You go on holiday. You travel by plane and, when you arrive at your destination, you find with horror that your suitcase does not leave the conveyor belt. Your luggage has been lost and you are at the airport in a city that is not yours and without suitcases. This, which should be an exception, a misfortune that occurs very occasionally, happens too often. Now start a long and boring procedure that you will have to face calmly, if you do not want to spoil your long-awaited vacation.
When you lose your luggage at an airport, there is no use being angry, although it is a normal and understandable reaction. The best thing is to take it with philosophy and take the necessary steps to recover the suitcases as soon as possible. We tell you what you have to do in these cases.
First, communicate the loss
First of all, you have to report the loss to the airline, so that the incident is recorded as soon as possible. In this situation, the speed with which you act is key to recovering your luggage as soon as possible and being able to continue your vacation.
Make sure that you keep all the flight documentation (ticket, baggage check-in tag and boarding pass) and do not leave the airport without proof of the loss. Go to the counter of the company you traveled with and report the disappearance. You will have to fill in a Baggage Irregularity Report (PIR) and present it, in addition, at the counters of the Association of European Airlines. And that step, no matter how heavy it may seem, you have to do it as soon as possible.
Then get the airline’s customer service phone number to be able to follow up the search. Some airlines offer the option of being able to stay informed via the Internet. And, remember, whether or not your suitcase appears, you have the right to request compensation for the damages caused.
As a tip to avoid losing your luggage on a trip, try not to carry valuables in the suitcase you check in, and don’t forget to put your personal information inside and outside of it.