BAGGAGE WOES DURING AIR TRAVEL

Recently I was travelling from New Delhi to Kota Bharu in Malaysia via Kuala lumpur by Malaysian Airlines. I reached Indira Gandhi International Airport at 9 PM and checked in my luggage, a brown overnighter which weighed 10 Kg. as it contained my recently published book, which needed some word of mouth publicity overseas. My bag was booked and the baggage counterfoil was stuck to the back of my KL to Kota Bharu boarding pass. I could also see that a special yellow tag was attached to my bag and it screamed ‘Hot Transfer’ in red. Unable to suppress my curiosity when I asked the lady in the booking counter what it meant; she replied with a smile that the transit time between my two flights was short and this tag will signal out the same so that my bag can be promptly loaded on to the next flight. Thanking her for her concern I left the counter.

It was an overnight flight leaving New Delhi at 11 PM and reaching KL next morning at 6.55 AM. I then had a brief stopover by the 8.25 AM flight I was off to Kota Bharu. I reached Sultan Petra Airport of Kota Bharu at 9.30 AM. It is a small airport with two luggage belts and I patiently waited for my bag near one of them. I kept standing at the baggage carousel for what seemed like forever when the steady flow of bags onto the conveyor belt slowed to a trickle, and then eventually stopped. My bag was nowhere in sight!

Having traveled extensively, even in not so friendly places, I am never bothered by such hiccups. However, one of my co passengers, a lady doctor from South Africa, was not at all happy. Her one bag was missing and another looked like an angry gorilla has been throwing it around his cage for sport! It was her decibel levels that drew the attention of a Malaysian Airlines employee who escorted us to a counter where lost and damaged luggage are reported. While she was expertly pacified with lots of reassurance and smiles and promises, I was asked to fill up a form about the external appearance and contents of my bag and assured that it will be sent to my hotel, The Grand Renai, in the evening. As I did not have a Malaysian SIM by then I gave them the mobile number of a lady of Universiti Sains Malaysia, who was given the responsibility to look after my stay and conveyance in the city.

If your bags are delayed, try not to panic. The airlines typically have ways to track them, and the vast majority of misplaced luggage is returned eventually. If your bags are on the next flight, you could have them within a few hours. If they’ve been sent to the wrong airport, it could take a couple of days. Make sure to file your claim immediately at the airport and to give the attendant a hotel or home address, as well as a phone number where you can be reached. The airlines will typically bring you your luggage when it is found; you will rarely need to return to the airport to pick it up. Additionally, many airlines will reimburse any unexpected expenses caused by the loss or delay. So keep your receipts!

Research from SITA, the makers of the World Tracer System and producers of an annual report on the state of baggage handling around the world, found that 21.6 million bags were mishandled (lost or temporarily mislaid) in 2016 (down from 23.3m in 2015), a figure that translates as 5.73 bags per 1,000 passengers. Since 2007, the number of bags lost per 1,000 passengers is down from 18.88 to 5.73, a fall of 70 per cent. Detailed consumer research into lost baggage from the Association of European Airlines suggested that 85 per cent of bags reported as lost are returned to their owners by courier within 48 hours, meaning they are “misdirected” rather than lost. SITA says reunion time is now down to 36 hours.

Before you leave the airport, get a reference number for your claim and find out how to check on your bag’s status; some airlines have an online system while others will provide you with a phone number to call for updates. The next flight from Kuala lumpur to Kota Bharu in the evening had my bag and when it landed the airlines called the lady in the University who promptly sent a driver with a vehicle to fetch it.

But before my bag could reach me I had to deliver two talks. Fortunately I was carrying them in my pen drive, which was in my pocket and so the day was saved. This prompted me to think what all should not be put in the check in baggage, but must always stay with you in the cabin. Cameras, computers, medication, wallets, heirlooms, jewelry, passports and essential travel documents should never be in your checked baggage.

Can you prevent lost luggage?

No. Some things are not in your hands. But you can surely help by trying the following:

1. Put your name and cell phone number on the outside and inside of your bags.

2. The most common causes of lost and delayed bags are late check-ins and tight connections. Avoid both when you can.

3. Pack all valuables in your carry-on bags.

4. Itemize. It sounds tedious, but when an airline asks what was in your bag, you don’t want to forget anything of value. If you make a packing list before you travel, hang on to it—this is an easy way to remember everything you put into your bags.

5. Make sure the person who checks your baggage attaches the correct destination ticket to every bag, and get a claim ticket for each.

6. Pack a change of clothes in your carry-on bag so you’ll have something to wear if your checked bag is delayed. If you’re traveling with a partner, consider dividing each person’s clothes between your checked bags; this way if one of the bags is lost, you’ll each still have some of your belongings.

7. Travel insurance is the best guarantee that you’ll recoup any losses.

8. Consider using a baggage tagging service such as SuperSmartTag or ReboundTAG. These services offer luggage tags with unique serial numbers that can be linked to the suitcase owner via an online database. The site will contact you as soon as your lost item is found.

Lost Bags

If the airline loses your bags, make sure you get a written claim for damages. This may require a different form than the original “missing luggage” form. This can be done at the airport or online. The maximum an airline pays on lost bags and their contents differs from country to country. It is currently limited to $3,500 per passenger on U.S. domestic flights, and a varying rate per passenger for checked baggage on international flights based on the Warsaw Convention or the Montreal Convention. In the United States, if you paid a checked baggage fee for your lost bag, the airline must refund your fee. Check your carrier’s website for specifics. You may need to produce receipts to prove the value of items you had in your lost luggage. If you have them, include copies in any documentation you send to the airline. You can also purchase “excess valuation” protection from your airline if your checked baggage is worth more than these limits.

Air India has a site Lostproperty@airindia.in where you can report lost luggage. The Owner and should be in possession of the following documents to reclaim their lost bag within 90 days:-

·         Copy of Boarding Card/ proof of journey with baggage receipt

·         Copy of Passport/ ID card issued by any Government Unit

·         Details of the items being claimed.

The airlines typically have a long list of items for which they will not be held responsible; these include jewelry, money, heirlooms and other valuables. These items should always be left at home or packed in your carry-on bag.

Stolen Bags

Yes, this happens and you should be very careful. If you have to take the bus after you deplane then go for the first bus and head directly to the baggage carousel. This will minimize the potential time for your bag to be stolen. Many airlines scan bags when they’re loaded into the baggage claim area and keep records, especially at larger airports. If your bag goes missing after you’ve left the baggage claim area, your claim is no longer with the airline, but with the police. Your homeowner’s insurance may cover a stolen suitcase; if it doesn’t, consider purchasing travel insurance before you travel.

Damaged Bags

Once you’ve gotten your bags off the carousel, immediately check them for damage or other signs of tampering or mishandling. Report any damage before leaving the airport; airline customer service agents will often want to inspect the bag. Keep in mind that most airlines won’t cover minor wear and tear. But if you spot your bag in tatters lying on a plastic tray, you can claim damages. You will most likely need to produce a receipt for any repairs, or be required to use airline-sanctioned luggage repair vendors. Ask the baggage claim attendant for specific information. You don’t want to find out that you have paid for a repair that isn’t covered.

Compensation

If your bag is misdirected on the way out, the airline must give you money to buy replacement items or reimburse you for purchases you make to cover your loses while you wait for your bag. But they can be evasive and pass responsibility to any other airlines you have traveled with or your travel insurance company. UK airlines allow 21 days to track your bag before it is considered officially "irretrievably lost". They trace it through an electronic tag put on it when you drop off your luggage, but bags can be difficult to find if a faulty or incorrect code was entered by the person who checked it in. After a lengthy process of making a claim, you can get compensation for your bag. Read the terms and conditions in your travel insurance as they too compensate for your baggage delay or loss. 

Most importantly, baggage woes are a reality, they do happen once in a while. Do not panic. Pack smartly so that your cabin baggage can sustain you till your lost bag reaches you and see if you can be compensated for your trouble.