Tatyana Solomatina

How to return lost luggage: my experience with Aeroflot

Good day, friends! Lost your suitcase? It’s unpleasant, but you shouldn’t kill yourself, this is not the worst thing that can happen to you. In addition, according to statistics, 90% of lost bags are found in the first two days. But in order to be among the lucky ones, you need to inform the relevant services about what happened. There is a certain procedure, which is better to know in advance.

It is about how to return the lost baggage, we will talk today. Read the article, at the end I will tell you how Aeroflot returned my bag a year after the incident. I don't know whether to laugh or cry, but this is a real incident from my life.

When crossing long distances, people usually use an airplane. Considering that you need to get to overseas countries, then he has no equal in this matter. Currently, this is a very popular and convenient transport, but the ticket costs a lot. Passengers pay money and hope for a comfortable, conscientious flight. Unfortunately, sometimes when they arrive at their destination, they find out that the luggage has been lost by the air carrier.

What to do in such situations? How to return lost luggage? How can he even get lost? Let's look at these questions in more detail.

There are many reasons, from the banal human factor - the tag was badly glued, the connection at the third-party airport was not sorted out, the passengers themselves mixed up the suitcases, to technical failures in the electronic baggage transfer system.

Let's turn to the statistics, because of which luggage is lost:

• Non-connection on flights with transfers - 50%
• Problem with tags - 15%
• Do not pick up the owners - 15%
• Other reasons - 20%

Along with the old way of sorting luggage, innovations have been introduced in major air harbors, new system moving luggage. I suggest watching a short video showing the entire path of luggage, from the plane to the belt. This will allow you to better understand the principle of luggage delivery at major airports. I'm sure you haven't seen this before.

What to do in case of lost luggage?

Important! It is best not to postpone the search and address the issue immediately. You don't need to go to the arrivals area. Most often, the luggage search desk is located in the hall where the tape is spinning. Rarely, but it happens that the airport does not have this service, then you should directly contact the airline that made the flight.

We draw up documents

First of all, you need to notify the employees of the baggage tracing service about the lost luggage. He will need to show his passport, luggage tag, as well as boarding pass.

The service employee will provide a receipt form, which the passenger needs to fill out. There are a few more forms to fill out. Each airport has a different list of documents.

Standard documents - a statement from the passenger about the loss of baggage and an act (receipt) on his search.

In a statement, you should not write about your dissatisfaction with the carelessness of the airline employees. It's useless.

You need to provide information that will help you find your baggage - full name, date of flight, flight number, address of residence, length of stay in the country, address of residence in this country, contact details, for example, phone number.

Appearance of luggage

The application should describe the lost luggage itself - the shape, its color, any distinctive characteristics, the contents of the suitcase.

The employee will offer to identify the shape of the suitcase according to the table. Each baggage is marked with a digital code and entered into a spreadsheet.

Important! It happens that when packing, luggage loses its shape. This happens when the film that wraps the luggage compresses it, thereby giving it a different shape. This means that it is very easy to confuse with other luggage. Therefore, it is worth telling the service employee about this in order to make the appropriate amendments to the search system.

Baggage valuation, paradox

The procedure ends with baggage assessment. There are difficulties here.

According to the Air Code of the Russian Federation (Article 119), if baggage is accepted for air transportation with a declared value, then in case of loss, the declared amount must be returned to the passenger. But in practice, rarely does anyone evaluate a suitcase before handing it over, this is a paid service and it is not obligatory, there is no such clause in the contract between the airline and the passenger. Therefore, the carrier returns only the amount set by him - no more than 600 rubles per kilogram of cargo.

In principle, each airport compensates for the damage in a different way. It happens that the carrier sets monetary restrictions.

What happens next?

Based on your data, the employee will register the application in the World Tracer search system. This automatic luggage tracing system allows you to find your lost suitcase anywhere in the world.

After completing all required documents, the specialist will issue a copy of the receipt with the case number and phone numbers where the passenger can call and inquire about the results of the investigation.

Arriving at home or at the hotel, do not relax. It is advisable to call the service daily and be interested in the ongoing investigation. Each telephone conversation with the passenger will be talking to different employees. Get ready to tell the "baggage" story more than once.

In addition, you can independently track the path of searching for lost baggage using the World Tracer system, by means of an identification number. If the baggage is fixed in the system, there will definitely be information.

Baggage change

It is common for someone else's suitcase to be picked up by mistake in the baggage claim area. This situation is called baggage change. In the search system, it is registered differently. In this case, they will search for the owner of the abandoned luggage.

But there is one caveat. While the documents are being processed, a passenger who has taken someone else's luggage can already leave the airport. Therefore, if possible, it is worth insisting on a speakerphone notification. Then we can hope that the person who took not his luggage will hear this information.

Baggage badges are not checked at international terminals. Here the level of baggage exchange is quite high. Much easier on domestic flights. There, the tags are most often looked at and immediately reveal inattentive passengers.

It is worth remembering that the system is not perfect, and it can make mistakes. Don't trust her completely. You need to allow the human factor, and not be afraid to look ridiculous in this whole situation. At the airport, it is better to be vigilant, look around, approach people without hesitation and ask them to double-check whether they have taken their luggage. Timely steps taken will help to avoid unpleasant situations.

Transit flight

If the passenger is at the airport with transit, and boarding for the next flight has already been announced, you should immediately contact the airline and report the situation. Some carriers go towards the passenger and delay the flight while he draws up the documents.

If there is no time for this procedure, then you can report the incident in writing, while attaching the necessary documents for this. The terms for filing a claim are limited by the interests of the passenger. The carrier starts consideration of the application within a month.

Official dates

• Within 21 days from the moment the plane arrived, they are trying to find the lost luggage.
• It will be considered officially lost on the 22nd day.
• The deadline for filing a claim for lost luggage is 6 months. This is for domestic flights. With international, this period reaches 18 months.
• The airline considers the submitted application within 45 days. After the expiration of this period, they inform in writing of their decision. If the letter has not arrived, then the passenger has the right to file a lawsuit and resolve this issue in court.

What payments and compensations are possible?

• Airlines of the Russian Federation issue only 600 rubles per kilogram of cargo.
• During the search, major carriers can issue a non-refundable loan for essentials such as linen, toothbrush and toothpaste. This loan is about $50.
• Lawyers recommend keeping receipts for lost items. They can then be attached to the application, then the airline will reimburse the damage on these checks. But here's the amount of damage, they establish themselves. Perhaps it will be 50% of the amount on checks.

Luggage insurance

The easiest way to protect yourself from financial loss is to insure your luggage. But for this, again, you have to fork out.

Every insurance company offers this service. However, keep in mind that this measure will in no way save you from the problem of “staying naked” if your suitcase is lost on your way to vacation. Because you will receive the insurance payment only when you return home.

The easiest way to insure your luggage is with the company where you purchased the medical insurance. You need to add this service when buying a policy. However, this option is not always beneficial. It often happens that some insurance companies have the best deals on medical services, while others have more. profitable offer for other types of insurance. Here you need to carefully analyze the market and understand the issue. I wrote more about insurance.

Advice. Before buying insurance, find out how much it will cost to check in baggage with a declared value of compensation. This can be done for a fee. Perhaps this solution to the problem will be more beneficial for you.

How to avoid the situation with the loss of luggage?

• You must make your suitcase "unique". For example, attach a ribbon to its handle or stick bright tape over the package. This measure will allow not only to quickly find it on the tape, but also help other passengers not to confuse the luggage.
• Before checking in, be sure to clean your suitcase of stickers from old trips.
• It would be nice if you attach a tag with the contact details of the owner to your luggage.
• Make sure that the sticker at check-in stays on the luggage in a quality manner.
• During a transit flight, luggage is usually transferred without your participation to the next flight. However, it is still worth clarifying this issue when registering. But do not confuse a transit flight purchased with one ticket with a flight when you separately purchased tickets for each flight. In the second case, you will definitely have to receive and check in luggage at intermediate points on your own.
• Statistics say that every minute someone loses their luggage. Therefore, it is worth playing it safe. Just in case, take hand luggage the most necessary and valuable things.

My experience with Aeroflot

Like many frequent tourists, I did not escape the loss of luggage. It was in 2015, the carrier of the ball was Aeroflot airline.

We were returning home from Thailand, the flight was long and tired us a lot. Plus, I was unwell on the plane, I wanted to get home faster, go to bed and drink medicine.

Right before the flight, we swam in order not to put wet bathing suits, fins and masks in a suitcase, packed all this stuff in a separate bag. Here we did not count her at Sheremetyevo.

Realizing that the bag was lost, we went to the luggage search desk, where there were already about 50 of the same “lucky ones” from our flight. With the last of her strength, she filled out the paperwork and only after 30 minutes was able to get through to the counter.

Then it turned out that instead of the data of the international passport, I entered the data of the Russian document. I don’t know what got me hooked at that moment, otherwise I can’t explain my actions with poor health and wild fatigue.

Naturally, they gave me blank forms and told me to rewrite them. I did not stand in line again and refill the huge footcloth, it was beyond my strength, and the contents of the loss were not worth such torment. I gave back what I filled out, said that I no longer wanted anything from the airline, that I was ready to forget about the lost luggage. She turned around, went home and forgot about the incident.

About a week later, I got a call from an airline representative. I asked about the reasons for the refusal to search for lost luggage, the behavior of the employee with whom I spoke after the flight.

I said that I had no complaints against the carrier, that such a decision was due to my poor health and had nothing to do with them. I was offered to drive up to Sheremetyevo and re-register the papers. I refused, because Sheremetyevo is not a low beam, I didn’t want to drag myself there because of cheap Chinese fins and probably rotten (they were wet) swimsuits and swimming trunks.

An Aeroflot employee warned me that I had a year. He said that if during this time I find myself nearby, I can run in and arrange everything. On this, in fact, they parted, satisfied with each other.

11 months have passed, I have already managed to fly 4 times to other countries from Sheremetyevo, I never even remembered about the lost luggage.

Suddenly, a call. Aeroflot's lost luggage delivery service informs me that within a day, my bag will be delivered to my home (for a minute - Kratovo, 120 km from Sheremetyevo).

And they did deliver! And even if I didn’t need it anymore, naturally everything was moldy and moldy there, and I immediately threw it away, and even if only after 11 months they brought it - a fact on the face, delivered without any gestures on my part. My surprise knew no bounds. Only applause!

Conclusion

Of course, my case is not a panacea. And if my luggage was valuable, I would act differently. But in any case, there is no need to despair - you are not the first passenger to lose luggage, and you will not be the last. Unfortunately, this is not uncommon. Do not spoil your nerves and delve into the reasons, because everything has already happened. What is the difference now because of what?

I can only say that Aeroflot's baggage tracing and return system is well-established, as you can see, personally verified. I think other airlines are not far behind. Therefore, do not be discouraged, this is not the worst thing that can happen in life!

I repeat. According to statistics, 90% of lost luggage is found quickly. The main thing is not to delay with the registration of the loss, not to be too lazy and fill out an application.

You may be interested in the article, or.

On this I say goodbye to you. I wish everyone never get into such situations!

Tatyana Solomatina

Airlines around the world have been at war with the problem of lost baggage for years. It causes a lot of inconvenience to passengers and significantly reduces the popularity rating of the respective air carriers, which brings them huge financial losses.

But no matter how modern the methods of servicing, checking in, packing and transporting luggage are, its loss is still quite frequent. This does not mean at all that every flight must be accompanied by a loss of luggage.

The incessant flow of passengers and the human factor are doing their job. After all, people work with luggage, and they tend to make mistakes. In most cases, baggage is still found, but passengers receive it later than they would like, and air carriers have to pay dearly for their mistakes.

General rules and actions in case of lost luggage

In almost every international airport there is a special baggage tracing desk, the so-called Lost & Found. It is there that, first of all, it is worth contacting a passenger who could not wait for his luggage.

The next step is to fill out a luggage search report, which should indicate all the external signs of a travel bag or suitcase: color, size, shape, type of suitcase, handles, wheels, material and, of course, name tag data.

The airline representative will require the passenger to present a tear-off baggage tag coupon - it is usually glued on the ticket cover. The act of search should be filled in duplicate. One will remain with the filling passenger, and the second will be sent for consideration to the airline's management. It is better to take a contact phone number from one of the employees in order to be aware of the search process.

The most common reason for lost luggage is that the small tag that is attached to the bag during check-in has come off. Usually the passenger himself is responsible for the quality of its sticking, so you should take this seriously. The better you attach this label to your luggage, the less problems you will have.

The marking tag contains all the necessary information about the owner of the baggage and the flight to which it belongs. One can only imagine the confusion airport workers are left with when a travel bag without any markings falls into their hands. Such cargo is transferred to the Lost & Found service, where it patiently waits for its owner. It’s good if the tag came off at the point of departure or landing, and not during one of the transfer stages. Then it will be much harder to find it.

Many international airlines connect to the worldwide baggage search system - World Tracer. It works based on the search for matches between the passenger's application and notifications of found baggage. A printout containing the application number is issued to the passenger, and when the system finds the lost baggage, airline employees contact him and arrange a meeting. He can pick up his things by presenting a printout.

The airline has 3 weeks to find the loss. If during this time employees fail to find the luggage, the fact of theft or loss is recognized, and the company is forced to compensate the owner for losses. As a rule, luggage is found within five days from the date of the application. If not, the passenger is asked to make a detailed list of the things that were in it. This technique is successful in 99% of cases.

Compensation for lost luggage

So, first of all, each passenger must understand that the airline is not obliged to compensate the cost of baggage in full. By law, for every kilogram of weight, there is a compensation of $ 20, regardless of how much and what kind of things you had there. A baggage pass is attached to it, by presenting which the passenger has the right to receive compensation for the weight of the baggage indicated there. If it so happened that his bag was not weighed, the average value is taken - 35 kg.

Passengers can express all their discontent about disagreement with the amount of payments at the main office of the airline. In rare cases, people have been able to secure a $5,000 financial refund. In general, you should always remember that air carriers in cases of loss of luggage are not responsible for the safety of jewelry and expensive equipment, so it is advised to carry such things in the cabin as hand luggage. If it is hand luggage that is lost baggage, then the airline is obliged to pay the passenger about $ 400.

Well, we figured it out, but who should you turn to for help and financial support if the lost luggage was not found right away?

If you have managed to get into a similar situation in an unfamiliar state, then feel free to go to the main office of the airline that provided your transportation. Don't count on a massive refund, but you'll definitely get around $50 to buy essentials. In cases of unsuccessful search for luggage, you should contact the same place for payment.

All of the above details on baggage compensation apply to all international airlines. If you flew on an Aeroflot flight, then you should contact the baggage tracing service with all claims, and the details of possible compensation will be accepted in accordance with the aviation legislation of the Russian Federation. Most likely, when your luggage is found, you will have to personally come to the appropriate airport service to collect it.

If Transaero Airlines acted as a carrier, then you should seek help from its relevant services. The main thing is to have luggage receipts with you, without which there can be no talk of compensation. The passenger can receive a refund in the amount of the declared value of their belongings, if the total value does not exceed 600 rubles per kilogram. The maximum amount of compensation for hand luggage is 11 thousand rubles. For international transportation - $ 20 per kilogram of weight and 400 for hand luggage, as mentioned above.

As for the huge international airlines such as Lufthansa, Air France and British Airways, they are among the top ten airlines in the world with the most luggage loss. The amount of compensation for such a loss they have is different from payments made by Transaero on international flights. The Warsaw Convention and the regulations that were adopted there are responsible for such similarity.

However, there are also other airlines that take their passengers' baggage very seriously. Consequently, the size of their compensation payments is much larger. For example, the American company Northwest/Southwest pays its passengers $50 on the first day, and if the baggage can't be found within a week, they pay another $150. Continental pays its passengers at least $250 if they don't find their luggage on the first day.

One of the most prosperous airlines in the world in terms of baggage problems is the Israeli company “El Al”, in which there are only 9 problem situations with baggage per thousand passengers.

Airport compensation

If the luggage is lost at the airport, the procedure of the passenger's actions completely coincides with his actions in cases of loss of baggage on the flight. It is necessary to contact the baggage search service, and if there is none, then draw up an appropriate search report in the administration. The carrier airline you used will be responsible for finding your baggage. The airport itself is not responsible for your luggage and its safety, but each of them is the base for some airline.

For example, the Vnukovo airport is served by the RusJet airline, the Pulkovo airport is considered the base for such companies as “ Ural Airlines” and “Transaero”, while “Domodedovo” is served by such airlines as “Transaero”, “S7”, “Moskovia”, “RusLine” and others. However, this does not mean that other airlines cannot take off and land at these airports. In any case, the responsibility for the safety and timely delivery will always be assigned to the air carrier you have chosen.

09.08.2018, 08:02 31496

Nightmare: upon arrival at the airport, you are horrified to find that your luggage is not there. We assure you, there is no need to panic in this case. We wrote in detail about that, so we will not dwell on this moment. But we will tell you about the new online baggage tracking service. Fortunately, such a service has appeared, which has added convenience and peace of mind to passengers. International search system World Tracer

World Tracer is the world's only dedicated baggage tracking and tracing system developed by SITA IT company.

How the search engine works

If you have not received your baggage upon arrival at the airport, you will need to fill out a special Property Irregularity Report (PIR) form. Here you will need to specify:

• passenger data
• flight data
• describe the baggage in detail (appearance: color, shape, size, distinctive features, etc.).

You will also need to fill in the information from the baggage receipt (it is pasted on the boarding pass at check-in). After that, you will be issued an act indicating the registration number.

Responsible airline employees enter this data into the World Tracer search system, and they enter a single database. At airports using this system (there are about 3 thousand of them), information about unclaimed baggage is compared. If the data of the lost and found luggage match, it is sent to the owner at the specified temporary address of his location or at the address of his permanent residence.

Where to apply to fill in the act of delay / loss of baggage

To fill out a lost baggage report you need to go to the Lost & Found counter. It is available at almost every airport and is located in the baggage claim hall or right next to the exit from it.

If this is a small, regional airport, then there may not be such a counter, in this case about contact an airline representative which you flew or to the airport authority.

Attention! This must be done before you leave the terminal or airport.

How to Track Your Delayed / Lost Baggage Online

You can track your baggage on the airline's website. Find a special form there and enter into it:

1. Surname,
2. A ten-digit identification number in the format AABBXXXXX, where AAA is the airport code, BB is the airline code, and XXXXX is the 5-digit tracking number. For example: ATLXS12155.

After entering the data, the current location of your things and the estimated time of their arrival will be displayed.

The system tracks baggage for 100 days, after this period it can be considered irretrievably lost.

For reference

Baggage is considered lost if it is not delivered within 21 days after arrival. Until that time, he is considered detained. .

You waited for the final unloading of your luggage at the destination airport, but you never found your luggage on the conveyor belt - sad, but don't worry. You need to look through all the transport belts located at the airport and make sure that your things, due to the error of the loaders or a computer failure during loading, did not get into the baggage of another flight or onto the oversized baggage belt.

You can wait a little longer - sometimes it happens that tired passengers, by mistake, take someone else's suitcase and, after a few minutes, run with an apology to return it back. If this does not happen, then it is necessary, without leaving the airport (arrival zone), to immediately contact the special search service, which is located on the territory of the airport and works around the clock, without days off and breaks.

If you lost luggage at the airport then you can contact the information desk, ask a representative of the airline carrying it, or independently find a service office or counter with the inscription “Lost and Found” or “Lost and Found” or “Lost baggage”. This is the service that will search for your lost luggage. You need to submit an application addressed to the management of the air carrier company (in business language this means making a claim) and fill out a baggage search report, present your passport and baggage receipt (Baggage Tag). The act must indicate the flight number, ticket booking code, attach a boarding pass.

The baggage receipt for checked-in baggage at check-in must be kept and protected. This is the only proof that you have luggage when you board the plane. In the application, you need to describe the lost baggage in the most detailed way (the list of contents inside is added after five days if the baggage was not found)

Advice for the future - for especially valuable luggage, install a microchip or gps navigator before departure. Sometimes it happens, though rarely, that your luggage is simply forgotten to be loaded at the airport of departure or transit.

Tracing Bureau lost luggage in Antalya (Lost and Found)

Lost Luggage Tracing Bureau in Nizhny Novgorod

Hawaii Airport Baggage Tracing Bureau (Lost and Found)

Particular attention should be paid to special signs: shape, overall dimensions, weight, color, stickers, colored belts, handles, number of wheels, snakes, trademarks, name tags, and the like. You can attach a photo of your luggage before you leave. This is necessary to identify the owner of the baggage in case the baggage tag with your number is torn off or lost during loading, transit reloading from flight to flight, or simply during the transportation of baggage.

In the act, it is necessary to indicate your contacts for reporting information; the exact address to which the found baggage will be delivered; and telephone in case of questions. For yourself, you need to write down: - phone number of the airline representative; Lost Baggage Tracing Agent who accepted the application and take a copy of the Lost Baggage Report.

Now you can forget that you lost your luggage at the airport and can go about your business while waiting for the results of the search for luggage. The search for luggage, during the first five days, is carried out by special services of the airport of arrival. Almost all international airlines are united and connected to the Word Tracer system. This is an international baggage tracking system. The data from the act is entered into the system and the search begins. You can follow the progress of the search via the Internet using your unique registration number, as well as eliminate errors in the description of baggage or your data. For this, you will need the number recorded during the preparation of the act.

As soon as the baggage is found, the employees of the tracing service specify how quickly the baggage can be delivered, and inform the passenger who submitted the application that the baggage was found, on which flight, when and where it will be delivered. It usually takes a few days and everything goes well.

The airline delivers the found baggage to the address specified in the application. Many airlines give out essential items or small cash compensation when luggage is lost. You will need to keep receipts from the money spent for the report when you receive your luggage. As moral compensation for the inconvenience, they can provide a discount coupon for frequent flyers when buying the next air ticket.

If after five days there is no result, then the luggage will be searched for by representatives of the airline that lost the luggage, and the passenger has the right to turn to the culprit for a certain amount to purchase clothes.

To collect your baggage, you will need to present your passport, baggage receipt (tear-off baggage tag with a UPC barcode) and an act drawn up at the airport on the day of arrival.

If the baggage is not found quickly, the passenger has the right to file a written complaint with the Claims Department within three weeks. The forwarding of the lost and found baggage paid according to the tariff takes place at no additional charge. If within twenty-one days the baggage is not found and returned to the passenger, then the baggage is assigned the status of stolen or irretrievably lost.

Material damage is compensated at the rate of 20 dollars per kilogram of the weight of the lost baggage. If the compensation is not satisfactory, then you can file a lawsuit in court to review the amount received.

For reference: 90% of passengers who lost their luggage at the airport find it within the first two days.