When traveling, it’s sure that all of us have to prepare and arrange tons of stuff, so don’t make it become a nightmare. Make a list of everything you need, from clothing to personal products, learn packing techniques, have passport ready, visas and other documents and more… On that long to-do list, since today you should add taking a picture of your luggage before checking it.
Able to provide proof of what your belongings look like may help you receive compensation in case your checked luggage doesn’t arrive at your destination, or arrives damaged when airlines recover from a summer of delays, cancellations and lost bags.
“Airlines are required to compensate passengers if their bags are damaged, delayed, or lost,” the Department of Transportation’s website reads. “Airlines are required to compensate passengers for reasonable, verifiable, and actual incidental expenses that they may incur while their bags are delayed — subject to the maximum liability limits.”
And FYI, those “liability limits” are $3,800 for domestic delays and $1,780 for international.
“This is the most that airlines must pay a passenger for a lost, damaged, or delayed bag,” the DOT added. “Airlines are free to pay more than the limit but are not required to do so.”
You can use this money to pay for necessary things during a trip, like new clothing, toiletries, or other essential goods. If you do go out and purchase items while your bag is delayed and before you are granted compensation by the airline, make sure to hold onto the receipts to help with your claim later.
As regulations differ from airline to airline, check in with your carrier if it appears that your luggage has been (unfortunately) lost forever. However, the DOT noted that most airlines declare a bag lost between five and fourteen days after the flight. And, again, importantly, the DOT explained, for lost luggage claims, “airlines may require receipts or other proof for valuable items that were in the lost bags.”
Therefore, go ahead and take a little photoshoot with your luggage
Passenger advocate group AirHelp also advised to not only take a picture of your luggage and packed items — including valuables — but to snap a photo of your bag tag before it heads off onto the carousel at check-in. This should help airline staff track down where your bags may be — on the wrong plane, left at the departure airport, or somewhere in between.
Source: travelandleisure.com
