Lost bags - best practices from a road warrior
May 19, 2010, 11:50 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 1
Lost bags - best practices from a road warrior
What I have learned about baggage handling:
1) check one bag - carry on bag with electronics (lost bagage rules do not include electronics, including chargers and extras).
2) carry on bags - do carry on electronics, medications, comfort items like jacket and blow up neck pillow.
3) If your flight includes a small regional jet connection - check equipment section of itinerary, DO NOT carry on a traditional roller bag or large computer roller brief case. These will NOT fit in overhead on small regional jets. These "gate checked" bags ARE NOT BARCODED like checked at the ticket counter bags. What does that mean? If you bag does NOT get on your flight because the baggage compartment is full and you are the last run-on connection passenger, your bag WILL end up with 10's of thousands of others and take up to 3 weeks to return to you, if not completely lost by the airline.
4) Connections of at least 2 hours for same airline connections and 2.5 - 3 hrs for airline change, if you have checked bags , or you risk your bags NOT arriving on same flight.
5) for laptop travelers, invest in a smaller shoulder laptop bag for when you use regional jets... the large computer roller bags DO NOT fit in commuter jet overheads OR under the seats.
6) try to be loyal to an airline or an affiliated group so that you can get early bording. Early bording ensure overhead space and avoids lost or delayed bags.
7) Medications and electronics (including chargers ) are NEVER covered by lost baggage airline compensation
8) clothing - did you know that if you DO NOT have original receipts for the contents of you baggage that the airline will re-imburse you the garage sale value of your clothing items, not the replacement value. The average compensation for lost bags by the airlines is about $125, which barely covers the bag replacement much less the contents.
1) check one bag - carry on bag with electronics (lost bagage rules do not include electronics, including chargers and extras).
2) carry on bags - do carry on electronics, medications, comfort items like jacket and blow up neck pillow.
3) If your flight includes a small regional jet connection - check equipment section of itinerary, DO NOT carry on a traditional roller bag or large computer roller brief case. These will NOT fit in overhead on small regional jets. These "gate checked" bags ARE NOT BARCODED like checked at the ticket counter bags. What does that mean? If you bag does NOT get on your flight because the baggage compartment is full and you are the last run-on connection passenger, your bag WILL end up with 10's of thousands of others and take up to 3 weeks to return to you, if not completely lost by the airline.
4) Connections of at least 2 hours for same airline connections and 2.5 - 3 hrs for airline change, if you have checked bags , or you risk your bags NOT arriving on same flight.
5) for laptop travelers, invest in a smaller shoulder laptop bag for when you use regional jets... the large computer roller bags DO NOT fit in commuter jet overheads OR under the seats.
6) try to be loyal to an airline or an affiliated group so that you can get early bording. Early bording ensure overhead space and avoids lost or delayed bags.
7) Medications and electronics (including chargers ) are NEVER covered by lost baggage airline compensation
8) clothing - did you know that if you DO NOT have original receipts for the contents of you baggage that the airline will re-imburse you the garage sale value of your clothing items, not the replacement value. The average compensation for lost bags by the airlines is about $125, which barely covers the bag replacement much less the contents.
May 19, 2010, 12:11 pm
#2
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Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
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I'd say 3 and 4 are wrong IME.
And I'd much rather have my one bag gate-checked on an RJ and carry-on the rest of the time then check ever.
I'd say 3 and 4 are wrong IME.
And I'd much rather have my one bag gate-checked on an RJ and carry-on the rest of the time then check ever.
May 19, 2010, 7:53 pm
#5
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I frequently book flights with tight connections, and have always had my luggage waiting for me at the other end. Some airlines may need a little extra time, but I think booking a connection with at least a two hour layover is unnecessary..