suitcase. How to find lost luggage if you don’t see such a rack around? Contact an airport representative or air carrier employees and file a claim that the airline has lost your luggage. Based on your application, a luggage search will be organized.

Data from the international World Tracer system will tell you how to find lost luggage. They will search for your items by tag numbers and among baggage that was not collected at other airports.

If they can’t find him that way, they will look for him using your description. They will search for 21 days. Once found, it will be sent to your nearest airport. Some air carriers are willing to deliver luggage to your address, but to do this you need to write a letter with a request. Until this moment, the luggage will be with the carrier.

Compensation for lost luggage

All the tears were shed, and yet the airline lost the luggage. And 21 days passed, and the letter with the request to the airline was sent. It's time to claim compensation for lost luggage.

Typically, airline baggage loss occurs due to the fault of sorters at the airport. Each kilogram of luggage is paid in the amount of 600 rubles on the territory of the Russian Federation. In the West, in case of loss of luggage, the airline pays about $20 per kilogram of lost cargo. The amount of compensation for lost luggage can be fixed. If you are carrying valuable equipment, jewelry, or simply expensive things, then it is better to declare them and pay a fee. IN in this case, if your luggage is lost, then at least with the help of compensation for lost luggage you will get all your money back.

By the way, some airlines offer compensation for lost luggage and compensation for waiting for cargo. What to do if your luggage is lost and there are no things at all? Check with the airline to see if they provide small bags for baggage-free passengers: socks, toothbrushes, toothpaste, razor, soap.

Sometimes, if the airline has lost your luggage, it will pay for the purchase of essential items. But not more than 250 US dollars. You can file a complaint against the airline for lost luggage within 18 months from the date of loss. If the airline does not respond and does not want to pay compensation for the lost luggage, then you have the right to go to court. A claim for lost luggage at the airport can be submitted to the airline within two years. The claim must be accompanied by all original documents confirming that the luggage was lost at the airport and you are entitled to compensation, itinerary receipt, baggage receipt, tag and other documents that can expedite the processing of your claim.

• To prevent your luggage from being lost, do not leave tags on it from previous flights.
• The likelihood of your luggage being lost increases if you take multiple flights in one day.
• If you are a transfer passenger, please remind us of this when checking in for your second flight and show the baggage tags issued to you.

Finally: 90% of passengers who lose their luggage find it in just two days.

The reasons can be very different: from a scanner-sorter error to a human factor (they didn’t have time to load it onto the plane, they loaded it onto the wrong one). Most often, errors occur during connecting flights.

According to statistics from WorldTracer, an international baggage tracking system, 23.1 million suitcases and bags were lost in 2016. The number looks scary. But if you take a closer look, it turns out that only 6.5 suitcases out of every 1,000 did not reach their owners on time.

What to do if there is no luggage on the belt

Don't panic! Didn't you find a suitcase or some large items like a baby stroller or sports equipment? If the latter, then everything is fine. Non-standard luggage is always issued in a separate window so that it is not accidentally damaged during transportation.

If you're missing a suitcase, go to the Lost & Found baggage counter, sometimes called Passenger Service. As a rule, this service is located at the exit from the baggage claim area. If there is no such counter, ask any airport employee where to go.

Do not leave the terminal until you have dealt with your lost luggage!

The Lost & Found staff will ask you for your baggage voucher and will first try to search through your bags with you. If these searches do not lead to anything, you will be asked to fill out a special Property Irregularity Report (PIR) form in two copies: you give one and keep the second for yourself.

In the form you will need to provide information about yourself, flight details and describe your suitcase in detail. Airport staff will enter this information into the international baggage tracking system WorldTracer. And you will receive registration number, by which you can independently check whether your suitcase has been found.

The registration number is a combination of the three-digit airport code, the two-digit airline code and the five-digit code for your baggage. For example, LEDLH15123 means that the bags were lost by Lufthansa at the St. Petersburg airport.

After receiving the registration number, you can leave the terminal. All you have to do is wait for your things to be found. By the way, the tear-off tag for your luggage remains in your hands. Be sure to save it. This will allow you to get a suitcase in the future.

At the Lost & Found counter you may be offered money to buy essentials. This is not the responsibility of the airline, but its good will.

Each carrier sets its own rules and amounts for this situation. You can find out more information at the Lost & Found counter or on the airline’s website.

If suddenly payments are not provided, save all receipts from purchases of essential items. Then on the airline’s website you can apply for compensation for this amount.

When will luggage be returned?

If your suitcases did not have time to transfer with you during the connection, they will be picked up on the next plane operating a similar flight and delivered to your hotel free of charge.

Free delivery of delayed luggage is the responsibility of the airline.

WorldTracer tracks luggage for 100 days. After this, it is considered lost.

According to the legislation of the Russian Federation Order of the Ministry of Transport of Russia dated June 28, 2007 No. 82, art. 154, luggage is considered delayed for 21 days. After this, it receives the status of lost. On the 22nd day you need to write a claim to the airline for compensation. The claim is written in free form; it can be submitted either in person at the airline office or through the website. Don’t forget to indicate your full name, contact information, and attach copies of documents: baggage and boarding passes, baggage loss report, WorldTracer registration number.

What to do if your suitcase is damaged

The suitcase still arrived with you, but it was clearly damaged during transportation: there are deep chips, the wheels or handle are broken off. In this case, the Lost & Found service staff will help you again. They must register the fact of luggage damage and draw up a damage report in two copies, one of which will remain at the airport, and the second will be given to you.

Then find representatives of your airline at the airport building. If you can’t find it yourself, contact the airport staff: they will help you.

You will need to fill out a claim form with the airline representative. In addition to the standard full name, mail address and telephone and flight numbers, there should be detailed description damage to your luggage and the amount you are claiming.

A receipt for the purchase of the suitcase will help confirm this amount. A copy of this can be sent to the airline later.

The airline representative will make copies of your claim, boarding documents and the baggage damage report that the airport employee previously gave you. Now you have to be patient and wait for a solution.

In the future, the airline may ask you to provide a receipt for payment for the repair of the suitcase or a certificate of impossibility of repair. The act is written in free form; any workshop can issue it.

How much will they pay for lost or damaged luggage?

The law doesn't care whether your suitcase was lost or simply damaged. The maximum amounts are the same.

Payments for international flights

More than 120 countries (the Russian Federation is among them) have joined the Montreal Convention for the Unification of Rules for Air Transport Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules for International Carriage by Air, which determines the amount of compensation.

The amount of compensation is calculated in artificial means of payment - special drawing rights (SDR). Their rate is formed on the basis of a basket of five currencies: dollar, euro, yen, Chinese yuan and pound sterling - and changes daily. The cost of 1 SDR can be viewed on the International Monetary Fund website or use an online calculator.

In case of loss, delay or damage to baggage, the airline is obliged to pay up to 1,000 SDR.

The maximum you can get is about 83,000 rubles. You need to understand that the airline will try to reduce this amount as much as possible. The clause in the convention “up to 1,000 SDRs” gives it this right.

Payments for domestic flights

If a suitcase is lost or damaged during a flight within the Russian Federation, then the amount of compensation is determined by the Air Code Air Code of the Russian Federation, art. 119. The amounts are much more modest and depend on the weight of the lost suitcase. You will receive 600 rubles for each kilogram of luggage and up to 11,000 rubles for damage or loss of hand luggage.

Baggage with declared value

These rules do not apply to baggage with declared value. You can declare value on both international and domestic flights. You will have to pay for this (each carrier determines the amount of the fee independently). But if your bags are lost or damaged, you will receive the amount you indicated during registration.

No airline will refund money for checked luggage. expensive equipment, jewelry or securities. According to transportation rules, these items must travel in hand luggage.

1. Suitcases hung with old tags look extremely romantic. But if you want to see the luggage on the belt, help the scanners and peel off the old barcodes.
2. Buy a luggage tag if your suitcase does not have a built-in one, and take the time to fill it out. This will significantly reduce the time it takes to find your luggage.
3. If you are flying to a business event, put a decent jacket and trousers in your hand luggage (how to do this without things getting wrinkled, Lifehacker). Even if your suitcase is late, you will have spare clothes and you won’t have to blush in front of your partners for looking like pajamas.
4. Take photos of the things you put in your suitcase. This will speed up the preparation of an inventory of missing property.
5. Make the suitcase more visible so that it is not taken from the belt by mistake. A bright belt or a special case will help you here.
6. Arrive at the airport early. This will save your effort and nerves during check-in, and will give the baggage handlers extra time if it suddenly turns out that your luggage was sent to the wrong plane.
7. When checking in for your flight, place the baggage tag on your reverse side ticket if the airport employee has not done so before you.

Have you ever lost your luggage? How much did you manage to get? Or do you prefer to travel light and make do hand luggage? Tell us about it in the comments!