ONLINE EXTRA: How to prevent or survive lost luggage
Here are tips from Susan Foster, author of “Smart Packing for Today’s Traveler,”.for smart packing.
Are you one of the many unlucky air travelers who’ve lost their luggage?
Most of those misplaced bags are eventually returned to their owners, on average 31 hours after being reported missing, according to Susan Foster, author of “Smart Packing for Today’s Traveler” (Smart Travel Press, $19.95).
Here are Foster’s tips for smart packing, which are also available online at www.smartpacking.com.
• Use a sturdy identification tag with a durable strap on each bag. The best tags have a cover hiding your name to protect your privacy; use your business address and phone whenever possible.
• Remove old baggage tags to avoid confusion among baggage-handlers.
• Check your bags early. Airlines suggest 90 minutes in advance (two hours for international travel) but at daily high-traffic times, you should add 30 minutes. Last-minute checked bags may not make it onto your plane.
• Include your identification information inside the bag, in case the outer tag is lost. Place a travel itinerary in an outside pocket or inside your bag on the top so airlines can easily track you down.
• Tie a colored ribbon to your bag or mark your initials in big letters so no one else will take it from the luggage carousel. Take a digital photo of the bag to show to the baggage agent should it be misplaced.
• Make sure your bags are ticketed correctly before you leave the luggage check-in area.
• Complete the lost-luggage reports at the airport and don’t leave without a claim number and contact information so you can check the status of your missing bags.
• Create a packing list that includes every item in each bag and leave a copy at home in case you need to claim compensation.
Source: Niagara Gazette
Filed under: Useful Resources
