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It seems every time I choose to travel my luggage goes one place and I go another. Yes, I might get it returned the day before I leave to go home but then, I might not get it back until I get home! So, if you are traveling this summer I would like to share the things you can do to make sure your luggage arrives the same time and place that you do! Don't let the airlines ruin your traveling plans for the summer, be sure to tag your bags before you leave home. Here are a few other tips when traveling:
- Remove all old luggage tags and stickers from previous trips.
- When leaving for your trip, make sure when you check your luggage each piece has your destination's address and phone number on it .
- On your return trip, use your business address and phone number (if you have one) to avoid alerting burglars that your home is empty.
- Tape or pin your ID - name, home or business address and phone number - on the inside of your suitcase. Also include your itinerary for the trip.
- Use a colored tape to add a stripe or simple design to the sides of your suitcase for easier identification upon arrival or if lost.
- Leave a list of the contents of your luggage at home. Keep a copy with you too, but not in your suitcase! This will be so valuable if your luggage is not recovered and you need to submit a claim.
- Never, ever let your bags out of sight when you are in and around an airport.
- Avoid obviously expensive luggage - it is a target for thieves.
Now you have arrived at your destination, but your suitcase hasn't! What
to do? Believe me this is a terrible feeling. You are half angry at the airline
and half irritated that this happened to you on your vacation! But don't fret,
most lost luggage is found within a few days. In the meantime, here is what
you should do:
- Go to the lost and found and report the loss immediately to your airline's station manager or you can ask an airline employee where to report undelivered luggage.
- Ask for an immediate allowance to cover the cost of necessities. The amount you get will vary from airline to airline. You may need a change of clothes, especially if you arrive in the Virgin Islands wearing winter woolens! You will definitely need something better suited to the climate until your luggage arrives! Speak to the highest-ranking airline employee available.
Stay calm (if you can) and be polite but stay firm. Listen and then tell them what you want and expect.
Better yet, so you don't have to experience frustration over lost luggage-
travel lighter and take only a carry on bag with you! They now make
wonderful clothes that don't wrinkle and take little room in the carry on
board travel bags today. I found I could travel with a whole lot less this way
and if I needed anything more, I just go shopping when I arrive at my
destination! Check these little, very efficient travel bags out in your local
department or discount stores. They are wonderful!
But whatever you do, make a decision before you travel this Summer
that lost luggage will not - and I repeat - will not ruin your travel plans
for the summer! Tag your bags when you travel! The last time the airlines
lost my luggage, I was visiting my son's family in North Carolina and I had
to wear my daughter-in-laws clothes for a week, because I didn't get my
luggage returned to me until I arrived back home! It seemed my luggage got
flown to Canada or somewhere! Did my daughter-in-laws clothes fit me?
Well no, but trust me when I tell you it didn't matter one bit to my grandkids
as I pitched them their baseball and played games with them. In fact, they
thought I was too cool and so did my grown son!
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