BAGGAGE
Between the time
you check your luggage in and the time you claim
it at your destination, it may have passed
through a maze of conveyor belts and baggage
carts; once airborne, baggage may tumble around
the cargo compartment if the plane hits rough
air. In all fairness to the airlines, however,
relatively few bags are damaged or lost. With
some common-sense packing and other precautions,
your bags will probably be among the ones that
arrive safely.
Packing
You can pack to
avoid problems. Some items should never be put
into a bag you plan to check into the cargo
compartment:
- Small valuables: cash, credit cards,
jewelry, cameras
- Critical items: medicine, keys,
passport, tour vouchers, business papers
- Irreplaceable items: manuscript,
heirlooms
- Fragile items: eyeglasses, glass
containers, liquids
Things like this
should be carried on your person or packed in a
carry-on bag that will fit under the seat.
Remember, the only way to be sure your valuables
are not damaged or lost is to keep them with
you. Even if your bag is not lost, it could be
delayed for a day or two. Don't put perishables
in a checked bag; they may spoil if it is
delayed. It is wise to put items that you will
need during the first 24 hours in a carry-on bag
(e.g. toiletries, a change of underwear). Check
with the airline for its limits on the size,
weight, or number of carry-on pieces. (There is
no single federal standard.) If you are using
more than one airline, check on all of them.
Inquire about your flight; different airplanes
can have different limits. Don't assume that the
flight will have unlimited closet space for
carry-on garment bags; some may have to be
checked. If you plan to go shopping at your
destination and bring your purchases aboard as
carry-on, keep the limits in mind. If you check
these purchases, however, carry the receipts
separately; they may be necessary for a claim if
the merchandise is lost or damaged. Don't put
anything into a carry-on bag that could be
considered a weapon (e.g. scissors, pen
knife).
Checked baggage
is also subject to limits. On most domestic and
international flights, it's two checked bags
(three if you don't have any carry-on luggage).
There can be an extra charge if you bring more,
or if you exceed the airline's limits on the
size of the bags. On some flights between two
foreign cities, your allowance may be based on
the weight of the bags rather than the number of
pieces. The same two bags that cost you nothing
to check when you started your trip could result
in expensive excess-baggage charges under a
weight system. Ask the airlines about the limit
for every segment of your international trip
before you leave home, especially if you have a
stopover of a day or two or if you are changing
carriers.
The bags you
check should be labeled- inside and out-with
your name, address and phone number. Add the
name and address of a person to contact at your
destination if it's practical to do so. Almost
all of the bags that are misplaced by airlines
do turn up sooner or later. With proper
labeling, the bag and its owner can usually be
reunited within a few hours. Don't overpack a
bag. This puts pressure on the latches, making
it easier for them to pop open. Also, lock your
bags. The locks aren't very effective against
pilferage, but they help to keep the latches
from springing. If you plan to check any
electrical equipment, glassware, small
appliances, pottery, typewriters, musical
instruments or other fragile items, they should
be packed in a container specifically designed
to survive rough handling, preferably a
factory-sealed carton or a padded hard-shell
carrying case.
Checking
in
Don't check in
at the last minute. Even if you make the flight,
your bag may not. If you miss the airline's
check-in deadline, the carrier might not assume
liability for your bag if it is delayed or lost.
If you have a choice, select flights that
minimize the potential for baggage disruption.
The likelihood of a bag going astray increases
accordingly from #1 to #4 below (i.e., #1 is
safest):
1) nonstop flight
2) direct or "through" flight (one or more
stops, but no change of aircraft)
3) online connection (change of aircraft but not
airlines)
4) interline connection (change of aircraft and
airlines)
When you check in, remove straps and hooks from
garment bags that you are sending as checked
baggage. These can get caught in baggage
processing machinery, causing damage to the bag.
The airline will put baggage destination tags on
your luggage and give you the stubs to use as
claim checks. Make sure you get a stub for every
bag. Don't throw them away until after you get
your bags back and you check the contents. Not
only will you need them if a claim is necessary,
but you may need to show them to security upon
leaving the baggage-claim area. Each tag has a
three-letter code and flight number that show
the baggage sorters on which plane and to which
airport your luggage is supposed to go.
Double-check the tag before your bags go down
the conveyor belt. (The airline will be glad to
tell you the code for your destination when you
make reservations or buy your tickets.) Your
bags may only be checked to one of your
intermediate stops rather than your destination
city if you must clear Customs short of your
final destination, or if you are taking a
connection involving two airlines that don't
have an interline agreement. Be sure all of the
tags from previous trips are removed from your
bag, since they may confuse busy baggage
handlers.
Claiming your
bags
Many bags look
alike. After you pull what you think is your bag
off the carousel, check the name tag or the bag
tag number. If your bag arrives open, unlocked
or visibly damaged, check right away to see if
any of the contents are missing or damaged.
Report any problems to the airline before
leaving the airport; insist on filling out a
form. Open your suitcase immediately when you
get to where you are staying. Any damage to the
contents or any pilferage should be reported
immediately to the airline by telephone. Make a
note of the date and time of the call, and the
name and telephone number of the person with
whom you spoke. Follow up immediately with a
certified letter to the airline.
Damage
If your suitcase
arrives smashed or torn, the airline will
usually pay for repairs. If it can't be fixed,
they will negotiate a settlement to pay you its
depreciated value. The same holds true for
belongings packed inside. Airlines may decline
to pay for damage caused by the fragile nature
of the broken item or inadequate packing, rather
than the airline's rough handling. Carriers may
also refuse to give you money for your damaged
items inside the bag when there's no evidence of
external damage to the suitcase. But airlines
generally don't disclaim liability for fragile
merchandise packed in its original factory
sealed carton, a cardboard mailing tube, or
other containers designed for shipping and
packed with protective padding material. When
you check in, airline personnel should let you
know if they think your suitcase or package may
not survive the trip intact. Before accepting a
questionable item, they will ask you to sign a
statement in which you agree to check it at your
own risk. But even if you do sign this form, the
airline might be liable for damage if it is
caused by its own negligence shown by external
injury to the suitcase or package.
Delayed
bags
If you and your
suitcase don't connect at your destination,
don't panic. The airlines have very
sophisticated systems that track down about 98%
of the bags they misplace and return them to
their owners within hours. In many cases they
will absorb reasonable expenses you incur while
they look for your missing belongings. You and
the airline may have different ideas of what's
reasonable, however, and the amount they will
pay is subject to negotiation.
If your bags
don't come off the conveyor belt, report this to
the airline before you leave the airport. Insist
that they fill out a form and give you a copy,
even if they say the bag will be in on the next
flight. If the form doesn't contain the name of
the person who filled it out, ask for it. Get an
appropriate phone number for following up (not
the Reservations number). Don't assume that the
airline will deliver the bag without charge when
it is found; ask them about this. Additionally,
most carriers set guidelines for their airport
employees that allow them to disburse some money
at the airport for emergency purchases. The
amount depends on whether or not you're away
from home and how long it takes to track down
your bags and return them to you. If the airline
does not provide you a cash advance, it may
still reimburse you later for the purchase of
necessities. Discuss with the carrier the types
of articles that would be reimbursable, and keep
all receipts. If the airline misplaces sporting
equipment, it will sometimes pay for the rental
of replacements. For replacement clothing or
other articles, the carrier might offer to
absorb only a portion of the purchase cost, on
the basis that you will be able to use the new
items in the future. (The airline may agree to a
higher reimbursement if you turn the articles
over to them.) When you've checked in fresh
foods or any other perishable goods and they are
ruined because their delivery is delayed, the
airline won't reimburse you. Carriers may be
liable if they lose or damage perishable items,
but they won't accept responsibility for
spoilage caused by a delay in delivery. Airlines
are liable for provable consequential damages up
to the amount of their liability limit (see
below) in connection with the delay. If you
can't resolve the claim with the airline's
airport staff, keep a record of the names of the
employees with whom you dealt, and hold on to
all travel documents and receipts for any money
you spent in connection with the mishandling.
(It's okay to surrender your baggage claim tags
to the airline when you fill out a form at the
airport, as long as you get a copy of the form
and it notes that you gave up the tags.) Call or
write the airline's consumer office when you get
home.
Lost
luggage
Once your bag is
declared officially lost, you will have to
submit a claim. This usually means you have to
fill out a second, more detailed form. Check on
this; failure to complete the second form when
required could delay your claim or invalidate
your claim altogether. The airline will usually
refer your claim form to a central office, and
the negotiations between you and the airline
will begin. If your flight was a connection
involving two carriers, the final carrier is
normally the one responsible for processing your
claim even if it appears that the first airline
lost the bag. Airlines don't automatically pay
the full amount of every claim they receive.
First, they will use the information on your
form to estimate the value of your lost
belongings. Like insurance companies, airlines
consider the depreciated value of your
possessions, not their original price or the
replacement costs. If you're tempted to
exaggerate your claim, don't. Airlines may
completely deny claims they feel are inflated or
fraudulent. They often ask for sales receipts
and other documentation to back up claims,
especially if a large amount of money is
involved. If you don't keep extensive records,
you can expect to dicker with the airline over
the value of your goods. Generally, it takes an
airline anywhere from six weeks to three months
to pay you for your lost luggage. When they
tender a settlement, they may offer you the
option of free tickets on future flights in a
higher amount than the cash payment. Ask about
all restrictions on these tickets, such as
"blackout" periods and how far before departure
you are permitted to make a
reservation.
Limits on
liability
If your bags are
delayed, lost or damaged on a domestic trip, the
airline can invoke a ceiling of $2,500 per
passenger on the amount of money they'll pay
you. (This limit is $1,250 for flights before
January 18, 2000.) When your luggage and its
contents are worth more than the liability
limit, you may want to purchase "excess
valuation," if available, from the airline as
you check in. This is not insurance, but it will
increase the carrier's potential liability. The
airline may refuse to sell excess valuation on
some items that are especially valuable or
breakable, such as antiques, musical
instruments, jewelry, manuscripts, negotiable
securities and cash.
On international
trips, the liability limit is set by a treaty
called the Warsaw Convention. Unless you buy
excess valuation, the liability limit is $9.07
per pound ($20 per kilo). In order to limit its
liability to this amount, the airline must use
one of the following procedures:
- The carrier weighs your bags at
check-in and records this weight on your
ticket. The airline's maximum liability to
you is that weight multiplied by $9.07 (or by
$20, if the weight was recorded in kilos).
- Instead of weighing your luggage,
the carrier assumes that each of your bags
weighs the maximum that it agrees to accept
as checked baggage, usually 70 pounds (32
kilos). This yields a liability limit of
about $640 per bag.
This
international limit also applies to domestic
segments of an international journey. This is
the case even if the domestic and international
flights are on separate tickets and you claim
and re-check your bag between the two flights.
Keep in mind that the liability limits are
maximums. If the depreciated value of your
property is worth less than the liability limit,
this lower amount is what you will be offered.
If the airline's settlement doesn't fully
reimburse your loss, check your homeowner's or
renter's insurance; it sometimes covers losses
away from the residence. Some credit card
companies and travel agencies offer optional or
even automatic supplemental baggage
coverage.
Hazardous
Items
Except for
toiletries and medicines totaling no more than
75 ounces, it is illegal and extremely dangerous
to carry on board or pack in your luggage any of
the following hazardous materials:
- Aerosols: polishes, waxes,
degreasers, cleaners, etc.
- Corrosives: acids, cleaners, wet
cell batteries, etc.
- Flammables: paints, thinners,
lighter fluid, liquid reservoir lighters,
cleaners, adhesives, camp stoves or portable
gas equipment with fuel, etc.
- Explosives: fireworks, flares,
signal devices, loaded firearms, gunpowder,
etc. (Small arms ammunition for personal use
may be transported in checked luggage if it
is securely packed in material designed for
that purpose. These may not be placed in
carry-on baggage.)
- Radioactives: betascopes,
radiopharmaceuticals, uninstalled pacemakers,
etc.
- Compressed gases: tear gas or
protective-type sprays, oxygen cylinders,
divers' tanks (unless they're empty), etc.
- Infectious substances
- Poisonous materials: rat poison,
etc.
Matches (both
"strike anywhere" matches and safety, or "book",
matches) may only be carried on your person. If
you must travel with any of these materials,
check with the airline's air freight department
to see if special arrangements can be made. A
violation of the hazardous materials
restrictions can result in a civil penalty of up
to $25,000 for each violation or a criminal
penalty of up to $500,000 and/or up to 5 years
in jail.
NOTICE
We make every
effort to keep Fly-Rights up to date, but
airlines frequently change the way they do
business. So by the time you read this a few of
the procedures we have covered may be different.
Tenth Revised Edition, September 1994
We hope these tips have been useful. Contact us
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