What to do if you have no luggage. Lost luggage. What documents should be attached to the claim?

If your luggage is lost at the airport, an unpleasant situation arises, the way out of which is difficult, but there is a way out. Anyone who travels frequently should know what to do if they lose their luggage. First you need to go to the counter where large luggage is issued. Even if the suitcase is small, it could simply be moved to this department by mistake. If the suitcase is not in the large section, then the airline has lost the baggage. Every airport should have a counter to search for lost luggage and return what is found. The first thing you should do is go there. Airport employees will give you a special form to fill out.

Lost luggage counter

It contains all the basic data:

last name and first name of the passenger;
contacts where you can contact the passenger: telephone, email, address;
flight number and route;
number of ticket;
you need to describe the lost suitcase, you can choose the appropriate one from the provided pictures.
it is advisable to describe the contents or indicate a few of the most remarkable things that will easily help you find your lost suitcase.

The form must be completed in the language of the destination country or in English. A total of 2 copies are filled out, one of which remains with the airline, and the other is given to the passenger. A claim about a lost suitcase is registered in the system and assigned a serial number. You can use the number to track the status of your lost luggage. Then all that remains is to wait for a message from the company that lost the luggage and is searching for it.

If the flight was carried out with the help of Aeroflot, you can contact its representative office at the airport.

It is also necessary to prove that the luggage contained essential items, for example, hygiene items. In this case, Aeroflot airline must issue money to purchase the necessary items or a set hygiene supplies essentials.

If your luggage is lost at the airport, it will usually be recovered within 1-3 days. The airline that is at fault for missing luggage must notify the passenger that the luggage has been found and deliver it to the specified address. If the address was not specified, you will have to pick up your luggage at the nearest airport. In this case, the airline must compensate for transportation costs in the presence of appropriate receipts.

But it happens that the luggage is not located at all. It is considered irretrievably lost after 3 weeks or 21 days. In such cases, the passenger is entitled to compensation, which is determined depending on the weight of the loss. Each case is considered individually. On average, the amount of compensation is calculated at $20 per 1 kg, but not more than $1,500 in total. Regardless of how valuable the items were in your luggage, more than $1,500 will not be paid..

Aeroflot calculates compensation at 600 rubles per 1 kg of lost luggage. If the weight of the suitcase is unknown, compensation is automatically calculated at 35 kg of default weight.

If there is a video recording at the airport that luggage was taken from the transport belt by another passenger, then a call to the police will follow. It is better to transport valuables and expensive equipment in hand luggage, but sometimes they get lost. If you lose your hand luggage, you need to immediately contact the flight attendants; sometimes they shift the luggage to another compartment for safety reasons. If the loss is discovered after leaving the plane, you need to contact the baggage tracing service and draw up an appropriate report. The service, in turn, will contact the crew of the aircraft or the airport from which the flight took place.

If it is proven that hand luggage was lost during the flight, the airline will refund $400 regardless of what was in the luggage. IN Russian airlines amount of compensation for hand luggage is 11,000 rubles. If there are receipts for goods that were in luggage, the airline must compensate their cost or part thereof.

Reasons for losing luggage at the airport

The main reason for lost luggage at the airport is human factor. This happens if, for example, the baggage handlers forgot to load the suitcase on the plane, or the wrong sticker was affixed, and the suitcase flew to Brazil instead of England. Things may be taken by mistake by another passenger who has the same suitcase. Most often, luggage gets lost if there are many transfers on the road. During the loading process, the sticker indicating the flight and passenger details may come off.

In order to avoid losing your luggage during a flight, you need to follow several rules:

It is better to choose a suitcase in a bright and catchy color to make it easier to find. You can attach some bright accessory, sticker or ribbon to it. It is advisable to take a photo of your luggage to make it easier to find it if lost.
If there are old tags from previous flights on the suitcase body, it is better to remove them, otherwise the scanner at distribution may send the baggage to the wrong place.
It is advisable to attach a tag to your bag or suitcase with contact information owner.
It is better to come to check-in in advance, as there is less risk of losing your luggage in a hurry.
You need to carefully monitor that the tag is glued well and does not fall off during loading and unloading. The passenger must have a copy of it.
When taking a flight with many transfers, you should definitely ask the airline if you need to check in your luggage again.
If you are transporting expensive and valuable items, it is better to insure your luggage. Then, in case of loss, you can count on compensation.
It is advisable to pack your suitcase in plastic to protect it from damage and opening.
For a fee, you can check in your luggage and declare its value.

If possible, it is better to choose non-stop flights, during which baggage most often goes missing.

A story about the features of tourism and recreation. Helpful information for the traveler.

First of all: pah-pah-pah! Pah-pah-pah! And let's knock on wood three times. And we wish that this undoubtedly useful material will not be useful to anyone reading it. Because when you arrive, say, on a long-awaited vacation, and your luggage turns out to have completely different plans, this, of course, is never funny. However, you shouldn’t lose heart: it’s better to take a number of actions that will help you not only get out of the situation with minimal losses, and also, to the extent possible, punish the perpetrators. The leading lawyer of Alexander Bayborodin’s law firm, Vadim Pogorelov, brings clarity, for which many thanks to him as a tourist.

Important points

When does the carrier become liable for baggage? Everything is obvious here - immediately after the passenger has checked in for the flight and checked in his luggage. From this moment until the end of the flight, the carrier airline is responsible for the items handed over. This follows from paragraph 121 of the Federal Aviation Regulations.

By the way, the words “responsible” mean not only loss, but also shortage or damage to the passenger’s belongings. If the lost items are not found within 21 days, the passenger has the right to demand compensation for damage.

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What to do if your luggage is lost?

As soon as it has finally become clear that your pot-bellied, wheeled companion will no longer crawl out of the mysterious hatch and take a victory lap on a black rubber band, the first thing you need to do is file a loss certificate. This must be done right at the airport, usually at the airline counter or at the Lost and found point. Any employee will tell you where exactly.

The act must indicate a contact phone number, as well as the address to which the luggage needs to be delivered. If you come on vacation, please indicate the address of the hotel, as well as the number of days you will spend there. Also write down your home address in case your belongings are not found during your vacation. It is important to describe the lost suitcase in as much detail as possible, focusing on its features. The act is signed by the airport shift supervisor, the carrier’s representative and, in fact, the passenger.

It is very important to receive the application with a note indicating that the airline has received a copy. It is recommended to draw up the act in two copies: the second one should be handed over to the carrier. Or you can just make a copy.

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Drawing up a report is necessary to certify the fact of loss or damage to luggage. However, the absence of such a statement does not deprive the passenger of the right to file a claim or claim.

Try to track lost luggage You can use the World Tracer system by entering the number from the tag attached to your boarding pass.

You have 21 days to search your luggage. Once the loss is discovered, representatives of the carrier will contact you and clarify when the luggage can be delivered to the specified address. As a rule, things are delivered directly to your home: this is what most airlines do. It is important to indicate in the act your the exact address and ask that things be delivered there.

Many carriers will provide or cover the cost of essential items left in lost luggage. As compensation, you may also be offered a discount coupon for the purchase of new airline tickets.

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See you in court!

If the luggage has not been found within three weeks, the passenger has the right to demand compensation through the court. In accordance with the provisions of Art. 118 of the Air Code of the Russian Federation, the application is drawn up directly in relation to the airline.

It is recommended to serve the application to the carrier as a way of pre-trial dispute resolution directly at the airport when violations are detected.

For loss, shortage or damage to baggage, the airline is liable in the following amounts:

For baggage with declared value - in the amount of declared value;
For luggage without a declared value - in the amount of its cost, but not more than 600 RUB per 1 km;
For things carried by the passenger - in the amount of their value. If it is impossible to establish it - no more than 11,000 RUB.

Compensation for moral damage (except for jokes)

In addition to compensation for lost luggage, the passenger has the right to demand compensation for moral damages and a fine in the amount of 50% of the amount awarded by the court for refusal to voluntarily satisfy the client’s request. In this case, RF Law No. 2300-1 “On the Protection of Consumer Rights” is applied to the carrier. In this case, improper execution of the air carriage contract is considered a violation of consumer rights.

The consumer needs to prove not the fact of causing moral harm, but the fact of violation of consumer rights. However, you should not count on any huge amounts. As a rule, the plaintiff receives up to 5 thousand RUB. The maximum you can count on is 15 thousand RUB.

In case of winning, the passenger also has the right to apply for reimbursement of legal costs: expenses for drawing up a power of attorney by a notary, services of a representative, etc. This claim can also be made when filing a statement of claim.

In case of loss, the passenger who went to court on his own loses the funds spent on paying legal costs. If a lawyer is involved, then the amount of expenses increases due to the amount paid to the specialist.

Read in this article:

Unfortunately, the eruption occurs only once every... several years

Imagine that you have flown in to report on a unique natural event that happens very rarely, and all the equipment checked in is lost. This is exactly the trouble that happened to the photographer and traveler Sergei Shandin on a working trip to Sicily. Sergei flew to film the eruption of Mount Etna for the AirPano project. In total, our hero had $10,000 worth of equipment in his luggage: tripods, GoPro cameras and stabilizers for shooting video. Total weight oversized luggage it turned out to be more than 30 kilograms. For every extra kilogram of weight, Sergei paid the airline additionally. I also insured valuable luggage for the amount of € 500 with the insurance company RESO-Garantiya.

Sergei flew to Sicily. But his luggage is not.

Such situations happen. This happens especially often during transplants. Most likely, your luggage was left on the transfer in Rome. In a maximum of a couple of days it will be delivered to the address
The support service tried to calm our hero down with these words.

A year has passed since these events, but the luggage has still not been found! Lost work equipment worth $10,000 and an unfilmed volcanic eruption result from this flight to Italy.

Sergei tried to compensate for the financial damage through insurance, but was unable to. In this case, the situation was aggravated by the fact that Alitalia airline by that time no longer physically had a representative office in Russia: the company’s offices were closed two years ago as part of a campaign to reduce costs for renting premises and hiring employees. That is, since 2017, all communications, including document flow, take place online. This became a problem when trying to contact the insurance company: “RESO-Garantiya” demanded an official document from the airline on company letterhead stating that no payments had been made to the victim. They considered the electronic document insufficient evidence. Payments to Sergei were denied.

Photographer Sergey Shandin

Finds at airports: animals and food in luggage

In most situations, luggage is found and delivered to the specified address within a few days. Sometimes it is possible to find lost luggage at the airport: for example, a suitcase Natalia fell from the cart on the way from the plane to the transporter, and was seen on surveillance cameras.

The worst thing that can happen to a lost suitcase is that there is food inside that can spoil. This happened with Olga, which flew from Barcelona to St. Petersburg. It was July, it was incredibly hot, despite that, of course, many tourists brought whole legs of jamon and cheese from their vacation in Spain. Upon arrival, it was discovered that half (!!) of the passengers on the plane had no luggage. Olga, like the other victims, wrote a statement to airline representatives at the airport. The suitcase was found and delivered, but only... a week later! Olga had to throw away not only food, but also things: in such heat, absolutely everything was ruined.

On the way back, I visited the lost and found room at Fiumicino Airport in Rome, trying to find my luggage. There were mountains of unclaimed luggage lying there. Among them are truly valuable things: musical instruments, large bags. It smelled terrible in places. To each Russian tourist I want to grab my “piece of cheese” in Italy: many people carry sanctioned cheese and prosciutto in their luggage. But now, before I put the prohibited card in my luggage, I remember that if the luggage is lost, all this goes out, waiting for the owner,
Sergei Shandin shares his impressions.

My worst nightmare is losing my dog on a flight! I regularly fly to Moscow to visit my family, and the American airline Delta almost as regularly loses my luggage during a long transatlantic flight. The truth always finds. On new year holidays I debated for a long time whether to take Heidi with me (author’s note - the dog’s name). She is like a child to me; I didn’t want to leave her for the main family holiday with friends. At the last moment, I decided to leave the dog at home. And I thanked my intuition a thousand times for this when Delta lost my luggage again. Heidi could be in that luggage

What to do if your luggage doesn't arrive

If upon arrival at your destination you have not found your belongings, you need to find the lost baggage counter - Lost & Found, which is usually located in the same hall where baggage is reclaimed. If the airport is small, without a special department for such cases, contact representatives of the airline you flew with.

Immediately at the airport you need to file a claim for lost luggage. As a rule, this is done by the employee working at the counter. He must be provided with the following information:

flight number and all connecting flights if you were flying with a transfer;
baggage tag and boarding pass number;

#IMPORTANT

Always keep your luggage tag and that's it. boarding passes until you are sure that your luggage has arrived, is not damaged, and its contents are in place!

describe the luggage as accurately as possible: color, brand, coating composition (hard plastic/soft leather or rag) and size, and indicate whether the luggage had special tags - a priority tag or an individual one with your contacts;
if you are a member of the airline's reward program, please provide your club card number. This should encourage the company to resolve your problem as a priority and speed up the search for your luggage;
passport details and address where things can be delivered when they are found.

Maria's luggage was lost on a Moscow-San Jose flight with a transfer in Paris.

I travel a lot, always in fairly sporty mode. It’s the same this time: my friends and I’s trip to Costa Rica was scheduled hourly. Besides the fact that on the very first day after our arrival we were expected to climb the Arenal volcano, and I was left without trekking shoes and clothes, we changed our overnight location almost every day. And our plans did not at all include searching for or waiting for luggage in one place. Then, after a moment’s hesitation, I decided not to sacrifice the travel program in the hope that the luggage would be delivered in the very first days, but indicated in the claim for lost luggage the first few hotels and the days of stay in them. As it turned out later, I did the right thing, because my luggage was found only on the tenth (!!) day, and only after I sent messages to AirFrance by email and on Facebook, and on the eighth day I personally went to the airport and went to their Costa Rican representation. By the way, his seemingly smiling and amiable head turned sharply on his heels and silently walked away in the opposite direction when I uttered the phrase “lost luggage.” I didn't see him again. While I was standing there in bewilderment, I noticed among the office staff the very girl who had registered the loss of my suitcase on the day of my arrival. In my presence, she sent “repeated” letters about the disappearance to Paris and Moscow, and I left her my new residential addresses for the near future. After another 2 days, the luggage was found and delivered to the hotel on the other side of the country. I was very lucky that it was her shift that day. I don’t know for sure, but it seems that they didn’t even start looking for my luggage until that day,
Maria says.

Your luggage may be searched for up to 21 days from the date of application. After registering your application, you can track the progress of your search online in the World Tracer system. There you can also fill out the “Inventory Form” - list in detail all the contents of the suitcase. Sometimes this information is not requested immediately, but they are asked to describe the contents of the luggage in as much detail as possible (indicating the color, brand and size of the items inside) if the luggage is not found quickly.

An example of filling out a description form (“Inventory Form”)

As a rule, such a period is not required, and luggage is found faster: during a transfer, a situation may arise when it simply does not have time to be reloaded or is sent by mistake on the wrong plane. If after 21 days the luggage is still not found, it is assigned the status of lost, and you are entitled to compensation for it.

Which monetary compensation can you get it? This issue is regulated by the Montreal Convention, which came into force in 2003. On this moment it includes 133 member countries, including Russia. Countries not included in this convention regulate payments based on the Warsaw Convention. Maximum size compensation for ratification of the Montreal Convention is approximately €1447.93 or $1525.11.

What counts as essential items and how to get reimbursed for them

According to airline rules, if your luggage is lost, you must be reimbursed for essential items. Some airlines give victims a set of such things at the airport. If this does not happen, you can immediately safely buy personal hygiene products - a toothbrush and toothpaste, feminine tampons and pads, shampoo and hair conditioner and creams. After a day, you can add a swimsuit, clothes and shoes.

#IMPORTANT

Always keep receipts for everything you buy for a normal living while traveling. If your luggage is found, then this money can be partially (if you don’t have insurance) or completely (if you insured your luggage) refunded.

AirFrance offered me a refund of 7,707 rubles (€ 100) without receipts for the purchase of essential items. But I’m a seasoned person, so I collected all the receipts, and also included in my insurance in advance an additional option for insuring lost or damaged luggage. Let's see how much money the airline will return to me. But everything that is not returned will be returned under insurance,
Maria shares her experience.

An example of a letter from an airline regarding compensation for lost luggage

Lost suitcases and time: what you can get from insurance

According to the portal www.sita.aero, luggage is mostly lost during transfer flights. The good news is that despite the increase in passenger numbers over the past 10 years, luggage problems have decreased significantly in all regions of the world, with the number of lost suitcases and bags falling by 70%. Also, since June 2018, Resolution 753 of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) came into force, which obliges all companies that are members of the association to track baggage at aircraft, arrivals and transfers. Now all carriers work according to the same scheme: in order to comply with the requirements of the Resolution, airports must check the receipt and transfer of baggage when loading onto the plane, the transfer of arriving baggage and the transfer of transit baggage. You can track everything on one website, where each company has its own page. It’s too early to draw any conclusions since the resolution came into force, but given that the association includes 266 airlines, the situation should improve significantly, and if luggage is lost, it will certainly be easier to track its location.

If you don’t want to worry about your luggage, you can insure your luggage to receive additional compensation and assistance in dealing with the airline. On modern market It’s difficult to find the perfect product because companies set very different conditions:

1. Some offer generous coverage for lost luggage, but exclude camera equipment, laptops and other valuables.

2. Others set the amount of compensation based on the weight of the luggage - per kilogram.

3. Still others cover everything without exception, but at a minimum rate.

If we highlight the key points of insuring luggage against loss or damage from different insurance companies, we get the following:

“VSK Insurance House” will pay you 500 USD. for lost luggage, and if the suitcase is delayed for more than 4 hours, it will reimburse the costs of purchasing essential items - no more than 100 USD;
the maximum coverage for loss of luggage from VTB Insurance is € 2,000, but the company will reimburse payment for essential items if luggage is delayed for more than 6 hours;
ERV will also reimburse expenses for essential items if luggage is delayed for more than 6 hours. After a day, you can add a swimsuit, clothes and shoes to shampoo, toothbrush and toothpaste and other personal hygiene products. But the insurance company covers the loss of luggage per kilogram of weight: if you were flying in economy class, you will get 25 USD per kilogram of weight, if in business class - 50 USD.

Larger compensation can only be obtained if you have declared valuables traveling in your luggage. At the same time, money and Jewelry will still be excluded.

#LIFEHACK

And finally, only the ERV insurance company has the risk of “theft of luggage from a secured facility with burglary.” Despite the fact that it is designed for snowboarders and skiers who store equipment in public drying rooms at the hotel, it is also actively used by owners of expensive laptops and equipment who fly on business trips. Because a hotel room, like a car trunk, is considered a protected object according to this company’s rule. In the case of burglary from the trunk of a car, there is an additional funny condition - the car must be parked for more than 3 hours.

If you are the lucky owner of insurance from the ERV company, and you were robbed while traveling, you need to call a police officer and file a report. We also recommend taking photographs of items left in the safe, dryer or room with a smartphone or camera that records the date the photo was taken, each time before leaving.

“Max Insurance Company” has a large list of items that are not covered by insurance (including contact lenses and electronic devices), but also a fairly extensive list of cases that can be recognized as insured: loss or destruction of luggage in a fire and their extinguishing, natural disaster, accident);
“Liberty Insurance” pays 5 USD. for every hour the suitcase is delayed, but the company has a large list of items that are not insured (including audio, video and photographic equipment);
the ERGO company has a baggage payment limit of 500 USD, payments are made minus the amount that the airline must pay by law;
“Ingosstrakh” does not insure luggage delay, but only its loss/destruction, payments are made in the amount of 50 USD. per kg, but within the insured amount;

#LIFEHACK

“Renaissance Insurance” reimburses necessary expenses after 48 hours of baggage delay (including rental of sports equipment if the baggage was mistakenly sent to another place). In case of loss of luggage, payments are made in the amount of 100% of the insured amount;

Allianz only insures lost luggage, with a limit of 250 USD. for one piece of luggage.

There are some simple tips to help reduce the likelihood of lost luggage.

They will also make it easier to find him in case of unforeseen circumstances.

1. Buy suitcases that will stand out from others in color or pattern: this will make them easier to find if lost.

2. You shouldn’t rely on the airport tag: it may simply come off, and then the suitcase will most likely be lost. Make your own tag with your first name, last name and contact information and attach it securely (for example, place it under clear suitcase wrapping film).

3. Always retain your baggage tag and ALL boarding passes until you receive your baggage at your final destination airport.

4. When purchasing any essential items, it is very important to keep your receipts: only they can prove that you spent your money on it.

5. Always remove tags from previous flights so that the system does not mistakenly send your luggage to another city.

6. Remember that with short transfers the risk of baggage loss increases. If you have to transit, ask the airline employee checking you in for the flight to which point your luggage will be checked - to the final point, or will you need to pick it up and re-check it at the transfer airport.

In a situation where you did not find your luggage on the conveyor belt, the most important thing is not to panic. You need to immediately write a statement to the Lost&Found department, find out whether the airline issues kits of essential items and whether they issue refunds on checks. You can then track the fate of your luggage on the World Tracer website. And we'll save the best news for last: 90% of passengers who lose their luggage find it within 48 hours. But if 2 days have passed and your luggage has not yet been found, start calling and writing to the airport and airline representatives.

- What to do in case of a car accident

What to do if your luggage is lost during air travel?

Good afternoon,
I want to tell you my story, which will probably serve as a lesson for many. Two months ago I flew to Spain. The Spanish airline Iberia Airlines lost my suitcase. I’ll say right away that it’s possible that the suitcase was lost and not by them, I flew with a transfer on two airlines, but according to the law, the airline that delivers the passenger to final destination appointments. A month after the loss, when the airline, according to its representatives, checked all the airports in the world, I requested compensation, attaching a list of the missing items to the application. The total cost of the suitcase with things was 4 thousand euros (there were valuables in the luggage). After another month, I received compensation, but its size unpleasantly surprised me: $1,500. The airline explained to me that this is the maximum compensation for one lost suitcase in all airlines of the European Union. But this state of affairs does not suit me. What should I do? Is it possible to sue the airline for the desired amount? And how should you generally behave in the event of missing luggage?

According to the Montreal Convention, an international air travel agreement, airlines are liable for lost baggage, but there is an upper limit and it is set quite low: $1,500. In addition, in the event of loss of baggage, the airline is not responsible for fragile and valuable items placed in baggage, for example, jewelry, photo and video equipment, as well as banknotes, bank checks, securities and other items of high value. If for some reason you cannot take such items in your hand luggage, it is better to take out an insurance policy for them from any insurance company. Now let's talk about everything in order.

What to do

So, you have arrived at your final destination and have not found your luggage. The most important thing is don't panic. After all, nothing but your suitcase will make you happy now, and it could be on the other side of the world. First of all, contact a representative of the airline carrying you or an employee of the Lost & Found baggage tracing counter, which is located in almost every international airport. There you need to fill out a report about lost luggage. It indicates the external features of the suitcase: shape, color, material, information about the name tag, the presence or absence of wheels and handles. The passenger must also present to the airline representative the tear-off slip of the baggage tag pasted on the cover of the air ticket. The report must be drawn up in two copies: one sent to the airline management, the second kept with you, just in case. It would be a good idea to take the phone number from the airline employee who helped draw up the report - it is possible that problems will arise with finding your luggage.

Who is looking

Majority international airlines connected to the global baggage search system. Therefore, the report drawn up on a computer is immediately entered into the World Tracer general search network, where the system begins to look for matches between the passenger’s application and information about the luggage found. The passenger is given a printout with the search request number. As soon as the system indicates that the luggage has been found and indicates its location, a Lost & Found employee finds out how long it will take for the luggage to be delivered and informs the passenger about this. As a rule, luggage is sent on the next flight, and in cases where it takes several days, the airline service ensures delivery to the exact address provided by the passenger.

How much to wait

The maximum search time is 21 days. As a rule, luggage is found much earlier. If nothing is found within five days from the date of drawing up the search report, the passenger is asked to draw up detailed list what was in the suitcase. This list is also included in common system search, and in 99% of cases the luggage is found. And if it has not been found within three weeks, the luggage is considered lost or stolen.

Who is guilty

The most common reason for lost luggage is that the tag that is attached to the suitcase or bag when checking in for a flight at the airport has simply come off. If this happened during transportation or reloading from flight to flight, and it is impossible to determine on which plane the suitcase should have been loaded and who its owner is, the baggage is transferred to the Lost & Found department. It’s worse if the bag is lost during a flight with several stops or different airlines. In this case, a computer glitch in the registration system or loading system may be to blame, for example. This complicates the search. It happens that the loader simply made a mistake. A completely hopeless case - if someone takes a fancy to your suitcase.

Who will help

It is not easy to find yourself in a foreign country without a change of clothes, a toothbrush, or a razor. The airline staff can help you in this situation. By law, they are not obliged to pay the passenger for the purchase of essential items, but rarely do any air carriers risk spoiling their reputation like this. Reputable airlines often immediately offer the passenger money for all these purchases - usually no more than $250. But the majority of air carriers pay after the luggage is found. To receive the money you were forced to spend retroactively, you will need to provide the airline with receipts for purchases made on the first day after drawing up a report of lost luggage. The cost of purchased clothing is refunded only 50%.

Who will pay

If your luggage is not found within 21 days, the airline is required to pay for material damage. Compensation for lost and delayed baggage is governed by the Warsaw Convention and the Hague Protocol, which take precedence over local laws regarding international transport. Compensation for completely lost luggage is calculated on the basis of 20 dollars per 1 kg of weight. The total weight is determined by the baggage pass, which is usually attached to the airline ticket. If for some reason the suitcase was not weighed, then its weight is estimated at 35 kg. Remember that the rules of almost all air carriers recommend that passengers carry documents, money, medicines, keys, fragile items, antiques and jewelry in hand luggage. Almost all airlines warn in advance that they are not responsible for the loss of these items.

Who will answer

If you agree that 1 kg of your luggage cost $20, then you can safely enjoy your vacation. If you were carrying a Hermes blouse and Prada shoes, then you are unlikely to be satisfied with such an airline. There are several ways to solve the problem. First, you need to present a claim to the air carrier, accompanied by a letter in which you politely explain that you are very upset that your shirt worth 2 thousand dollars was not only torn on the way, but was also valued at 1% of its value. The timing of filing a claim is very important. If you were given damaged luggage at the airport, you must submit a claim no later than 7 days from the date of receipt of the items. If a damaged suitcase is delivered to your home or office, the period increases to 21 days from the date of delivery. If luggage is lost, a claim must be filed within 18 months. If you are lucky and the airline is sympathetic to you, you can receive up to $5,000 in compensation. Well, if not, the air carrier must refuse you in writing. You can go to court with this refusal, as well as a copy of the claim. You can file a claim within two years from the day the baggage should have arrived at the destination airport. Lawyers say that judges almost always side with the passenger. After all, they are sometimes passengers too...

Confused airline companies

The European Airlines Association (AEA) periodically publishes reports on the reliability and punctuality of airlines. At the end of 2006, European air carriers lost an average of 13.9 pieces of luggage per 1 thousand passengers. About 85% of lost luggage was found and delivered to passengers within 48 hours. And today’s list of airlines that lose luggage most often looks like this: (to be fair, it’s worth noting that these companies have a lot of connecting flights with other air carriers, so maybe it’s not them who lose luggage, but all the sins of their partners are all to them you still have to take it upon yourself).

Top Ten Aircraft Confusions

1. KLM
Baggage losses (units/thousand people): 19.9.

2.British Airways
Baggage losses (units/thousand people): 18.7.

3. Austrian
Baggage losses (units/thousand people): 17.0.

4. Lufthansa
Baggage losses (units/thousand people): 16.5.

5. BMI (UK)
Baggage losses (units/thousand people): 16.1.

6. Alitalia
Baggage losses (units/thousand people): 14.9.

7.Air France
Baggage losses (units/thousand people): 14.1.

8. Luxair

9. TAP Air Portugal
Baggage losses (units/thousand people): 13.7.

10. CSA Czech Airlines
Baggage losses (units/thousand people): 11.8.

Expert commentary

Sergey Samutin,
Russian legal advisor,
George Coucounis Law Office
The rights of air passengers are regulated by various international legal acts - both international conventions (i.e. multilateral treaties signed by most states of the world) and internal acts of the European Union.
In 1929, the Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules Relating to International Carriage by Air (the so-called Warsaw Convention, entered into force on February 13, 1933) was signed in Warsaw, of which 151 states are members. The Convention established the principles and extent of the liability of the air carrier (i.e. airline):
- for damage that occurs in the event of death, injury or any other bodily harm suffered by a passenger if the accident occurred on board the aircraft or during boarding and disembarking operations;
- for damage that occurs in the event of destruction, loss or damage to checked baggage or goods, if the incident occurred during air transportation;
- for damage caused by delay air transportation passengers, luggage or goods.
According to the Convention, the fault always lies with the carrier, and he can be released from liability only if he proves that he and his representatives accepted all necessary measures in order to avoid harm, or that it was impossible to take such measures (Art. 20). If the carrier proves that the fault of the person to whom the harm was caused caused or contributed to the harm, the court may release the carrier from liability or limit such liability (Article 21).

This is interesting
Today, the location of luggage traveling by air is determined using a bar code on a sticker that is attached to the handle of the suitcase. However, barcodes are considered obsolete because they are not reliable enough. If the code is not printed clearly enough or is damaged during loading, it cannot be read and the luggage disappears into the depths of airports. International Association air transport(IATA), is pushing for its members to implement a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) system. During check-in, suitcases are equipped with stickers with built-in microchips, which do not become unrecognizable as quickly as barcodes. The American airline Delta Air Lines plans to switch to RFID next year, while other airlines are still wary of the cost of converting the airports they use. Lufthansa has already tested RFID and has expressed its interest in installing the system. However, when exactly this will happen is still unclear.

Luggage was lost due to the fault of the airline. How much compensation can you realistically receive for luggage (suitcase) stolen or lost by an airline?

According to the Warsaw Convention of 1929 Article 22

1. When transporting passengers, the carrier's liability in relation to each passenger is limited to the amount of one hundred twenty-five thousand francs. If, under the law of the court in which the action is brought, compensation can be established in the form of periodic payments, the capitalized amount of such payments cannot exceed the specified limit. However, through a special agreement with the carrier, the passenger can establish more high limit responsibility.

2. When transporting checked baggage and goods, the carrier's liability is limited to the amount of two hundred and fifty francs per kilogram, unless a special declaration of interest in delivery is made by the sender at the time of transfer of the package to the carrier and with the payment of a possible additional fee. In this case, the carrier will be obliged to pay an amount not exceeding the declared amount, unless he proves that it exceeds the sender's actual interest in delivery.

3. In respect of items left with passengers, the carrier's liability is limited to five thousand francs per passenger.

4. The above amounts are considered to refer to the French franc, consisting of sixty-five and a half milligrams of nine hundred thousandths fine gold. They can be expressed in any national currency with rounding of numbers.

If the carrier's country has not signed the Warsaw Convention, then the amount of compensation for lost baggage or cargo is 17 SDR (Special Drawing Rights (SDR)) per kilogram of checked baggage and cargo, or $20 USD per kilogram.

How long must it take to file a claim if luggage is lost or partially stolen?

According to the Warsaw Convention of 1929 Article 26

1. Receipt of luggage and goods by the recipient without objection will constitute an assumption, pending proof to the contrary, that the goods were delivered in proper condition and in accordance with the transport document.

2. In case of damage to the cargo, the recipient must send an objection to the carrier immediately upon discovery of the damage and, at the latest, within three days for luggage and seven days for goods, counting from the time of delivery. In case of delay, the protest must be made no later than fourteen days from the day on which the luggage or goods are placed at his disposal.

3. Any objection must be made by means of a reservation marked on shipping document, or other written communication sent within the time limit established for this objection.

4. If there is no objection within the established time frame, no claims will be accepted against the carrier, except in cases of fraud on the part of the latter.

When is the carrier obliged to pay compensation?

If checked baggage is not found within twenty-one days from the date of presentation of the statement of non-receipt of baggage, the passenger has the right to demand compensation for damage caused by the loss of checked baggage.

Where should I go if the carrier does not pay compensation?

In court at the place of residence - such cases are 100% in favor of the victim.

You are standing at the baggage carousel waiting for your luggage. Time passes, everyone has received their luggage, but you still don’t see yours. What to do in this case? If your luggage was just delayed during a short transfer to another plane, don't panic. Airlines have smart enough technology to find your luggage, and in most cases, your luggage will find you. They will tell you when to come to the airport to pick it up, or they will send it to where you are. Be sure to make sure that you fill out the necessary paperwork right at the airport of the company you were flying with so that your luggage is delivered to you or you are notified when your luggage will be returned to your arrival airport. Many airlines will even give you a refund for incidental expenses related to baggage delays. Be sure to keep your receipts for expenses so you can provide them to the airline for compensation for losses associated with delayed baggage.

If the airline has lost your luggage, you must fill out a special document right at the airport at the airline counter. You can send this document by mail, but it is always better to do it directly at the airport after you have discovered that your luggage did not arrive with you.

There is a maximum amount of compensation that an airline will refund you for lost luggage. Depending on the airline and country, this amount can reach up to $3,400 per passenger, according to the Warsaw Convention adopted by many countries or Montreal Convention. You can review the rules for compensation for lost baggage on the website of the airline you were traveling with.

Airlines usually have a long list of items for which they are not responsible. As a rule, these are jewelry, money, etc. You must carry such items in your hand luggage.

If your baggage ended up on the carousel (usually airlines scan every baggage when it gets on the carousel), but was accidentally or intentionally stolen by someone or taken by another person, then this already requires contacting the police, not the airline. To minimize the negative effect of such cases, we recommend purchasing travel insurance, which, as a rule, returns money and compensates for the cost of missing luggage. You can find insurance on the website: //biletyplus.ru/ru/strahovka?aid=201502

How to prevent luggage loss:

Be sure to attach a tag with your name, address and contact number to the luggage you check in at check-in
The most common reasons for delayed or lost luggage are late check-in or short connections. Try to avoid both. The minimum transfer time that we recommend should be at least one and a half hours.
Pack all your most valuable items in your carry-on luggage
Make a list of what you packed in your luggage. Or keep it in your head, but better write it down.
Make sure the baggage handler at check-in attaches a tag to each bag and gives you a copy.
Pack some necessary items in your carry-on luggage that you can use if necessary if your luggage is delayed.
Travel insurance is the best guarantee that you will not have financial losses in case of delay, loss or theft of luggage.

Recently, they have begun to produce “smart” luggage, which has the ability to send signals to an application that you need to download to your smartphone and you yourself will be able to “monitor” your luggage during the entire trip.

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