Lost luggage

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Lost luggage is the phenomenon in which an airline does not send a passenger's luggage to the correct destination. In the United States, an average of 1 of 150 people have their checked baggage misdirected each year.^[1]

Lost or misdirected luggage becomes more common the more elaborate a flight plan is. International flights, or flights with connections are far more likely to see luggage get lost. There are many causes of lost luggage. If a passenger arrives late for a flight luggage will sometimes not have enough time to be loaded on the plane. If tags are accidentally torn off airport workers may not know where to send the luggage. Human error is also common as tags are misread or luggage is placed in the wrong location. Security delays and, for international flights, customs delays can also cause bags to arrive on a later flight than their owner.

Most lost luggage is quickly sent by the airline to the correct destination. For the inconvenience airlines will often reimburse passengers for toiletries, clothing, and other essentials if the arrival airport is away from the passenger's home area. In most cases, upon the arrival of delayed luggage, a courier service will deliver it from the arrival airport to the passenger at his or her home or hotel. Delivery charges are paid by the airline except in rare cases.

On some occasions luggage is completely lost and cannot be recovered. The airline will then normally compensate the owner. The passengers must then list the contents of their baggage and file a claim. The limits as to how much compensation one can receive vary from nation to nation, but on international flights it is limited to 9.07 US dollars per pound. Most airlines maintain stores where they sell the contents of lost or abandoned luggage.

To deal with lost luggage travelers are advised to carry all essentials in a carry-on bag, including a change of clothes and anything they would be greatly troubled to lose because of monetary or emotional value.

Bags can also be damaged during travel, but most damage (such as broken wheels and handles) is not covered under the airlines' contract of carriage. Some airlines, however, will still repair such damage as a good-faith gesture to the customer, or offer a discount voucher for a future flight. Rynn's in Dallas, Texas (www.netbags.com) is the primary baggage repair facility for most US airlines. Damaged bag repairs cost airlines around $25, on average.