You’ll be waiting for your suitcase at the carousel, in Cancun, Paris, Dorval or Quebec. She doesn’t arrive. What to do?
According to airline data company SITA, 26 million pieces of baggage would have died worldwide in 2022, or 7.6 pieces of baggage for every 1,000 passengers. The problem occurs eight times more often on international flights than on domestic flights.
Of those 26 million lost bags, 80% were due to delays, 13% were mishandled and 7% were lost or stolen.
A survey conducted in Canada, the US and Australia by Compare the Market Australia last year found that 32.1% of Canadian travelers lost at least one bag and 6.7% never saw it again.
Respond as soon as possible
But what to do if our suitcases don’t arrive at their destination?
“We immediately contact the carrier’s staff to start the file, even if we are abroad,” explains Jacob Charbonneau, CEO of volenretard.com.
You have 21 days to notify the carrier. Waiting on the way back can complicate your life if the journey takes two weeks.
In the event of damage to recovered baggage, you have 7 days to make a claim. Baggage not found within 21 days is considered lost.
Bit by bit
For lost or damaged baggage, you are entitled to compensation from the airline up to a maximum of US$2,300. However, it is necessary to take stock of the contents of the suitcase, especially what was broken. Then you must file a claim.
In Canada, 90% of people with lost or damaged baggage do not complete their claim because they find the process too long and complicated.
If the baggage is delayed, you will need to prove that you have incurred expenses as a result of the delay (keep your receipts, your baggage tags and your boarding passes). Once the baggage is reported lost, you can claim the value of the contents.
Usually it is clothing or electronics (you must have receipts or photos of these items). The $2300 limit is often exceeded.
Luckily, your credit card travel insurance, group insurance, or home insurance will cover the difference.
Unlike household contents insurance, travel insurance does not include a deductible. And a claim appears in your home insurance history that includes value limits for specific items like bikes, electronics, or jewelry (leave them at home).
Advice
- Travel light and only take hand luggage with you; You waste less time at airports.
- If you have expensive clothing or electronics in your suitcases, declare their value to the carrier before you leave.
- A good way to make your life easier is to purchase the virtual assistant lapaixdesprit.com, which is available at travel agencies (at $15 per trip per passenger) or offered by certain travel or group insurers contacting the carrier .
- If you apply for travel insurance by credit card, make purchases with that card after contacting the issuer. Eligible are essential products (affordable clothing, sunscreen, toothpaste), rarely electronic devices or photo equipment. The limit is usually between $500 and $1,000 for bags delayed four hours or more. Some insurers require purchases to be made no later than four days after arrival at destination.
- information ofCanadian Transportation Agency