Airports And Missing Luggage: Who's Responsible?

Losing your luggage can be a stressful and frustrating experience, especially when you’re on vacation. While it is a relatively common occurrence, it is often unclear who is responsible for missing luggage – the airline or the airport. According to the US Department of Transportation, when a checked bag does not arrive at its destination, airlines are responsible for locating the bag and compensating the passenger for its contents. However, there may be limitations and exceptions to this responsibility, and it is important for passengers to be aware of their rights and take preventive measures to avoid or mitigate the impact of lost luggage.

Airlines are responsible for locating missing luggage

Losing your luggage can be a stressful and frustrating experience, especially when you’re on vacation. However, it is a relatively common occurrence. If an airline loses your luggage, there are several steps you can take to ensure you receive compensation.

Firstly, confirm that your luggage is actually lost. Sometimes, it just takes a long time for your luggage to arrive at the baggage carousel due to staffing issues or the airport's size. If you have waited a considerable amount of time and checked other carousels without finding your bag, you can talk to the airline.

The next step is to file a missing baggage report. Locate the baggage desk for the airline that operated your final flight and inform them that your bag is missing. Show the agent your bag tag and provide as much identifying information about your bag as possible, including the brand, color, size, any distinctive marks, and approximate weight. It is also essential to provide your contact information, local address, and flight details.

After filing a report, stay in close communication with the airline and keep tracking your bag. Use the reference number provided to you when you filled out the missing baggage report to check the status of your claim. If your bag is found, the airline will deliver it to your local address, and you should not have to go back to the airport or pay for the delivery.

If your bag is considered lost, the airline is responsible for compensating you for the contents of your bag, subject to depreciation and maximum liability limits. These limits vary depending on whether it is a domestic or international flight. For domestic flights, the maximum liability allowed by regulation is $3,800 per passenger, while for international flights, the maximum liability is approximately $1,700 per passenger.

In addition to compensation, the airline may also be required to refund any fees you paid to transport the lost bag. However, airlines may request receipts or other proof for valuable items that were in the lost bags. Therefore, it is essential to keep receipts for any expensive items you pack in your checked luggage.

While it is the responsibility of the airlines to locate and compensate for missing luggage, you can also take preventive measures to reduce the chances of your luggage being lost. These include checking in for your flight early, keeping your itinerary simple with minimal layovers, and always labelling your bag with your name and contact information.

Compensation for lost luggage

If your checked luggage is lost, damaged, or delayed, you are entitled to claim compensation from the airline. According to the US Department of Transportation, airlines are required to compensate passengers for reasonable incidental expenses incurred due to delayed or lost baggage, subject to maximum liability limits. These limits are set by statute and vary depending on the type of flight. For domestic flights within the US, the maximum liability amount is $3,800 per passenger, while for international flights, the Montreal Convention sets the limit at approximately $1,700 per passenger.

It is important to act quickly and report any issues with your luggage to the airline as soon as possible. Check for any deadlines, as you may need to file a claim within a certain timeframe, often within 7 days of your flight. Most airlines will declare a bag lost between 5 and 14 days after the flight, but this can vary. If your luggage is delayed, you can claim compensation for bare essentials such as toiletries and underwear. Keep your receipts, as airlines often require them for reimbursement.

In the case of lost luggage, once an airline determines that your bag is lost, they are responsible for compensating you for the contents of your bag, subject to depreciation and maximum liability limits. They are also required to refund any fees you paid for transporting the lost bag. For valuable items, you may need to provide proof or receipts.

If you have travel insurance or home contents insurance that covers luggage, making an insurance claim may result in higher compensation and a more straightforward process.

Reporting lost luggage

If your luggage is missing after a flight, the airline is responsible for locating it. Airlines have tracking systems in place to identify the bag's location, and some even offer applications for electronic devices that provide passengers with data on the location of their baggage.

It is important to report the problem to the airline as soon as possible. If you filled in a 'property irregularity report' (PIR) form at the airport, this will serve as proof that you reported the issue. If you did not fill out a PIR form, you should contact the airline or use their website to report the problem and request written confirmation.

After reporting the issue, you will need to make a claim for compensation unless the airline decides to pay you upfront for any expenses incurred while your luggage is delayed. Most airlines have deadlines for filing claims, so it is important to check with the specific airline. For example, you may need to claim within 7 days of your flight.

When making a claim, ask the airline what documents they require. Typically, they will expect you to provide luggage labels, proof of reporting the problem (such as the PIR form or email confirmation), receipts for any necessary purchases due to the delay, proof of purchase for lost or damaged items, and photos of any damage to your luggage or its contents.

If you are not satisfied with the airline's response to your claim, you can take your complaint further by contacting the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) or, as a last resort, taking your case to a small claims court.

Differentiating between lost and delayed luggage

Delayed baggage means your checked luggage has not arrived at your destination on time. It is generally considered lost after 21 days for most international airlines and 5-14 days for US carriers. However, some airlines have different policies, with American Airlines refusing to list a specific cut-off point and Delta Air Lines waiting 14 days before declaring a bag lost.

If your suitcase doesn't arrive with you at your destination, you are experiencing delayed baggage. Airlines are required to compensate passengers for reasonable, verifiable, and actual incidental expenses incurred while their bags are delayed, subject to maximum liability limits. For example, Delta Air Lines allows "reasonable expense reimbursements" of generally $50 per day for the first five days.

Once an airline determines that your bag is lost, they are responsible for compensating you for the bag's contents, subject to depreciation and maximum liability limits. For US domestic flights, the maximum liability amount allowed by DOT regulation is $3,800. For international flights, that figure is about $1,700.

Tracking lost luggage

If your luggage is missing, you should file a baggage claim at the Baggage Claim desk at the airport as soon as possible. You will be given a case reference number, which you can then use to check your delayed baggage status online. You can also use the World Tracer application, in combination with your case reference number, to track your luggage.

It is important to stay in close communication with the airline after filing a claim. Most airlines will declare a bag lost between five and fourteen days after the flight, but this can vary. If an airline unreasonably refuses to consider a bag lost after a significant period of time, they could be subject to enforcement action by the DOT.

Frequently asked questions