You’ve lost a suitcase before the holiday even started. Unbelievable.
Before that, everything was going swimmingly. The flight was on time, and thanks to a westerly wind, you arrived at your generic Mediterranean destination ahead of schedule. As the plane doors flew open, the same warm breeze carried you through security and onto your final hurdle—claiming your suitcase.
Alas, it didn’t appear. Maybe it got caught behind the mysterious plastic flaps on the conveyor belt. As time passes, you accept your fate and begin the ordeal of a holiday without the stuff you need.
But how could this happen, and most importantly, what steps could you take to ensure this traumatic incident remains isolated?
Lost Suitcases: An ongoing problem
Lost luggage is an evergreen issue for the airline industry. While always present, it gained particular notoriety in 2022 when a perfect storm of COVID-related turbulence led to eight out of every 1,000 bags being temporarily mishandled or permanently lost, a 30% increase from previous years. The situation has returned to normal levels since then – that is to say, it has not been resolved (although it is slowly improving).
Three Primary Causes (and solutions) for Lost Suitcases
There are many reasons, but we’ll start with three of the biggest culprits and quick fixes for them.
Deadline day transfer
The age-old question of whether to go direct plagues budget-conscious travellers. For example, a two-hour layover in Jakarta might seem like a small price to pay for a £200 cheaper fare. But be warned your baggage is far more likely to be misplaced if you have booked a connecting flight, as the added complication raises the chance of mishaps.
The solution:
If you can, avoid layovers. However, we realise this isn’t always possible, so if a direct flight is unfeasible, avoid tight turnarounds. The less time between connections, the higher the chance your bag goes missing. It will also save you the stress of realising you have 30 minutes to do a cross-terminal sprint.
We don’t use labels
When you check your bag in, it’s labelled with your details and the bag’s destination. In theory, this ensures it ends up in the right place, or at least if it doesn’t, that it can be returned to you. Unfortunately, these labels can be printed with incorrect information or, worst of all, ripped off, leaving no indication of who it belongs to or where it’s going.
The solution:
Many suitcases will have an attached tag allowing you to add personal information. While there isn’t room to add your destination every time you fly, scribbling identifiable details on the tag (name, address, phone number) will make finding it infinitely easier should it go awry. If your suitcase doesn’t come with a tag, you can get them for a few £ on Amazon.
Or, if your a fancy, first-class type, you could go for a more luxurious label…
Mistaken identity
This isn’t so much the airlines’ fault, but it is still worth noting. In this scenario, a nameless passenger is so excited at the prospect of their impending holiday that they accidentally pick up a similar suitcase. Not paying attention, they make it to the hotel before popping it open and finding someone else’s holiday threads.
The solution:
Purchase a unique suitcase. Bright colours like orange, yellow or pink may not be your style, but they are much harder to confuse, so will prevent others from mistakenly snapping it up. Similarly, should your bag get lost for other reasons, the garish hues will help airline staff identify it in a pile of lost suitcases.
Other Ways of Preventing Lost Suitcases
Aside from the aforementioned tips, there are many ways to prevent your suitcase from going AWOL and to increase your chances of getting it back if it does.
Pre-holiday snap
Take a picture of your suitcase and its contents before zipping it up for the final time. If it goes missing, you can send the photo to your airline to help their team identify and return it.
Check-in with time
Check-in your luggage with plenty of time. If it’s processed at the 11th hour, baggage handlers must rush to get it onto the plane, increasing the chances of some administrative mishap spoiling your trip.
Get tracking
Flyers increasingly use tracking tags to keep tabs on their luggage. These involve a small plastic device which sends its location to your phone via an app. While knowing where your luggage is won’t guarantee its return, it can be a step in the right direction. Apple users are best buying an Airtag (which recently developed new functionality allowing co-ordinate sharing with third parties). For non-iPhone users, Tile offers a brilliant alternative.
Carry on
You can’t lose a bag if you don’t check it in. Before opting for a checked-in bag, see if you can fit everything you need in your carry-on. For those who don’t (or won’t) travel light, aim for airlines with generous carry-on allowances or that allow you to bring a second bag on the flight. It might be slightly less convenient, but you’ll be glad when you arrive at your destination in one piece.
Label photo
When your suitcase is checked in, you will receive an accompanying label informing you where it needs to go. Before it’s sent off, take a picture to refer to the baggage label number if it goes missing.
What To Do if Tour Luggage Goes Missing
Even after every precaution, your luggage isn’t 100% safe. Sorry if that sounds pessimistic, but it’s the truth. But, if your luggage jilts you, there are a few steps to take to try and win it back and in the worst-case scenario, ensure you are at least justly compensated for the heartbreak.
1) Report it
Most baggage reclaim halls will have a help desk for situations like this. If you explain your plight, they may be able to locate your luggage or at least tell you where it’s run off to.
You will be asked to complete a ‘property irregularity report’ (PIR), so have details like your flight number, personal details, booking reference and baggage label number (told you it would be helpful) to hand. The more information you can provide, the better your chances of seeing your luggage again.
Once you have filled in the PIR, keep it as you may need to refer to it later.
2) Lost and found
If your suitcase has been located, but you won’t have access to it for a few days, you can generally claim back a certain amount to cover necessities like toiletries. This varies from roughly £20-£70 per day, depending on your airline.
3) Lost and lost
If your suitcase isn’t found after 21 days, it is generally considered lost. At this point, you will need to make an official claim with the airline.
Exactly what they can reimburse will depend, but once again, providing as much detail as possible about the suitcase, the contents, and the circumstances will help your case. This includes receipts for expensive items, photos of your suitcase and the PIR form.
How Much Can You Claim Back For a Lost or Damaged Suitcase?
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, it varies depending on who you flew with. Generally speaking, you are unlikely to receive more than £1000 in compensation, with anything close to that figure requiring extensive evidence of the priceless artefacts in your lost suitcase.
If your checked-in luggage is particularly precious, we recommend taking out a travel insurance plan covering lost luggage. These claims will be much more straightforward than with the airline.
When should you make a claim?
It’s best to make your claim as soon as possible, as long as you have all the relevant information. Below are the deadlines for claiming across different types of luggage mishaps from Citizens Advice.
| What you’re claiming for | Deadline for claiming |
| Damaged luggage | 7 days after getting your luggage |
| Missing or damage content | 7 days after getting your luggage |
| Delayed or missing luggage | 21 days after the flight |
| Lost luggage (officially lost after 21 days) | As as possible after officially lost |
Where Do Lost Suitcases End Up?
Unfortunately, despite the best efforts of both despairing passengers and airline staff, some lost suitcases remain that way. When this happens, they are generally sent to lost luggage auctions, where would-be bargain hunters purchase mystery suitcases, hoping their contents outweigh their cost. It’s becoming increasingly popular, and if you fancy getting involved, we’ve written a guide outlining everything you need to know.
How Can Airlines Better Manage Lost Suitcases
In fairness, it’s not an easy fix. Baggage handling is a fragmented process with multiple stakeholders over vast geographical areas. As a result, mishaps are almost inevitable. But, despite lost suitcases almost certainly being an issue that’s here to stay, airlines can improve the processes by which they are tracked, logged, and repatriated.
In case you were wondering, NotLost has just the solution. Through our market-leading suite of tools (and over a decade of lost property experience), we can provide airlines with the best chance of ensuring lost suitcases don’t remain that way forever, improving efficiencies, reducing resolution time and keeping passengers on board.