Aeroflot baggage search by number. What to do if you lost your luggage. What is needed to draw up a missing persons report

1. You arrived at the airport at the last minute.Employees no longer have time to load luggage onto the plane, and it may be sent on the next flight.

2. The airline suddenly changed the flight.The essence is the same - the employees did not have enough time to check luggage for the new flight.

3. Are you flying with transfers?, and even different airlines, or there is no direct transfer at the airport between flights of the same airline. In such cases, you need to collect your luggage between flights and check it in again. To avoid this, buy one ticket per route - then your luggage will be transferred automatically.

4. There are too many tags on the suitcase.This is the most common reason for lost luggage, by the way. It's cool that you fly so much. But if you leave all the luggage stickers on your suitcase, then one day it may be sent along the old route. Many staff at the baggage check-in desk reprimand passengers whose suitcases are decorated with old stickers.

5. The front desk employee made a mistake: poorly applied or not applied the tag at all. Airport and airline workers may make a mistake and incorrectly indicate your name or destination. It is impossible to insure against this. of all lost suitcases in 2017 were due to missing tags.

What to do if your luggage is lost

Step 1: Go to the Lost & Found counter at the airport

Typically the stand is located next to the delivery belt. If there is no counter, then you need to look for an airline representative.

Step 2. Fill out an application requesting to return your luggage

If you are abroad, you will have to write in English. You will be given a form or asked to fill out a free form application. You will receive a PIR (Property Irregularity Report) act. Don't lose it - you may need it for compensation.

Don’t worry if you don’t speak English: the form can be filled out by an airport employee.

How to fill out a baggage search application

At the Lost & Found counter you will be given a completed form. Enter your details and describe your suitcase in as much detail as possible. What to write:

• Full name of the passenger;
• contact details - telephone, email, address (the one where you need to bring your luggage);
• flight number and your route;
• data from the luggage tag;
• color, size, shape of the suitcase;
• in the additional line - noticeable distinctive features of the suitcase;
• the description of the items is not just “3 T-shirts and 4 skirts”, but several unique items that will help distinguish it from the rest.

The application must be completed in two copies. At the end, you will be given an application identification number, which you can use to track the fate of your suitcase on the airline’s website or through a global search WorldTracer.

Step 3. Wait for a response

Typically, the receiving party (airport) takes two to five days to search for a suitcase. After this, the airline takes over. She sends a request to the baggage destination, and the search is carried out at all airports. Wait for the call. If they find a suitcase similar to yours, they will let you know.

To speed up the airline's actions, you can use several communication channels at once. Write about your problem by email, call the lost baggage hotline, tag the airline in a post on Facebook and contact us personally. The likelihood that the staff will not wait, but will immediately begin searching for your cargo, will increase.

Step 4. Take your things

Only , all others return to their owners. You will have to wait 21 days - during this time the luggage is considered delayed, but not lost. When the suitcase is found, they will call you. It is the airline's responsibility to deliver the luggage to the owner. So wait for the employee, show him your passport and take your things.

If you do receive your suitcase, but it is damaged, you have the right to compensation for repairing the bag or purchasing a new one. Send the airline a request, receipts and your bank card number - the carrier is obliged to reimburse the costs.

How to get money for small expenses if you are left without things abroad

What if you arrived on vacation, but your suitcase is not there yet? Good news: you won't be left without a toothbrush and a clean T-shirt. You have the right to compensate for the costs of essentials.

The airline is responsible for lost luggage. She also sets the rules - what to compensate and in what volume. Therefore, check this question with an airline representative (for example, on the websites of Air France, Turkish Airlines, FlyDubai, etc.)

Depending on the rules of a particular airline, you may require:

• a set of toiletries;
• reimbursement of costs for underwear, swimsuit (if you arrived on vacation at the seaside);
• funds for medicines;
• warm clothes, raincoats;
• payment for transfer from the airport (to the hotel, another station).

Most often, airlines reimburse costs in exchange for checks ranging from 70-100 € within 21 days after baggage delivery. At the airport you can also be given a set of toiletries, linen, and a clean T-shirt. The longer you wait for luggage, the wider the list of necessary things and the higher the compensation.

How to find missing suitcases

When an ownerless suitcase is found on the baggage belt, it is taken to the airport warehouse. There, luggage detectives get down to business. If there is a tag on the suitcase, then detectives find the owner's contact information and inform him about the find. If there is no tag, then detectives create an electronic statement about the find and post it on the website of the international search service World Tracer . If after 10 days the owner does not show up, the suitcase is opened and the statement is supplemented with a description of the items.

The suitcase has been waiting for its owner in the warehouse for three months. If the owner does not appear after this, the luggage is sold at auction.

Sometimes the suitcase is found after you have been paid compensation. In this case, there is no need to return it to the airline - consider it compensation for moral damages.

How to apply for compensation if your luggage was not found

1. Make a claim about payment of compensation and submit it to the air carrier in writing.

You are required to draw up a document in free form. You will need two copies in English. Some companies have an online form on their website for filling out a claim. For example, in Air France and UIA.

If you have receipts for items left in your suitcase (new or purchased specifically for the trip), attach them to your claim. Always indicate the maximum amount of compensation in the document - companies usually pay less.

You can submit a document in case of loss of luggage on domestic flights within 6 months after the end of the delivery period (Art. 126 Air Code of the Russian Federation ). For international flights - within 18 months after arrival (Art. 127 Air Code of the Russian Federation ).

2. Attach documents: luggage receipt, airline tickets, baggage search report (PIR), receipts for items from the suitcase, bank details, copy of the passport.

3. Submit your complaint to the airline office in person, by registered mail or send a scanned copy by email. If you go to the office, pick up your copy with the signature of the AK representative.

The claim must be reviewed within 30 days. If the airline refuses to accept it, go to court. This can be done at your place of residence in a court of general jurisdiction. Draw up a statement of claim, attach all the documents you have: PIR act, travel tickets, a copy of the claim, receipts for the things in the suitcase. You can demand full compensation for lost luggage under the convention, moral damages and legal costs.

How much compensation can you expect?

The amount of compensation depends on the country in which the airline is registered.

All countries are guided by the rules of one of two conventions - the Warsaw (1929) or Montreal (1999) conventions, which regulate issues of lost luggage. The second convention provides for higher payments. In 2017, Russia joined the Montreal Convention.

It is very difficult to get more than the established amount for luggage. Even if there are receipts for more expensive items in the suitcase. Expensive luggage must be checked in separately, then a special tag is affixed to it.

1. Always peel off old tags so that airport staff do not look for up-to-date information.

2. If you are flying with connections, remind the check-in desk about this. Check to what point your luggage is checked in. Sometimes you have to pick up your suitcase and check it back in the middle of the route. Do not forget about it.

3. Check in for your flight on time and check in your luggage.

4. Attach a tag with your contacts to your suitcase. Indicate your name, phone number, hotel address, email.

5. Decorate your suitcase with a bright element - it will become an identification mark if you suddenly have to fill out documents to search your luggage.

6. If you are carrying expensive items, use insurance or register your suitcase as valuable cargo. For this you will have to pay extra at airline rates, but your luggage will be monitored more diligently.

Just in case, take everything you need in your hand luggage: phone charger, money, documents, medicines. This will help if your luggage is delayed or lost. And try to keep receipts for items purchased for the trip (suitcase, expensive shoes and clothes, equipment) - with their help you can prove the value of the lost cargo and receive maximum compensation.

Checklist: what to do if your luggage is lost

1. Go to the Lost&Found counter and fill out an application there. Receive a PIR report. Expect someone to call you within 21 days.

2. Left without a suitcase in a foreign city - demand compensation for priority expenses. Keep receipts for purchases and provide them to the airline office. You can be reimbursed from 70 to 100 euros.

3. Apply for compensation for lost luggage if your items have not been found within three weeks. Fill out the form at the airline office, attach receipts and PIR. Please indicate the maximum possible amount of compensation.

4. Go to court if the airline refuses to accept the application. You can demand compensation for the cost of luggage, legal costs and moral damages.

5. When damaged luggage is returned to you, you have the right to reimburse the costs of repairs or the purchase of a new suitcase. The airline received checks and a free form application.

There are many cases where passengers lost luggage during a flight. If such a situation arises, first of all, contact the special registration desk marked Lost&Found and write a statement. After this, the search will begin.

According to statistics, 13 units are lost per 1000 passengers. But 85% of lost items are found and returned within the first 46 hours.

Where do you receive your luggage?

Not all passengers know where to go after the plane lands and where to pick up their things.

IMPORTANT: to avoid getting lost, follow the other passengers.

1. We go through passport control.
2. We go to the baggage claim line. The number of the tape and the number of the arriving flight are written on the board (it is indicated on the boarding pass). If you do not find the suitcase, first make sure you are at the right belt.
3. Suitcases and bags that were not picked up from the belt are unloaded by airport staff at the final destination. Look carefully there again, in case you missed your things.

IMPORTANT: airports and airlines have their own rules. Often, for example, strollers, large or fragile goods are issued elsewhere. Check with the arrival airport staff for such details.

What to do if you lost your luggage

If you still haven't found your suitcase, take the following steps:

1. Look at the counter marked Lost&Found. It should be located in the field of view in the hall where the issuing tape is located. Look around carefully. If you don't find it, ask an airport employee. If such a counter is not available, please contact your airline.
2. Write a written request to find your lost luggage. Sometimes you need to write a letter in free form, sometimes special forms are issued. If you are abroad, the form must be completed in English.
3. Wait. The airport will call you. Often lost cargo is found and delivered to the owner within 46 hours.

IMPORTANT: the airline that checked it in and loaded it onto the plane is responsible for the baggage.

How to write an application

The application is completed on a prepared form, where you need to provide personal information and describe the suitcase. The process is not complicated. Pictures and images are provided to help. Therefore, you can fill out the form even in a foreign language. So please provide the following information:

• last name, first name and patronymic of the registered owner;
• contact information (residence address, telephone, e-mail);
• route and flight number on which you arrived;
• data from the baggage tag, which is attached to the boarding pass;
• description (options of drawings are offered, choose the one most similar to yours). Color, size, shape, special features are marked with a tick in the proposed list. Describe the appearance of the suitcase in detail in the additional information line;
• description of the contents of the suitcase. Sometimes you need to describe 2–3 things that were in your luggage to identify it. Indicate unusual objects with special characteristics. It is important to leave the address where you will live during the search so that things can be delivered to you when they are found.

The application is drawn up in two copies. You will be given a special identification number by which you can track the status of the search via the Internet on the airline’s website or through the World Tracer global search service. In addition, get a phone number from Lost&Found to call them if necessary to clarify information.

Why does luggage get lost?

Suitcases are often lost due to mistakes made by airport staff. But sometimes the passengers themselves are to blame.

1. The passenger is looking in the wrong place. If you mistakenly stood at the wrong belt, or did not know that the item was issued in the large-sized department, it becomes unclaimed after being idle at the point of issue.
2. The suitcases are mixed up. Another passenger took your bag by mistake.
3. Lost tag. A special adhesive tag is attached to each suitcase. If it is not secured securely and is lost, during unloading the luggage will be sorted as lost.
4. Short flight connection times. If you are flying with transfers and the connection time is 1 hour or less, airport workers may not have time to transfer the cargo to another plane.
5. It was a mistake by the movers who accidentally threw the suitcase in the wrong place, and so instead of France it ended up in Turkey.
6. If luggage has tags from previous trips, a scanning error may occur and the bag will be sent in a different direction.

How to find lost luggage

Large airports operate an international search system. The data from the application is entered into a single database, and a search for a match with data on unclaimed baggage begins. If a match is found, Lost&Found employees find out where the suitcase is. They then notify the passenger and report the estimated time of arrival at the airport in the desired country. Such items are sent on the next flight and delivered in 1 to 3 days. Upon arrival at your destination, airport staff will contact you to discuss the method of delivery using two options: either you come to the airport yourself and pick it up, or they deliver it to you at the specified address at the expense of the airline.

You should not rely on the search service employees; they may not call you. Therefore, check the search status through the official World Tracer website. To do this, on the page that opens, enter the search act number and full name.

Or call the airport search service and clarify the necessary information. In addition, you can monitor searches through the website of the airline that lost the suitcase (relevant for Russian airlines).

IMPORTANT: according to the rules of some airlines, you are required to write an additional letter with a request to deliver your items to the specified address. Otherwise, they will wait for you at the airport until you pick them up.

According to international standards, 21 days are allotted to search for luggage. If it is not found during this period, it is considered irretrievably lost. In this case, you should think about getting compensation.

Compensation for lost luggage

An application for compensation is submitted to the airline that lost the luggage. The deadline for filing a claim is 2 years from the date of registration of the loss. The amount of compensation depends on which convention the air carrier’s country is a member of: Warsaw or Montreal.

• According to the rules of the Warsaw Agreement, compensation for luggage is provided in the amount of $17 per kilogram. If the suitcase is not weighed, the weight is automatically estimated at 35 kg.
• according to the rules of the Montreal Convention, compensation is a maximum of 1000 conventional units per piece of baggage, which is equal to 1200 - 1300 euros (the rate is calculated individually within each airline).

Russia operates under the Warsaw Convention.

IMPORTANT: if you estimate the value of the lost property to be higher than the proposed amount of compensation, you will have to go to court with evidence.

If you agree with the proposed amount of compensation, you will need to provide the following documents to receive it:

1. Statement.
2. Passport.
3. Boarding pass.
4. Luggage tag.
5. Baggage search report number.
6. Details for transferring refunded funds.

In addition, if you lose your suitcase, you are entitled to compensation for money spent on purchasing essential items (shampoo, soap, toothpaste, brush, comb, etc.). Receipts will be required for this.

If you had to buy an expensive item, for example, a business suit for an important meeting, the issue of compensation is resolved individually. If you prove that you need the purchase and it was made involuntarily, the airline will offer two compensation options: you keep the item for yourself and receive a 50% refund, or you return the item to the company and receive a 100% refund.

IMPORTANT: in addition to loss of luggage, airlines provide compensation for damage to things, partial theft, breakage of a suitcase, inconvenience caused (payment for a forcedly rented hotel room, payment for travel to the airport to pick up your luggage, etc.). You need to save your receipts and then present them to the airline. If she refuses to refund the funds, the issue is resolved through the court.

Where do lost luggage go?

According to statistics, up to 10 thousand unclaimed items are found at Russian airports every year. Most often, these are prohibited items that are confiscated from passengers upon boarding the plane. You can come back for them later. This number also includes unclaimed baggage. People often forget bags and things and then don’t return them.

First, such items end up in a special unclaimed baggage room. At each airport there are two of them: for things forgotten during domestic flights, and for things found at international terminals. Here things are stored for 30 days.

If after this time the owner has not shown up, they are transferred to a special storage room for up to 6 months. Then they are disposed of, or sold in thrift stores if the item is new and with a label. This approach is due to the fact that storing unclaimed items is too expensive.

Some suitcases from international airports end up in the American store in Scottsboro in Alabama. This is the only store in the world that buys unclaimed luggage for resale.

To minimize the risk of this problem affecting you, follow simple precautions.

1. Keep the receipt for your suitcase and other items you bought for your trip.
2. After each trip, remove stickers and tags from your suitcase, even the smallest ones. They confuse automated scanning when sorting.
3. Be sure to attach a name tag with contact information to your suitcase (preferably in a foreign language for an international flight). This way they will find him faster if he suddenly gets lost. Indicate your full name, telephone number, permanent residence address, hotel, length of stay in a foreign country and date of return to your homeland.
4. When checking in, pay close attention to whether the operator has attached the correct tag to your bag.
5. If you are flying with transfers, check with the operator where your baggage is checked in. Sometimes you have to pick up your suitcase at the connection and then check it in again.
6. Make your bag stand out. Choose a suitcase with a pattern or a bright color, attach an identification mark in the form of a ribbon, bow, etc. to the handle.
7. If you are carrying expensive items, additionally purchase a service such as luggage insurance.

Even with caution, unexpected situations arise suddenly. If you lost your luggage during a flight, don’t panic, contact the Lost&Found search service and fill out a report. Remember, 90% of things are found in the first two or three days and returned to the owner.

One of the most common problems passengers have is losing their luggage at the airport. According to statistics, up to 25 million suitcases are lost annually. Fortunately for travelers, the non-refund rate is low, only 3.4%. The majority of lost suitcases and bags find their owners.

However, you need to know the sequence of actions in such a situation. Search activities are the same in all cases. And as an example, you can take the search for luggage at Sheremetyevo airport.

This procedure is regulated by the General Rules of Air Transport. Most of the requirements are universal for all carriers operating on domestic and international routes.

Suitcases are issued after passport control in a specially designated room. Items must be received immediately when they arrive for delivery, and at the exit from the terminal you will have to present a tear-off coupon for the baggage tag.

The internal rules of airport terminals detail the issuance procedure. In Sheremetyevo, cargo can be received in the delivery hall, which is served on a conveyor belt indicated by an indication on the information board.

If the load is missing from the conveyor belt

Everyone should know what to do when a suitcase or bag is not found on a conveyor. The main thing here is not to panic. Loss of baggage by an airline is a serious problem, but it can be solved. First you need to make sure that things are missing:

• Wait for the end of delivery. They may have been the last to be unloaded.
• Inspect the transporters delivering cargo from other aircraft. Rarely, but mistakes do happen.
• Check the oversized load belt.

If there are no doubts left and things are lost, you will have to contact the search service at the terminal. There is a possibility that they were mixed up upon receipt and are already awaiting owners from the employees of this service.

Where to go

Usually this counter is called “Lost&Found” or “Luggage Search” in Russian. If necessary, any of the airport employees will show where it is. It is possible that such a stand is missing. Then the place to contact could be:

• representative office of the air carrier whose crew performed the flight;
• representative office of the national air carrier of the country of destination;
• if there is neither one nor the other, contact the airport administration.

Before applying, check that you have the documents required to complete your application:

• identification;
• ticket;
• tear-off coupon baggage tag.

Office staff must help the passenger at the time of request, regardless of the time of day. The victim fills out the necessary documents in the form of a statement of loss addressed to the carrier, fills out a Search Report or Property Irregularity Report (in the abbreviation the name is written as PIR).

How to fill out the act

The claim must be filed immediately after discovery of the loss. Before filling out, you will need to present the tear-off coupon, which is usually attached to the air ticket. The Act must indicate:

• flight number;
• passport series and number;
• color, weight and size characteristics of the suitcase;
• special features (stickers, external defects, bright details, trademarks, name tags, etc.);
• contact details and address to which the lost suitcase, bag or backpack needs to be delivered.

Example of a completed act (click to enlarge):

The claim is made in two copies. One of them remains with the applicant, and the second goes to the management of the airline, which must organize the search. If the loss could not be discovered within five days, a detailed list of things that were inside the luggage is attached to the application.

Search algorithm

Regardless of the reasons for the loss, the search for baggage is the responsibility of the air carrier. If the flight was operated by Aeroflot, its employees will conduct the search. The search must begin immediately upon receipt of a written application.

The carrier sends requests:

• to the airports of departure and arrival for the presence of things;
• to airports where items may have been sent by mistake;
• When they are detected, a request is sent for delivery to the destination.

The found loss is delivered to the address specified by the owner in the act. Delivery does not require additional payment and is carried out at the expense of the airline. When receiving things, you must present your passport, coupon and certificate, which must be kept until the end of the search.

How to track searches

Usually the loss is found quickly, but sometimes it can take a long search. In this case, contact details of airline employees will be required. Take care of this when filling out the PIR. The service desk has telephone numbers, which you should write down in advance. If you have internet access you can use the unified World Tracer database, through which the owner can track the search.

After receiving a statement of loss, all data is entered into the database. To access information in the request form, you must indicate personal data and the code received when drawing up the Search Report. On the Sheremetyevo Airport website you can see a list of airlines that are tracked in this database.

How to get compensation

Since the carrier is responsible for the cargo, the airline will compensate for the loss. Claims for damages can only be made after three weeks. If during this period the search for the baggage put on the wanted list is unsuccessful, it is considered lost.

Compensation must be paid on the basis of a written claim, which must be submitted before 6 months if problems occurred on domestic flights, and up to 18 months for international flights.

The following are attached to the application:

• air ticket;
• tear-off coupon;
• insurance documents, if the items were insured;
• receipts confirming the value of the contents of the suitcase or bag.

The airline management is obliged to consider the claim within 30 days and pay the amount required by law or refuse in writing.

Payment amount

The amount of compensation payments for losses on international flights is established by international agreements. If things were lost during an international or transit flight, when one landing was outside the country, 20 dollars or 19 euros are paid per kilogram of cargo. On domestic flights the amount is 600 rubles per kilogram.

If the exact weight is unknown, then calculations are made using the average, which is 35 kg per person. In cases where the value of the property was announced by the passenger in advance, payment is made in the declared amount. The amount will be higher if the items are insured.

In addition to the specified compensation, you can claim:

• Compensation for other losses. When a passenger has to miss a connecting flight or train departure, the company must refund the cost of the tickets.
• Payments for moral damage. If there is no way to confirm health problems, their size will be small.
• If the carrier did not satisfy the claims voluntarily, and compensation had to be obtained through the court, an additional fine in the amount of 50% of the amount paid to the passenger is possible.

Such payments will most likely have to be sought through the court, so after receiving the found items, you should not sign the documents stating that there are no claims.

Other payments

In cases where luggage is lost and a passenger is left without essential items, some companies may offer reimbursement for the cost of purchasing them. This is not the carrier's responsibility, but most provide such assistance for reputational purposes. The amounts are usually small and are paid after receipts confirming expenses are provided. When purchasing clothes, half the price is paid.

If these expenses were not paid by the company, they can be included in the list of legal claims.

In addition to the loss of bags and suitcases, passengers have to deal with other troubles. Usually this:

• stealing things;
• property damage;
• mixed up suitcases.

In the first two cases, you will also have to contact the carrier to file a claim. Based on this, the issue of compensation is considered. This may be a full or partial cost, depending on the decision of the commission. If a suitcase breaks, compensation for repairs is possible.

The latter situation requires the prompt return of items to the carrier’s office or to the airport.

How to avoid problems

Most often, items are lost on connecting flights when a carelessly attached tag comes loose. In this case, things can either fly away in any direction or remain in place. To prevent such situations, speed up the detection of losses, and reduce material losses, it is necessary to:

• If possible, avoid routes with transfers;
• make sure that the tag is present and that it is firmly attached;
• remove previous tags left over from previous flights;
• do not transport particularly valuable items;
• insure the cargo;
• wrap your bag or suitcase in plastic, which will reduce the risk of damage and theft;
• When choosing a carrier, read the reliability ratings and take them into account when purchasing tickets.

Be sure to include your last name with initials, contact information, destination and flight on the name tag. Although this partially duplicates the information from the coupon, it will significantly speed up the process of finding luggage if it is lost. If you have encountered troubles, do not despair, more than 90% of losses are found within the first two days.

You may also be interested

The reasons can be very different: from a scanner-sorter error to a human factor (they didn’t have time to load it onto the plane, they loaded it onto the wrong one). Most often, errors occur during connecting flights.

According to statistics from WorldTracer, an international baggage tracking system, 23.1 million suitcases and bags were lost in 2016. The number looks scary. But if you take a closer look, it turns out that only 6.5 suitcases out of every 1,000 did not reach their owners on time.

What to do if there is no luggage on the belt

Don't panic! Didn't you find a suitcase or some large items like a baby stroller or sports equipment? If the latter, then everything is fine. Non-standard luggage is always issued in a separate window so that it is not accidentally damaged during transportation.

If you're missing a suitcase, go to the Lost & Found baggage counter, sometimes called Passenger Service. As a rule, this service is located at the exit from the baggage claim area. If there is no such counter, ask any airport employee where to go.

Do not leave the terminal until you have dealt with your lost luggage!

The Lost & Found staff will ask you for your baggage voucher and will first try to search through your bags with you. If these searches do not lead to anything, you will be asked to fill out a special Property Irregularity Report (PIR) form in two copies: you give one and keep the second for yourself.

In the form you will need to provide information about yourself, flight details and describe your suitcase in detail. Airport staff will enter this information into the international baggage tracking system WorldTracer. And you will receive a registration number by which you can independently check whether your suitcase has been found.

The registration number is a combination of the three-digit airport code, the two-digit airline code and the five-digit code for your baggage. For example, LEDLH15123 means that the bags were lost by Lufthansa at the St. Petersburg airport.

After receiving the registration number, you can leave the terminal. All you have to do is wait for your things to be found. By the way, the tear-off tag for your luggage remains in your hands. Be sure to save it. This will allow you to get a suitcase in the future.

At the Lost & Found counter you may be offered money to buy essentials. This is not the responsibility of the airline, but its good will.

Each carrier sets its own rules and amounts for this situation. You can find out more information at the Lost & Found counter or on the airline’s website.

If suddenly payments are not provided, save all receipts from purchases of essential items. Then on the airline’s website you can apply for compensation for this amount.

When will luggage be returned?

If your suitcases did not have time to transfer with you during the connection, they will be picked up on the next plane operating a similar flight and delivered to your hotel free of charge.

Free delivery of delayed luggage is the responsibility of the airline.

WorldTracer tracks luggage for 100 days. After this, it is considered lost.

According to the legislation of the Russian Federation Order of the Ministry of Transport of Russia dated June 28, 2007 No. 82, art. 154, luggage is considered delayed for 21 days. After this, it receives the status of lost. On the 22nd day you need to write a claim to the airline for compensation. The claim is written in free form; it can be submitted either in person at the airline office or through the website. Don’t forget to indicate your full name, contact information, and attach copies of documents: baggage and boarding passes, baggage loss report, WorldTracer registration number.

What to do if your suitcase is damaged

The suitcase still arrived with you, but it was clearly damaged during transportation: there are deep chips, the wheels or handle are broken off. In this case, the Lost & Found service staff will help you again. They must register the fact of luggage damage and draw up a damage report in two copies, one of which will remain at the airport, and the second will be given to you.

Then find representatives of your airline at the airport building. If you can’t find it yourself, contact the airport staff: they will help you.

You will need to fill out a claim form with the airline representative. In addition to the standard full name, mail address and telephone and flight numbers, there should be a detailed description of the damage to the luggage and the amount for which you are claiming.

A receipt for the purchase of the suitcase will help confirm this amount. A copy of this can be sent to the airline later.

The airline representative will make copies of your claim, boarding documents and the baggage damage report that the airport employee previously gave you. Now you have to be patient and wait for a solution.

In the future, the airline may ask you to provide a receipt for payment for the repair of the suitcase or a certificate of impossibility of repair. The act is written in free form; any workshop can issue it.

How much will they pay for lost or damaged luggage?

The law doesn't care whether your suitcase was lost or simply damaged. The maximum amounts are the same.

Payments for international flights

More than 120 countries (the Russian Federation is among them) have joined the Montreal Convention for the Unification of Rules for Air Transport Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules for International Carriage by Air, which determines the amount of compensation.

The amount of compensation is calculated in artificial means of payment - special drawing rights (SDR). Their rate is based on a basket of five currencies: dollar, euro, yen, Chinese yuan and pound sterling - and changes daily. The cost of 1 SDR can be viewed on the International Monetary Fund website or use an online calculator.

In case of loss, delay or damage to baggage, the airline is obliged to pay up to 1,000 SDR.

The maximum you can get is about 83,000 rubles. You need to understand that the airline will try to reduce this amount as much as possible. The clause in the convention “up to 1,000 SDRs” gives it this right.

Payments for domestic flights

If a suitcase is lost or damaged during a flight within the Russian Federation, then the amount of compensation is determined by the Air Code Air Code of the Russian Federation, Art. 119. The amounts are much more modest and depend on the weight of the lost suitcase. You will receive 600 rubles for each kilogram of luggage and up to 11,000 rubles for damage or loss of hand luggage.

Baggage with declared value

These rules do not apply to baggage with declared value. You can declare value on both international and domestic flights. You will have to pay for this (each carrier determines the amount of the fee independently). But if your bags are lost or damaged, you will receive the amount you indicated during registration.

No airline will refund money for expensive equipment, jewelry or securities checked in as baggage. According to transportation rules, these items must travel in hand luggage.

1. Suitcases hung with old tags look extremely romantic. But if you want to see the luggage on the belt, help the scanners and peel off the old barcodes.
2. Buy a luggage tag if your suitcase does not have a built-in one, and take the time to fill it out. This will significantly reduce the time it takes to find your luggage.
3. If you are flying to a business event, put a decent jacket and trousers in your hand luggage (how to do this without things getting wrinkled, Lifehacker). Even if your suitcase is late, you will have spare clothes and you won’t have to blush in front of your partners for looking like pajamas.
4. Take photos of the things you put in your suitcase. This will speed up the preparation of an inventory of missing property.
5. Make the suitcase more visible so that it is not taken from the belt by mistake. A bright belt or a special case will help you here.
6. Arrive at the airport early. This will save your effort and nerves during check-in, and will give the baggage handlers extra time if it suddenly turns out that your luggage was sent to the wrong plane.
7. When checking in for your flight, place the baggage tag on the back of your ticket if an airport employee has not done so before you.

Have you ever lost your luggage? How much did you manage to get? Or do you prefer to travel light and make do with hand luggage? Tell us about it in the comments!

Airlines around the world have been struggling with the problem of lost luggage for many years. It causes a lot of inconvenience to passengers and significantly reduces the popularity rating of the respective air carriers, which brings them colossal financial losses.

But no matter how modern the methods of servicing, registering, packing and transporting luggage are, its loss is still quite common. This does not mean that every flight must necessarily be accompanied by lost luggage.

The constant flow of passengers and the human factor are doing their job. After all, people work with luggage, and they tend to make mistakes. In most cases, luggage is still found, but passengers receive it later than they would like, and air carriers have to pay dearly for their mistakes.

General rules and actions in case of lost luggage

Almost every international airport has a special baggage search counter, the so-called Lost & Found. This is where a passenger who has not been able to wait for his luggage should turn first.

The next step is to fill out a luggage search report, in which you should indicate all the external features of the travel bag or suitcase: color, size, shape, type of suitcase, handles, wheels, material and, of course, information about the name tag.

The airline representative will require the passenger to present a tear-off baggage tag slip - it is usually glued to the cover of the ticket. The search report must be filled out in duplicate. One will remain with the filling passenger, and the second will be sent to the airline management for consideration. It is better to get a contact number from one of the employees to be aware of the search process.

The most common reason for lost luggage is that the small tag that is attached to the bag during check-in has come off. Usually the passenger himself is responsible for the quality of its sticking, so you should take this seriously. The better you attach this tag to your luggage, the fewer problems you will have.

The label contains all the necessary information about the owner of the baggage and the flight to which it belongs. One can only imagine how confused airport workers are if they receive a travel bag without any markings. Such cargo is transferred to the Lost & Found service, where it patiently waits for its owner. It’s good if the tag came off at the point of departure or landing, and not during one of the stages of transfer. Then it will be much more difficult to find him.

Many international airlines connect to the global baggage search system - World Tracer. It works by searching for matches between the passenger's request and notifications about found luggage. A printout containing the request number is given to the passenger, and when the system finds the lost baggage, airline employees contact him and make an appointment. He can pick up his things by presenting a printout.

The airline has 3 weeks to find the loss. If during this time the employees are unable to find the luggage, the fact of theft or loss is recognized, and the company is forced to compensate the owner for losses. As a rule, luggage is found within five days from the date of filing the application.. If not, the passenger is asked to make a detailed list of the items contained in it. This technique is successful in 99% of cases.

Compensation for lost luggage

So, first of all, every passenger must understand that the airline is not obliged to compensate the cost of baggage in full. According to the law, for every kilogram of weight there is compensation in the amount of 20 dollars, regardless of how much and what kind of things you had there. A baggage pass is attached to it, upon presentation of which the passenger has the right to receive compensation for the weight of baggage indicated there. If it happens that his bag was not weighed, the average value is taken - 35 kg.

Passengers can express all their dissatisfaction with disagreement with the amount of payments at the main office of the airline. In rare cases, people have been able to achieve financial compensation of $5,000. In general, you should always remember that in cases of lost luggage, air carriers are not responsible for the safety of jewelry and expensive equipment, so they advise transporting such things in the cabin as hand luggage. If it is the hand luggage that is lost, then the airline is obliged to pay the passenger about $400.

Well, we’ve sorted that out, but who should you turn to for help and financial support if your lost luggage is not found right away?

If you happen to find yourself in a similar situation in an unfamiliar country, then feel free to go to the main office of the airline that provided your transportation. You shouldn't expect a significant refund, but you'll definitely get around $50 to buy essentials. In cases of unsuccessful search for luggage, you should contact the same place for payment.

All the above details regarding compensation for lost luggage apply to all international airlines. If you flew on an Aeroflot flight, then you should contact the baggage tracing service with all your claims, and the details of possible compensation will be accepted in accordance with the aviation legislation of the Russian Federation. Most likely, when your luggage is found, you will have to come to the appropriate airport service to pick it up in person.

If the carrier was Transaero airline, then you should contact its relevant services for help. The main thing is to have luggage receipts with you, without which there can be no talk of compensation. The passenger can receive a refund in the amount of the declared value of their belongings if the total cost does not exceed 600 rubles per kilogram. The maximum amount of compensation for hand luggage is 11 thousand rubles. For international transportation - 20 dollars per kilogram of weight and 400 for hand luggage, as stated above.

As for huge international airlines such as Lufthansa, Air France and British Airways, they are among the top ten airlines in the world that most often lose luggage. The amounts of compensation for such a loss are different from those paid by Transaero on international flights. The Warsaw Convention and the regulations that were adopted there are responsible for this similarity.

However, there are also other airlines that take their passengers' luggage very seriously. Consequently, the size of their compensation payments is much larger. For example, the American company Northwest/Southwest pays its passengers $50 on the first day, and if the luggage cannot be found within a week, they pay another $150. Continental Airlines pays its passengers at least $250 if their luggage is not found on the first day.

One of the most successful airlines in the world in terms of baggage problems is the Israeli company “El Al”, which has only 9 problematic situations with baggage per thousand passengers.

Airport compensation

If your luggage is lost at the airport, the passenger's procedure completely coincides with his actions in cases of lost luggage on a flight. You need to contact the baggage search service, and if there is none, then draw up a corresponding search report with the administration. The carrier airline whose services you used will be responsible for searching your luggage. The airport itself is not responsible for your luggage and its safety, but each of them is basic for some airline.

For example, Vnukovo airport is served by RusJet airlines, Pulkovo airport is considered the base airport for companies such as Ural Airlines and Transaero, and Domodedovo is served by airlines such as Transaero, S7, Moskovia ”, “RusLine” and others. However, this does not mean that other airlines cannot take off and land at these airports. In any case, responsibility for safety and timely delivery will always rest with the air carrier you choose.