Tips to help keep an airline from losing your luggage:
Never check anything that you can’t live without. This includes car keys, glasses or medicine. Also, leave your most precious items at home to avoid possible heartbreak.
Remove all existing labels and tags from your previous trips. Destination bag tags as well as those little bar code stickers that get put on your suitcase.
Put your name and contact information pretty much everywhere. Add a baggage tag on the outside with your name and phone number, plus one inside in case that one falls off or gets lost.
Photograph both the outside of the checked suitcase and the inside with its contents for future identification purposes.
Get to the airport early to check your bag, but not 4 to 6 hrs. pre-departure, as your luggage may go to a holding area and not get sorted for your flight.
When it comes time to check your bag, keep an eye on the tags that are printing.
Does it have the right airport and code? Your correct name and frequent flyer number? Is the barcode clear or smudged? (If it doesn’t look crisp, have them print it again.) If you qualify for elite and priority tags, make sure they’re added to your bags as well.
Stay and watch to make sure your luggage is put on the conveyor belt or added to the checked bags cart (this is important for curb checking where available, too).
Add an electronic tag (Apple Air Tags, LugLoc or Trakdot) and follow on the app to keep an eye on the progress of your bags.
Download your carrier’s app since most of the large airlines now offer digital luggage receipts and bag tracking within their apps.
Keep those baggage receipts the agent hands you. If something goes awry, you’ll need them as proof.
