Business Travel: What Should You Do If You Lose Your Luggage

If you’re anything like our experts, you love to be organised when it comes to travelling. That’s why the prospect of losing your luggage can be a pretty daunting one. It’s completely out of your control and, in the rare instances where it does happen, it can throw your whole holiday out of whack. But never fear! We’re here to help. If it’s your first time travelling in a while, check out our advice on how to prevent your luggage getting lost, and tips to protect yourself (and your travel experience) if it does.

Love getting the latest gear for your travels? That doesn’t have to stop with your luggage. In fact, there’s an array of smart luggage trackers out there now, so you can make sure you know where your bags are at all times. You can generally pick one up for as little as a tenner, with monthly or yearly data subscriptions on top. There are Bluetooth, GPS, Wi-Fi and mobile options available, with brands like LugLoc and Trakdot being the most popular. If you’re heading down this route, make sure your tracker has a long battery life, or is at least fully charged before you set off.

This may sound obvious, but having your luggage correctly tagged means it’s more likely to reach the same destination as you. That means removing the tag from last year’s trip to NYC and your 2013 Greece flop-and-drop before you head off on this year’s holiday to Thailand.

Give yourself plenty of time to check-in, and you’ll not only feel less stressed and be under less time pressure at the airport, but your luggage is also more likely to go on the plane at the same time as everyone else’s. If you’re dropping it off at the very last minute, it stands to reason that your bags may get overlooked before take-off.

It may sound simple, but when you’re handed a receipt for your luggage at bag drop, keep it SAFE. Better yet, take a picture of it too. Better still, take a picture of it with your luggage, so you can easily describe and demonstrate to ground staff what your bags look like if they do get lost.

Travelling with a friend, partner, or have the luxury of two cases in your baggage allowance? Split your clothes and toiletries 50/50, so that if one bag does get lost, you’ll still have some items when you reach the other side.

We always travel with a toothbrush and some spare pants in our hand luggage! This is especially important if you’re travelling for work – always make sure you have an extra set of clothes and those crucial business meeting documents in your carry-on, just in case!

Speaking of important things: meds. These should always be carried on your person or in your hand luggage. If you’re worried about carrying hypodermic syringes, essential liquid medication or inhalers – don’t be. Just ensure you have supporting documentation to prove that this is your medication and you’ll be OK to take it into the main cabin.

Emblazon your bags with a rainbow strap, string, ribbon, or loads of stickers, then Joe Bloggs in 26B is much less likely to confuse your bag with his! With hundreds of black Tripp bags zipping around the conveyor at baggage claim, and with most travellers a bit weary after flying, it’s easy to see how people can pick up the wrong stuff.

Those transparent ID pockets on the back of your suitcase aren’t just for show! Add your name, phone number and address on here so it’s easier for staff to locate your luggage and get in touch with you if it doesn’t turn up in-destination.

Armed with all the advice and confident to get back out there? Check out our latest deals here, or chat with a Flight Centre expert here.