Why and How do Airlines Lose Luggage?
Flying places for vacation is quicker than driving and often provides amazing views while in the air. However, one area of air travel that many passengers dread is waiting at the baggage claim for their luggage.
Not only does it seem to take forever for the bags to arrive, but it can also be stressful maneuvering through the crowds to grab your items.
Although there is nothing like the sinking feeling of watching everyone grab their luggage while yours has yet to arrive. Unfortunately, if your bags don’t show up, you have little control over the situation unless you have a luggage tracking device like Tile.
You may be thinking, “how can the airline lose my luggage?”. The truth is that it happens to millions of travelers yearly, and it’s only worsening with staffing shortages. The following sections will provide insight into how these incidents occur and what you can do about your lost luggage.
Why Do Airlines Lose Luggage?
As with anything, accidents do happen. The leading cause of lost luggage is the mishandling of the bags between flights or from the sorting office to your airplane. Depending on the airport you fly out of, the actual sorting of luggage is done by a robot or workers.
In some instances, the workers don’t have enough time to move the bags onto the aircraft, and in other cases, the robots accidentally place the bags in the wrong transfer containers.
A few other reasons airlines lose luggage include:
Incorrect tagging at check-in
Improper luggage loading
Damages to the routing label
How Often Do Airlines Lose Luggage?
Luggage Hero recently found that more than 680,000 bags were either lost or mishandled in the first quarter of 2022 alone. This means that roughly seven out of every one thousand bags will experience issues during transportation.
What to Do if an Airline Loses Your Luggage
The steps you take if an airline loses your luggage depend on whether you have a luggage tracker. Devices like Tile trackers make it easy to locate your bags by providing a Bluetooth locator through the mobile app.
If your luggage doesn’t have a tracker, then you’ll want to take the following steps:
File a baggage claim with the airline right away
Remain in constant contact with the airline throughout the process
Speak with the airline about mobile applications that will provide updates on luggage location
Discuss baggage fee reimbursement and compensation policies with the airline representative
Is the Airline Responsible for Lost Luggage?
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, “Airlines are required to compensate passengers for reasonable, verifiable, and actual incidental expenses that they may incur while their bags are delayed.”
In the instance that your luggage is deemed “officially lost,” the airline is responsible for the following:
Refunding any fees associated with the transportation of your luggage
Compensation for the contents of your bags
Never Lose Sight of Your Luggage with Tile trackers
As many airlines are seeing a higher rate for delayed and lost luggage, it’s essential to have a way to locate your belongings. One of the most effective ways to keep your bags safe is with a luggage tracker like Tile.
Utilizing a Tile tracker, you can quickly identify the location of your lost luggage within minutes.