Lost your suitcase? This is what you should do
The chance that you lose your suitcase while traveling is quite high. On average, 90,000 suitcases get lost every day. About 10,000 of them get lost in Europe. The past summer was extreme. At one point there were 16,000 suitcases at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. Fortunately, 85% of lost suitcases are found within 48 hours. With these tips you will also find your suitcase in no time!
How does my suitcase get lost?
Losing your suitcase can have several causes. For example:
- The luggage tag is damaged or has been pulled from the suitcase, which means that employees do not know where the suitcase should go
- Wrong destination barcode on luggage tag because the employee accidentally clicks on the wrong destination when checking in
- Your luggage has been placed on the wrong baggage claim, causing it to go to another plane
- And more…
In short, there are several reasons why your suitcase can get lost. If it happens to you, we have a handy step-by-step plan here.
This is how you will find your suitcase in no time
- At the airport, go to the lost and found desk
- Complete the Property Irregularity Report (PIR) at this desk. On the basis of this document, the airline can look for your suitcase.
- Show here your luggage sticker that you received at check-in. So never lose this one!
- Report it to your travel insurance (Note! You will only be reimbursed if your suitcase is lost on the way there
- Is your luggage still lost after 3 days? Then fill in a Baggage Inventory List (BIL). The form can be found on any airline website. This form must be submitted to the airline within 21 days of arrival.
Avoid losing your suitcase
Tips not to lose your suitcase:
Remove old labels and stickers
Not all barcode stickers are unique. Barcodes are reused every few days. It is therefore possible that the wrong barcode is scanned and your suitcase goes to the wrong destination.
Make your suitcase stand out
It is also common for a passenger to accidentally take the wrong suitcase from the belt because it looks very similar to his/her own. So make sure your suitcase jumps out. For example, through a striking colour, stickers or a suitcase strap.
Make sure the finder can easily get in touch with you
Losing a suitcase is very annoying. But if it does happen, make sure the finder can easily get in touch with you. For example, by attaching a luggage tag to the suitcase. QRing’s luggage tags work on the basis of a QR code or NFC and are therefore completely anonymous. Hang it on your suitcase and you’ll have it back in no time!
