by Anni Awuku
Arriving at your destination to discover your luggage didn't make it with you -- that can ruin a holiday. But it needn't. Here are eight ways to ease the trauma and increase the likelihood that you'll get your bags eventually.
1. When your luggage is lost, file a Property Irregularity Report ( PIR) BEFORE leaving the airport. Save all documentation from the airline: especially the boarding pass and luggage tags.
2. Always keep a change of clothes and freshening articles in your carry-on luggage (within the airline restrictions for liquids).
3. Don’t put important medication or valuables and perishable food in your checked in luggage.
4. Check in with the "suggested" lead time for your flight. Bags checked in very early or very late are more likely to get left behind.
5. Many people use generic black or dark blue wheeled luggage.Use a different color bag and note the make of the bag. The easier it is to spot in a pile, the more likely it is that a baggage handler will find it.
6. Write your name visibly on the INSIDE of your bag as well as on the outer tag.
7. Luggage tags can get mixed up, check which tag goes with which bag.
8. When a bag is found, its contents are listed, so pack something to help identify your bag or tape a paper with your name and address to the inside of your suitcase.
Most airlines reimburse necessary purchases. Save every receipt. Ask for the airline's policy to know how much you can spend and what items come under the policy.
Most luggage finds its way back to its owner so don't despair. And if your bag doesn’t materialize, the airline will reimburse you for your loss, up to a certain dollar amount.
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