How to prevent lost luggage - and what to do if it happens

Every traveler dreads losing his or her luggage. While luggage doesn't get lost often, bags do occasionally wind up in the wrong city, country and even the wrong continent. About two percent of these bags are never found again.

Preventing lost luggage

The best way to prevent lost luggage is to carry your belongings onto each flight. Unfortunately, this is not always an option. If you need to check luggage, make sure your name and contact information is securely attached to each item. Also slip a piece of paper inside each item that has your name, contact information and itinerary.

Before checking your bags, take a photo of each one and save it on your phone or camera. Then, if you need to report a missing bag, you can use the photo to improve your chances of its recovery.

When your baggage gets lost

If your bag does not appear at the carousel after your flight, find the airline's baggage office and make a report. In most cases, a clerk will use your ticket stub to track the bag by computer. This won’t reveal your bag's exact location, but it will tell you if it has been loaded onto a different flight.

If your bag was scanned at the carousel, it may have been stolen. In that case, you will have to file a claim with the police.

If the bag was not scanned at the carousel, chances are good that it has gotten lost. When filing a claim with the airline, provide a picture of your bag and as many other details as possible. Give the clerk your home address, contact information and the address of any places where you will be staying. You may also need to make an itemized list of the things inside your missing bag.

Getting compensated for lost luggage

Different airlines have different procedures and different amounts of compensation for lost bags. You may have to wait weeks or even months before you discover the final status of your luggage. When requesting reimbursement, remember to include the cost of the luggage itself and any clothes or toiletries you bought to replace your belongings. You may not receive the full amount, but it will help you negotiate a payment.

Some travel insurance policies cover lost luggage. If you have travel insurance, contact your insurance agency to determine its policies and payments.

If the airline refuses to reimburse you or makes you jump through countless administrative hurdles, you can always file a complaint with their customer service department or the U.S. Department of Transportation's Aviation Consumer Protection and Enforcement. It may or may not get results, but it's one way to take control of a situation that leaves many travelers feeling helpless.