How to Take Action for Stolen Airline Luggage
Locate the baggage claim office., File a written report., Review the laws or regulations that apply to your flight., Keep in contact with the airline., File a police report., Escalate your claim.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Locate the baggage claim office.
If you're still in the airport when you discover that your luggage was stolen, find the baggage claim office of the last airline you were on and report the theft immediately.Most airlines will have a baggage claim office located close to their baggage claim carousels, or along the outside walls of the airport's baggage claim area.
Even if you have no idea when your bag was stolen, you should report the theft to the last airline you were on.
Let them sort out the details of where your luggage was stolen.
If you notice the theft in the airport, you should report it right then.
However, if you have a situation in which items you packed were stolen from your bag, you may not discover the theft until later.
Airlines typically require you to file a report within 24 hours.
For this reason, you should open your checked bags at your earliest convenience – for example, as soon as you've checked into your hotel – and evaluate the contents.
If you notice something missing after you've left the airport, call the airline's toll-free customer service number or search for a claim form on the airline's website. -
Step 2: File a written report.
Whether in person or over the phone, insist on completing a written report and make sure you have a copy of the report for your records.
Not only will you need it for reference, but you may need to submit it to an insurance company.Some baggage agents may want you to wait a few days to see if your bag turns up.
Essentially, they'll want to categorize it as missing first, then re-categorize it as stolen if it doesn't show up after a few days.
However, if you go along with this, you've lost valuable time during which you could have been filing reports with law enforcement agencies such as the local police and airport security.
The agent will allow you to report your luggage stolen if you insist.
You may need to exercise the same assertiveness if you're filing your report over the phone.
If you file your report online or over the phone, make sure a written copy of the report is emailed to you so you have it for your records and to provide to law enforcement or insurance agencies. , The extent to which the airline is liable for your loss varies among airlines and whether you were on an international or U.S. domestic flight.
You should be able to find a basic summary of the applicable regulations at the airport or on the airline's website.For example, airlines are not liable for the loss of the contents of your stolen bag that are in excess of around $3,000.
Some airlines may extend this coverage if you pay a small fee when you book your flight.
Many international carriers have even lower limits which may not even come close to covering everything you had packed in your stolen luggage.
Airline liability for lost or stolen luggage on international flights is governed by two international agreements.
The Montreal Pact covers Canada, Australia, and European countries, as well as some others.
Most other countries are covered by the Warsaw Pact.
Consumer agencies and travel publishers frequently have summaries of these agreements and how they affect you if your luggage is lost or stolen.
It can be a good idea to see if you can find a brochure that outlines your rights and the airline's responsibilities, so you can reference it when speaking with airline baggage or customer service agents. , After filing your report, set reminders for yourself and check on the status of your claim at least once a day until it's resolved.
The airline may not be in any rush to assess the situation unless you keep on them.The airline should give you a claim number when you file your written report.
You can use that number to access your claim and get status updates, either online or over the phone.
Many major airlines have online apps you can use to check the status of your claim and set notifications when there is any significant change.
Start a log, and write down the date and time you talk to anyone at the airline, as well as the name of the person with whom you spoke.
Get a first and last name, as well as a job title, so you can identify them if you speak to anyone else. , Particularly if specific items were stolen from your bag, but not the bag itself, you must file a police report as soon as possible after you discover the theft.
The airline and airport security agencies may require a copy of a police report before they take any action.Even if the local police insist that they don't have jurisdiction inside the airport, or that you have no way of knowing where your items were stolen, insist that the report be created.
If you're flying on a U.S. domestic flight, you also should file a theft report with the TSA.
The agency has an online claim form you can use.
You also want to file a police report as soon as possible – typically within 24 hours of your discovery of the theft.
The sooner you report the theft, the greater the likelihood that your luggage might be recovered.
Make sure you get copies of all written law enforcement reports you file so you have them for your records. , If you're dissatisfied with the response you're getting from the airline, ask to speak to a supervisor and work your way up the chain of command.
This can be especially effective if you have an airline agent claiming the airline isn't liable for your losses when you know legally they are.Any time you're speaking with a supervisor or manager, take the time to go through the timeline of your claim and correct any inaccuracies.
As with customer service or baggage claim agents, get the name and job title of anyone with whom you speak.
Repeat their words back to them or ask them to put anything significant they say to you in writing so you can hold them accountable. -
Step 3: Review the laws or regulations that apply to your flight.
-
Step 4: Keep in contact with the airline.
-
Step 5: File a police report.
-
Step 6: Escalate your claim.
Detailed Guide
If you're still in the airport when you discover that your luggage was stolen, find the baggage claim office of the last airline you were on and report the theft immediately.Most airlines will have a baggage claim office located close to their baggage claim carousels, or along the outside walls of the airport's baggage claim area.
Even if you have no idea when your bag was stolen, you should report the theft to the last airline you were on.
Let them sort out the details of where your luggage was stolen.
If you notice the theft in the airport, you should report it right then.
However, if you have a situation in which items you packed were stolen from your bag, you may not discover the theft until later.
Airlines typically require you to file a report within 24 hours.
For this reason, you should open your checked bags at your earliest convenience – for example, as soon as you've checked into your hotel – and evaluate the contents.
If you notice something missing after you've left the airport, call the airline's toll-free customer service number or search for a claim form on the airline's website.
Whether in person or over the phone, insist on completing a written report and make sure you have a copy of the report for your records.
Not only will you need it for reference, but you may need to submit it to an insurance company.Some baggage agents may want you to wait a few days to see if your bag turns up.
Essentially, they'll want to categorize it as missing first, then re-categorize it as stolen if it doesn't show up after a few days.
However, if you go along with this, you've lost valuable time during which you could have been filing reports with law enforcement agencies such as the local police and airport security.
The agent will allow you to report your luggage stolen if you insist.
You may need to exercise the same assertiveness if you're filing your report over the phone.
If you file your report online or over the phone, make sure a written copy of the report is emailed to you so you have it for your records and to provide to law enforcement or insurance agencies. , The extent to which the airline is liable for your loss varies among airlines and whether you were on an international or U.S. domestic flight.
You should be able to find a basic summary of the applicable regulations at the airport or on the airline's website.For example, airlines are not liable for the loss of the contents of your stolen bag that are in excess of around $3,000.
Some airlines may extend this coverage if you pay a small fee when you book your flight.
Many international carriers have even lower limits which may not even come close to covering everything you had packed in your stolen luggage.
Airline liability for lost or stolen luggage on international flights is governed by two international agreements.
The Montreal Pact covers Canada, Australia, and European countries, as well as some others.
Most other countries are covered by the Warsaw Pact.
Consumer agencies and travel publishers frequently have summaries of these agreements and how they affect you if your luggage is lost or stolen.
It can be a good idea to see if you can find a brochure that outlines your rights and the airline's responsibilities, so you can reference it when speaking with airline baggage or customer service agents. , After filing your report, set reminders for yourself and check on the status of your claim at least once a day until it's resolved.
The airline may not be in any rush to assess the situation unless you keep on them.The airline should give you a claim number when you file your written report.
You can use that number to access your claim and get status updates, either online or over the phone.
Many major airlines have online apps you can use to check the status of your claim and set notifications when there is any significant change.
Start a log, and write down the date and time you talk to anyone at the airline, as well as the name of the person with whom you spoke.
Get a first and last name, as well as a job title, so you can identify them if you speak to anyone else. , Particularly if specific items were stolen from your bag, but not the bag itself, you must file a police report as soon as possible after you discover the theft.
The airline and airport security agencies may require a copy of a police report before they take any action.Even if the local police insist that they don't have jurisdiction inside the airport, or that you have no way of knowing where your items were stolen, insist that the report be created.
If you're flying on a U.S. domestic flight, you also should file a theft report with the TSA.
The agency has an online claim form you can use.
You also want to file a police report as soon as possible – typically within 24 hours of your discovery of the theft.
The sooner you report the theft, the greater the likelihood that your luggage might be recovered.
Make sure you get copies of all written law enforcement reports you file so you have them for your records. , If you're dissatisfied with the response you're getting from the airline, ask to speak to a supervisor and work your way up the chain of command.
This can be especially effective if you have an airline agent claiming the airline isn't liable for your losses when you know legally they are.Any time you're speaking with a supervisor or manager, take the time to go through the timeline of your claim and correct any inaccuracies.
As with customer service or baggage claim agents, get the name and job title of anyone with whom you speak.
Repeat their words back to them or ask them to put anything significant they say to you in writing so you can hold them accountable.
About the Author
Claire Simmons
Creates helpful guides on pet care to inspire and educate readers.
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