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What to do if Your Luggage is Stolen or Something is Missing From Your Checked Luggage

If stead your luggage appears in good shape but you notice something is missing only once home, there are good chances it could have been stolen in the process of embarking or disembarking from the plane. Now you have to keep in mind that depending on your travels; numerous people may have had access to your luggage – and not just airline employees.  The TSA has information on this subject that you should read. Dishonest employees may likely be the culprit. It may sound unbelievable, but there are many stories of baggage handlers being arrested on charges of stealing electronics, cameras, and other products from the luggage of passengers.  

Keep your valuables or electronics safe: leave them safely at home or place them in your carry-on baggage keeping a good eye on it for the whole duration of your flight. Expensive electronics and other larger valuables should always be placed in carry-on baggage. However, in real life, this is often not easy, especially if your items are bulky, too heavy, and uncomfortable to carry along with you on your flight. So if worse comes to worst, and you come home from your trip and find your checked luggage tampered and with items missing, what should you do?

What to Do if Items are Missing From Your Bag

The first step is to check if the luggage has a slip of paper from the TSA claiming it was inspected. If this is the case, you know you will have to file a claim with TSA and fill out a TSA Claim Form, located here.  For more information on this subject visit TSA.gov and click on “For Travelers,” then “Claims Management Branch.” Click on “Forms,” then download, print and fill out the PDF “Claim Package” form. Mail or fax the completed form to the TSA; you’ll find contact information on the form.

Arm yourself with patience, though, even if TSA will try its best to get the claim processed quickly it can take anywhere from 60 days up to six months or more, depending on many factors.

If there was no slip of paper from the TSA, then you would have to file directly with the airlines. You will have to act quickly though as many airlines give you only 48 hours after landing to file a claim. It is best, therefore, to try to contact the airline directly by phone for instructions on how to claim. If you are missing electronics or valuables, it would also be a good idea to contact the airport’s law enforcement office at your departure and arrival airport to report stolen goods.

Keep in mind though that most airlines will not compensate you for the loss of some kinds of valuables such as money and jewelry. This is why such items should never be placed in the checked luggage in the first place. You may though consider purchasing extra insurance; it doesn’t hurt to inquire about this option.

Often passengers wonder: how can their items be stolen? Luggage may get damaged and eventually opens in the process. If this is the case, you will likely notice that your luggage is damaged and that some of your goods slipped out. If this happens to you, go straight to baggage claim and file a claim for damaged luggage and claim for your missing goods. A good place to look is also the airport’s lost and found. The problem is if there is no outward damage to your bag, yet items are missing.

Here are some tips to help document the loss and potentially help get your property back, or, at least, notify those who had custody of your luggage that a theft occurred.

1. First, call the main number of the airports or bus or train stations through which you traveled. When you call, you will need to ask to be connected to the lost and found department, baggage department, or security department, depending on where you think the loss occurred. You also need to make these calls in case you misplaced your items – which happens frequently.
2. Contact the law enforcement agency at your final destination, if you don’t know where the theft occurred.  Tell them the circumstances and that something had been removed from your luggage – AND THAT IT WAS NOT LOST.  Give them a report of what was missing – and whenever possible, if the item is electronic and has a serial number – PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION.  Entering serial numbers into the national law enforcement stolen property database (NCIC) is very important.  After the police interview is complete, ask for a copy of the police report. The police probably won’t be able to do anything about your stolen/missing property, but the Transportation Security Administration or your hotel might request a copy of a police report before doing anything about your claim. If something is stolen by a fellow traveler or while you’re walking around town, filing a police report is your option.
3. Dial the main number for each train or bus station or airport you passed through and ask for the law enforcement or security office. Ask to file a stolen goods report. Unless you’re sure something was stolen midtrip, file reports at your departure and arrival airports or stations. Security officers might notice trends in theft reports and be able to track down repeat offenders.
4. File a claim with the TSA. Look inside your checked luggage for a piece of paper that states the TSA inspected your bag by hand; whenever agents have to open the bag, they’re required to put this paper inside. Mention that you found this note when you fill out your claim because it is proof that agents opened your bag and could have stolen something. You still can file a claim even if you didn’t find this paper.  – Refer to the TSA section reported above for more information about this.  Of special note, several American airports are serviced by independent screening companies rather than by the TSA. If you’ve traveled through one of these airports and are missing an item, you must file a claim with the company. Find a list of airports and contact information in the “Forms” section of TSA.gov
5. File a claim with your airline. Call the customer service number and ask calmly what you can do about a missing item. Each airline has its own policies, you should expect to fill out a claim form and wait several weeks before hearing from a representative.
6. Ask to speak to the hotel manager in private as soon as you find something missing from your room. Ask him to recover your missing belongings. Next, send a letter to the hotel’s headquarters. If the manager got your belongings back from other staff, tell the company what happened and how the manager handled it. If your things are still missing, explain what was taken and what its value was, and explain firmly that you expect to be reimbursed for the full cost.

Limits on Luggage Liability

If your domestic bags are delayed, lost or damaged on a domestic trip, the airline can invoke a ceiling of $3,400 per passenger on the amount of money they’ll pay you. When your luggage and its contents are worth more than that, you may want to purchase “excess valuation,” if available, from the airline as you check-in. This is not insurance, but it will increase the carrier’s potential liability. The airline may refuse to sell excess valuation on some items that are especially valuable or breakable, such as antiques, musical instruments, jewelry, manuscripts, negotiable securities and cash. International trips have liability limits that vary – as this is governed by two international treaties, the Montreal, and Warsaw Conventions. As of August 2011, if you paid a checked baggage fee for your lost bag, the airline must refund your fee. Check your air carrier’s Web site for specifics.  You can obtain additional coverage for your baggage if you purchase “excess valuation baggage coverage” which can be purchased directly thru the airline.

This international limit also applies to domestic segments of an international journey. This is the case even if the domestic and international flights are on separate tickets, and you claim and re-check your bag between the two flights. Keep in mind that the liability limits are maximums. If the depreciated value of your property is worth less than the liability limit, this lower amount is what you will be offered. If the airline’s settlement doesn’t fully reimburse your loss, check your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance; it sometimes covers losses away from the residence. Some credit card companies and travel agencies offer optional or even automatic supplemental baggage coverage.

Tips to Prevent Lost Luggage

Every year, over two million bags are lost, damaged, delayed, or pilfered, according to “mishandled baggage” reports made by the largest U.S. airlines to the Department of Transportation. (That’s about 3.57 reports per 1,000 passengers.) Here’re a few tips to help reduce the chances of your bag being lost when given over to the airlines:

Double-check: Ask the flight attendant handling your bag if you can see the routing information placed on the handle to verify its accuracy before she sends your suitcase down the conveyor belt. This is especially important if you have a connecting flight because bags are not always routed directly to the final destination—on occasion, it may be your responsibility to pick up your bag from the first leg of your journey and re-check it, and the best way to confirm this is to see what’s written on the label.

Make yourself known: The key is to ID your bag in multiple places—outside as well as inside—by placing ID cards in various pockets and pouches. And then add another, using the paper tags provided by the airline carrier. Be sure to include your name, address, and phone number (preferably a mobile number).

Share your plans: Pack a copy of your itinerary (in a place that’s not too hard to find) so that airline workers will know where to route your bag in case they find it and cannot get in touch with you.

Document the evidence: Photograph or video the contents of your bag as you pack.  Just lay everything out on the bed and take a few photos with your camera or phone. Not only will that help to identify your bag if it goes missing, it will also help with claims forms if your suitcase is never found.

Remove extras: Before checking your bag, take off any removable straps; this will decrease the likelihood of it getting snagged along the way.

Arrive early: If you check a bag within 30 minutes of your departure time, it may not make it onto the plane.

Stick to tradition: Finally, don’t check your bag with the curbside baggage checker; go inside to the main counter to decrease the chances of a mix-up.

Embellish your bag: Whether you buy a colorful handle wrap or just add a few stripes of bright duct tape, making yours different from the others could draw the attention of a not-so-motivated airline employee. Another option is to purchase a bag that’s not black or navy (like the overwhelming majority), making it easier to spot in a roomful of luggage.

Tips if your luggage is lost, delayed, damaged, or stolen while in the airline’s possession

• Put your name on the outside and inside of your bags. Even better, put a copy of your itinerary in each checked bag so the airline can locate you.
• The most common causes of lost and delayed bags are late check-ins and tight connections. Avoid both when you can.
• Pack all valuables in your carry-on bags. Cameras, computers, medication, wallets, heirlooms, jewelry, passports, as well as confirmation numbers, itineraries, contact information, and other documents necessary for your travel, should never be in your checked baggage.
• Itemize. It sounds tedious, but when an airline asks what was in your bag, you don’t want to forget anything of value. If you make a packing list before you travel, hang onto it — this is an easy way to remember everything you put into your bags.
•  Make sure the person who checks your baggage attaches the correct destination ticket to every bag and gets a claim ticket for each.
• Pack a change of clothes in your carry-on bag so that you’ll have something to wear if your checked bag is delayed.
• Travel insurance is the best guarantee that you’ll recoup any losses. See our guide to travel insurance for more information.
• Consider using a baggage tagging service – in which many can be found by a simple internet search.  Many of these companies offer luggage tags with unique serial numbers that can be linked to the suitcase owner via an online database. The site will contact you as soon as your lost item is found. (An annual fee applies.)

If all else fails and your luggage is lost

If your bag is lost, stolen, or damaged, be sure to file a complaint immediately. If you still can’t get satisfaction, or feel the need to report the airline, contact the Department of Transportation’s Aviation Consumer Protection Division. Finally, if you’re wondering where lost bags go after they die, here’s your answer: UnclaimedBaggage.com!

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