Video:Tips for Calling Airlines for Lost Luggage

Transcript:Tips for Calling Airlines for Lost Luggage

Hi, I'm Kaytie Sproul, here for About.com, and today I'm going to give you some tips for calling an airline when it's lost your luggage.

Basic Tips for Calling Airlines for Lost Luggage

There's nothing more frustrating than being without your personal belongings for any period of time when traveling. Before picking up the phone to inquire about your misplaced items, consider the following:

As soon as you find that your luggage is not waiting for you at the retrieval area within the airport, you need to file a report with the airline right away. When doing so, you'll be asked to provide your baggage stubs (given to you when the bag was originally checked), as well as a description of your luggage and the contents thereof.

You'll also need to provide the airline with relevant contact information, for instance, the address of the hotel where you'll be staying and your cell phone number. Once you've filled out the necessary forms and the airline has all of the pertinent information, they'll give you a phone number and/or website to check regarding the status of your lost luggage.

While it's their responsibility to find the baggage and return it to you, it's your responsibility to keep tabs on the situation. You should call the number provided by the airline several times a day until your bag has been returned to you. If no progress has been made in tracking down your luggage within 48 hours, be aware that there may be additional forms you need to fill out at the airport in order for the airline's "secondary search" plan to be enacted on your behalf.

Notes About Calling Airlines for Lost Luggage

Once your luggage is lost, there is little you can do other than hope and wait for it to be found and returned to you. However, there are a few things you can do before checking your bags that will certainly aide airport staff in securing them more quickly if they do get misplaced en route to your destination. The first thing you can do is take a picture of each bag you check so you can provide a visual guide along with the lost luggage forms. You should also label your bags, inside and out, with your destination address and contact information. Along these same lines, including a copy of your itinerary within your bags is always a good idea, and can further aide airline staff in returning your lost luggage. When calling the airline to check on the status of your bag, take the time to connect to an operator and remind him or her of the specific precautions you took to distinguish your bag from the rest – it may help them locate it that much sooner!

Whether you've been without your bag for one day or one week, be sure to ask about compensation for your temporary loss of certain items. From clothes to toiletries, if it's in your lost luggage, the airline is required to reimburse you for the items you end up purchasing out of necessity. The reimbursable amount differs by airline, as does the process for submitting your expenses, so hold on to all of your receipts and be prepared to fill out an additional form. While luggage goes missing for several reasons, the most important thing is getting it back as soon as possible. Prepping your bags accordingly, and calling the airline on a regular basis regarding any that are lost is the best way to expedite a speedy return.

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