Travel Monitor’s editor, Kate, recently flew from Brisbane to Sydney for a 5-day trip with Qantas, and unfortunately, her bag ended up in Mackay instead of Sydney. While it is a stressful situation when your luggage doesn’t arrive as it should, there are ways to combat this situation.
While every airline has a different policy, this is what Kate learnt from her experience with Qantas. Here’s a breakdown of Qantas’ procedure for handling lost baggage for both domestic and international flights, along with advice on why comprehensive travel insurance is beneficial.
Reporting Lost or Delayed Luggage
If a traveller’s checked bag doesn’t arrive on time, the first step is to report it at the Qantas Baggage Services counter at the airport or via the Qantas Delayed Baggage portal as soon as possible. The customer will receive a Delayed Baggage Report reference number to track their bag’s status online.
- For domestic flights: Qantas aims to locate and return bags within 24 hours. Compensation for delayed baggage may apply if retrieval is delayed, especially in situations where travellers are without essential items for a significant period.
- For international flights: Due to customs and additional handling processes, finding and returning luggage may take longer. Travellers should expect updates from Qantas via the contact information provided on their report.
Filing a Claim for Lost or Damaged Baggage
After five days, unresolved cases shift to the central Baggage Services team. If luggage is confirmed lost, customers can file a claim by completing the Qantas Lost or Damaged Baggage Claim Form. The form requires details about the bag, its contents, and any travel insurance, as Qantas may request further verification.
For compensation:
- Domestic claims follow standard reimbursement guidelines.
- International claims are subject to limits set by the Montreal Convention for international air travel, which caps the liability for lost baggage.
In Kate’s experience, she was offered $100 per day to spend until her bag arrived. This amount is not so generous when you consider even buying the essentials – a phone charger, underwear and clothes, any medication and toiletries to name a few. That $100 doesn’t stretch too far. This is where Travel Insurance is vital, even for those short domestic trips.
The Role of Travel Insurance
Travel agents should encourage clients to purchase travel insurance with adequate luggage coverage. While Qantas offers limited compensation, private travel insurance often covers a broader range of scenarios and higher compensation amounts. This is especially useful for delays lasting more than a few days or cases involving high-value items not fully covered by Qantas.
Top Tips for lost luggage
- Always carry essential and important items in your carry on luggage. Things like a phone charger, medications needed and even a change of clothes is handy to have.
- Air tags and luggage tracking devices can be handy to pop in your case as you can at least know where it is. In Kate’s situation, the airline staff had to ring around to all the airports that flights had flown to in a certain time frame. This took time and if she had an Air Tag or tracker in the case, at least the location would have been known sooner. Do note that the airline still has to go through procedures to retrieve the bag.
- Don’t rely on the airline alone to provide compensation. Travel Insurance is a must to ensure you are fully covered and will be a lot faster to get immediate answers on what you can claim and with larger spending amounts to replace essential items you need right away.
Helpful Links for Further Information:
For seamless handling and peace of mind, having both the airline’s support and personal travel insurance can help clients recover quickly from a luggage mishap.
