As air travel chaos continues... what to do when an airline loses your luggage

Between staff shortages in airports, canceled flights, and long security queues, this summer has been a particularly stressful time for air travel. Now, missing and delayed luggage rates are increasing too.

In April, US airlines lost, damaged, delayed, or mishandled nearly 220,000 checked bags, an increase of 135% from the same period in 2021, according to a June report from the US Department of Transportation. In airports in Canada and Europe, too, passengers have been sharing images of piles of unclaimed luggage in baggage halls, many with days-old travel tags, as airports struggle to recruit and train ground handlers. Air Canada said the increase in delayed bags is part of the "phenomenon being seen around the world as the air transport system reawakens after COVID."

So how can you minimize the risk of missing luggage when traveling this year? Even though more and more of us are traveling with only carry-on bags these days, there are still times when we need to check a bag or when we're forced to hand over our hand luggage at the gate. The risk of checking luggage is that your bag is delayed or lost, temporarily or permanently. International and connecting flights are particularly at risk now, especially when there are delays or passengers are switched to alternative flights. 

If your luggage, here's what you can do next...

First, find the baggage handler for your airline. If you're lucky, you're one of the airline's hubs, or the airline has its own baggage claim staff at another airport. In these cases, you'll have a direct line to your luggage. But, more statistically likely, you'll need to find one of the outsourced ground-handling companies that the airline contracts to manage luggage at an airport where they have no staff.

From here, the baggage claim staff will try to find your bag. If the systems are all working, the airline will have a record of your bag associated with your PNR, that six-character record locator code you need to check-in or manage your booking. It's also helpful if you've kept your baggage tag.

Best case: they look it up, discover your bag just missed the flight, and it'll be on the next one. Depending on the circumstances, you have the option to wait around for it or to ask the airline to deliver it to you as soon as possible, likely by courier. This should be at their cost and minimal inconvenience to you.

Worst case: they have no idea. If this happens, you'll need to describe your bag using standard descriptors based on color and style (green, two wheels, medium-sized). Then you'll get a reference code that looks like it's made up of the three-letter airport code, the two-character airline code, and a series of digits. A system called WorldTracer is most commonly used.

(Extra worst case: the contracted baggage people arent there. In that case, you'll have to find their office, which is probably in departures. It's a lot easier to start all this off at the airport than once you get to your home or hotel, even if the airlines say you have 24 or 48 hours after your arrival.)

It's then up to the airline to get your bag back to you, but as ever, the squeaky wheel gets the grease, so be politely squeaky: keep records and follow up regularly.

Start making notes with the details of the name and positions of the people you talk to. If they make any promises, make a note. Insist on a baggage-specific phone number that's free to call from wherever you'll be (don't be deterred by having to go through the interactive voice nonsense with the airline's main number — most will have a direct dial number for the baggage office at XYZ airport). Make sure the airline has your entire itinerary for at least a week, and think about where it makes the most sense to reunite you with your bags — are you in hostels for a few nights but going to see Aunt Susie after that? Following up with the airline itself via its Twitter account (if it has one) is a good option, so you have written records of what's happening.

Expert packers will advise packing a change of clothes in your carry-on in case of scenarios like this, but you'll probably still need to buy some essentials. The airline should reimburse you for these items, a policy usually subject to a ''Reasonable amount'' clause. Ask for a leaflet or a printout for guidance, and here's a tip: ask the representative if they can make suggestions for where some reasonably priced clothing can be found. If you run into an airline being stingy about this policy, you can always say, ''but your own representative suggested the H&M at Central Plaza.'' At that point, it's a matter of waiting for your bag to catch up with you. Follow up daily with the airline, noting every interaction and what was said.

I've been fortunate: my bag has gone missing only twice in a decade as an aviation journalist shuttling around the world. So, here are a handful of helpful hints to minimize the chances and impacts of your luggage being lost: