Holidaymakers are feeling nervous as we head into the summer holidays and airlines struggling to keep up with the demand.
Along with flight cancellations and delays, there have been reports across the UK of travellers losing their luggage and long delays at baggage reclaim. As a response, people are being urged to make use of carry on luggage and keep their valuables with them on the plane.
Holidaymakers have been warned that these issues could get worse as we kick off the summer holidays and airlines battle with staffing issues. Now many of us are getting back to international holidays after the pandemic, we would want the trip to go as smoothly as possible but if that doesn't happen and you find yourself without your luggage, here's what you need to do.
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A spokesperson for Glasgow Airport told Glasgow Live: " Baggage is managed by the airline and their respective baggage handling companies, not the airport. In the case of lost luggage, the passenger should contact their airline directly. There is a page on the airport’s website with a full list of the airlines who fly from Glasgow. This includes contact details for each airline’s customer service team and the baggage handling company Airlines | Glasgow Airport."
If your suitcase doesn't show up and is confirmed 'lost' , you can claim for your lost possessions either from the airline or on your travel insurance.
Kevin Pratt, travel insurance expert at Forbes Advisor, explained: "As the saying goes, it's a small world until they lose your luggage. And in this summer of travel turmoil, airports are struggling like never before to reunite passengers with their bags quickly and efficiently. Inevitably, given the chaos, some travellers are reporting losing their bags altogether. So what can you do in that situation?
"If your luggage is lost, your first port of call should be your airline. They'll hopefully have information about when your bag will arrive - and if you're on the outbound leg of your journey, they should give you details of how much you can spend on items such as toiletries and swimwear while you're waiting for your own delayed stuff to appear.
"After a certain period - typically 21 days - the status of baggage moves from 'delayed' to 'lost', at which point you will need to claim for your lost possessions. You can claim from the airline, or you could make a claim on your travel insurance, provided the airline has officially classified the items as permanently lost.
"Going down the travel insurance route may increase the size of the claim you can make as many airlines impose a limit of, say £1,000 per item. But your insurer will impose an excess of perhaps £100 - meaning a claim for £1,500 would result in a payment of £1,400.
"There'll also be a limit on how much you can claim for any single item stowed in your luggage unless you specify the item and pay a higher premium. If there were a limit of £250, say, that's as much as you'd get for a £500 item without paying more for cover at the outset.
"It's worth reading the small print of your policy before you buy so you know how much protection you are buying. If you travel with lots of expensive luggage, you can adjust your cover accordingly in case the worst happens."
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