Few things spoil a trip quicker that start out right with the purchase of cheap fares, such as cheap airplane tickets or cheap vacation packages, than luggage lost or damaged by an airline.
The good news is that a recently released Department of Transportation (DOT) report found that U.S. airlines mishandled 8 percent fewer bags that the year before. 3.09 bags were mishandled per 1,000 passengers last year; a 52 percent improvement over five years ago. In 2008 airlines mishandled 7.05 bags per 1,000 passengers.
The DOT considers a bag mishandled if it is lost, damaged, delayed, or pilfered.
Part of the reason there are fewer mishandled bags is because passengers are bringing on more and larger carry-on bags. Major airlines began charging checked bag fees in 2008. Income from these fees exceeded $2.6 billing during the first nine months of 2012.
Experts encourage prospective travelers who want their checked bags to arrive in tact at their destinations to pay special attention to three areas of bags that usually experience the most wear and tear: handles, wheels, and zippers. The durability of a bag often is a factor of the thickness and hardness of the handle, how well the zipper teeth lock into place, and whether the zipper stitching is recessed. These attributes often determine whether a zipper is going to fall apart or withstand the scraping that it often faces in transit.
Passengers have a right to seek compensation directly from an airline if it loses or damages their bags. Airlines have the option of repairing damaged luggage. Airlines have lost luggage liability for as much as $3,300 per bag and its contents. Travelers should always file a problem luggage report prior to leaving the airport.
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