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What to do about lost luggage

By Patrick Crowley, Special to Orbitz Travel Watch

The luggage carousel goes round and round, but your bags are nowhere to be found. That sinking feeling sets in, as you clutch your baggage-claim tickets and realize your luggage is MIA.

Your first order of action is to notify an airline service agent at the airport and fill out the necessary forms that will be used to track and find the lost bags.

Once lost luggage is found, the airline will deliver it to your home or hotel. The majority of bags are returned to their rightful owners within a day or two.

To get reimbursed for lost luggage, you must have receipts that show how much you paid for the contents of your bag.

Most airlines will hold the bags up to 90 days or more, waiting for someone to make a claim, according to Bryan Owens, owner of the Unclaimed Baggage Center, a store in Scottsboro, Alabama, that sells luggage that has been lost by airlines or left behind in airports by passengers.

Payback time

If the bag is not found or cannot be matched with the owner, the airline could pay up to $2,500, the federally mandated liability limit on baggage lost or damaged.

Last year the Department of Transportation raised the liability limit from $1,250 to the current level of $2,500. Each July the department says it will review the level and increase it up to $100 if inflation warrants an increase.

But as Delta Air Lines notes on its Web site the maximum liability reimbursement is not automatic: "Damage or loss value must be proven."

That means you must have receipts that show how much you paid for the contents of your bag. And not all items are covered under the luggage-liability limit.

Consider insurance

Some items excluded from coverage are cameras, electronic devices, computers, jewelry, business papers, cash, perishable goods and certain other fragile items.

If you're concerned about luggage loss, it might be a good idea to purchase additional coverage.

Delta, for instance, offers maximum liability limits up to $3,000 for $30; up to $4,000 for $40; and up to $5,000 for $50.

Preventing luggage loss

To help avoid lost luggage American Airlines offers these tips:

• Only check luggage that is sturdy enough to withstand airline baggage-handling systems.
• Never check a bag that does not completely close.
• Never check a bag designed to be carried on the lane. Most briefcases, tote bags and plastic garment covers are not made to be checked as luggage.
• Do not over-pack bags.
• Clearly label all bags with a name, address and phone number.
• Consider replacing old or worn luggage.

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