You gotta have your bags to have a blast on Spring Break. Let's say you've packed like a pro: crammed necessities (like toiletries and a day's change of clothes) in your carry-on, included that $100 bikini you've been kickboxing to wear, and labeled your checked bag inside and out. You even showed up at the airport early, to ensure that your checked bag makes your flight and not the next one. But since the average airline employee has the competency of a parakeet, here's what to do in case the airline misplace your luggage.
1. Immediately Notify the Airline
We know the beach is calling you, but you don't want people calling you busted for wearing the same gear all Spring Break, so you gotta immediately file a report with the airline desk if your bag is missing. You may not be able to retrieve your bag as easily (or at all) after you leave the airport. Extra Tip: Surprise, customer service can actually be of service. Report the lost bag to the customer service department in addition to the baggage department to help speed up your claim.
2. The 411 Exchange
This will probably be the only time during Spring Break when you'll have to use a brain cell or two. Give the airline a specific description of your luggage, the hotel you're staying in, as well as your full itinerary. Many airlines will deliver your bag once it arrives to your hotel for free, so confirm that before you leave the airport. Inquire about reimbursement or in advance for any items you must purchase while your bag is missing. Don't leave the airport without a written form from the airline, confirming your bag claim. Write down the agent's name and a contact number you can use to track your luggage. And hey--if the agent is cute, you might have a date for the night.
3. Inform Your Hotel
So your hotel bellhop doesn't receive your late-arriving luggage with a confused "?Que?," make sure the hotel knows that you are expecting bags delivered from the airline.
4. Know Your Baggage Insurance
These $5 wife-beaters and $2 drug store flip-flops you packed do add up. If the airline entirely loses your luggage, you are entitled to some payback. Most airlines have a lost bag liability maximum at around $1250.00 USD per paid passenger fare on domestic flights. The credit card company or travel agency you used to purchase your ticket may include some kind of additional baggage insurance. You may also need to provide receipts for the items lost.
