What to do if your luggage is lost. A guide for passengers.

The circumstances that can lead to such a situation can be diverse: flight cancellation or delay, double-selling of tickets to different passengers, luggage loss, and so on.

How to act in such situations and what compensation is provided?

A passenger who got "stuck" at the airport last year shared that in case of a flight delay, you should first contact the representatives of the airline whose tickets you purchased.

The airline is obliged to provide you with food and drinks, and if necessary (in case of a long delay), even accommodation in a hotel, at the company's expense. However, you should inform the company that defects in its work have caused inconvenience to you at the airport. If it is evident that the flight will be delayed for at least 2 hours, passengers can buy drinks, and if the wait exceeds 4 hours, then food. The fact of the flight delay must be documented, and all receipts for expenses must be retained and attached to the application for reimbursement.

It often happens that luggage is lost during the flight. Many passengers believe that important items should not be left in checked baggage. This conclusion is the result of my own experience when luggage was delivered several days late. In such cases, it is recommended to file a complaint with the baggage handling department, insisting on subsequently forwarding a copy to the airline office. If a passenger has to buy essential items, they should keep all receipts, according to which the airline will compensate for all incurred expenses.

The passenger can take the following actions:

In case of a flight delay:

• Clarify with a competent airport staff member the reason for the delay and the approximate departure time;
• Contact a representative of the corresponding airline;
• Passengers with children under 7 years old can request a specialized mother and child room;
• In case of a delay of up to 2 hours, chilled drinks can be requested;
• In case of a delay of up to 3 hours, passengers should also be provided with food;
• A delay exceeding 5 hours allows passengers to demand monetary compensation;
• A delay of more than 6 hours requires passengers to be accommodated in a hotel.

In case of flight cancellation:

• If the cause is not force majeure circumstances and the passenger was not informed of the flight cancellation in advance (14 days), then the passenger can demand compensation;
• The airline representative must stamp the flight cancellation directly on the ticket;
• They should also offer the passenger a replacement ticket or a seat on a similar flight;
• If there is no similar flight on that day, the passenger will be provided with meals and transportation airport-hotel-airport;
• If necessary, compensation or a full refund of the ticket price can be requested.

In case of lost luggage:

• Before leaving the hall, you must contact the "LOST&FOUND" baggage claim service, whose representatives will assist you in drawing up a report on the loss, which will indicate baggage tag codes, descriptions of lost items, and the address where they should be delivered upon discovery;
  
• Next, you need to buy all the essentials, keeping payment receipts to present them later;
• When the baggage is found in the airline office, a compensation claim is submitted along with the receipts;
• Luggage is officially considered lost after 21 days from the date of the request;
• In case of confirmed loss of luggage or its improper condition, the airline is obliged to pay compensation, the amount of which can reach $50 per kilogram.

If the number of tickets sold exceeds the number of seats:

• It is advisable for passengers to check in at least an hour before departure to avoid such a risk;
• Each passenger who did not use the flight due to such an error can claim compensation: 250 euros (for flights up to 1500 miles) or 400 euros for flights within the European Union or exceeding a distance of 1500-3500 miles. If the flight distance exceeds these limits, the passenger will be compensated 600 euros;
• In addition to the compensation received, the passenger will either be refunded the full ticket price or provided with services of a similar flight. In some cases, meals and hotel accommodation are included;

Compensation is not provided if the flight is replaced with a similar one within 2-4 hours.