Lost Luggage is becoming a real trouble to travelers ....


... in the US June and July ranked among the 20 worst months for mishandled baggage in 20 years. While in the UK slightly less than 3 in 100 passengers lost luggage between April and June on BA flights.

I recently traveled through Heathrow Terminal 1 and was really shocked at the huge piles of lost bags lying around waiting to be reunited with their owners.

It is a horrible feel standing at the carosel and realising that you are all alone with no more bags to arrive. So to help you avoid that fate, here is the All Cheap Flights guide to keeping your luggage.

1. Label the Luggage

Get a strong luggage label for the outside of your bag, on this label just add your name and mobile phone number. Make sure you put the international version of the number i.e. +44 77...... and do check with your mobile phone company that your phone is able to receive calls in the country you are visiting.

2. Guard Your Personal Details

Do not put your home phone or address on the outside of the bag, airports have plenty of people looking for information about homes that are going to be empty while people are out of the country.

3. Airline/Tour Operator Labels

If the airline, tour operator etc provide a luggage label use this as well as the one in 1). These can be a bit flimsy so don't rely on only this one. Make sure you fill out all the details on this, especially if you have a transfer at the other end, the coach driver may be relying on this to unload your bags at the correct stop.

4. Fly Direct

Try booking direct flights that do not involve a change of planes, most bags are lost at the connecting airport when the bags don't have time to change planes.

Leave plenty of time between flights at the connecting airport if you do have to make a connection.

5. Full Contact Details Inside

Inside your bag provide full contact details including home address and your itinerary while you are traveling. Also include the airline and booking reference details of your flight.

6. Share your Underwear!

If more than one of you are traveling together, spread your belongings amongst all the bags, that way if one bag is lost, everyone will still have something to wear.

7. Record the Packing

If you have a digital camera, take pictures during the packing process, in particular take pictures of anything valuable, designer clothes etc. This will help with any insurance claim if the worst happens. Make sure the date and time is set correctly on the camera so that it shows you were packing for this trip. Leave a copy of these digital pictures at home.

8. Which Bag is Mine?

Make sure you know the make and model of your bag so you can accurately describe it if it is lost. While you have your camera out take a picture of the packed bag and take that picture with you.

9. Travel Insurance

You have got travel insurance haven't you? Check that it covers the value of your luggage.

10. Don’t Rush Those Bags.

Arrive at the airport in plenty of time, not only do you need time to reach the plane after checking in so do your bags.

11. Me Rome, Bags Madrid?

At check in watch the bags carefully, make sure each bag has a destination label attached securely by the check in staff, and check the label is for the correct destination, the label will display a 3 letter code, this code is short hand for the destination airport name, before you leave make sure you know what the 3 letter code is for your destination airport.

12. Collect Your Bagagge Receipts

Also When checking in make sure you get your bag tag receipt stubs with the bar code on them, you will need these if you need to make a claim at the end of your fight

13. Oh No, Lost Luggage ?

At your destination if the worst comes to the worst and your luggage does not arrive, then you must report your lost luggage to a representative of the airline, they will fill out a Property Irregularity Report and make sure they give you a copy. You must do this before leaving the baggage claim area.

14 Make a Claim.

If you luggage was lost then you need to make a lost luggage claim against your airline or your insurance policy. When claiming make sure you include all those photos you took when packing.

Hopefully if you follow these tips, you will complete your trip with your baggage intact, but if the worst comes to the worst you will stand a better chance of being reunited with your bags or being able to claim back the full value later.