By Roberta Geraci
It is every travellers worst nightmare, you have spent weeks planning, days packing and repacking your suitcase or backpack and then when you step off the plane and go to collect your luggage from the carousel it doesn’t appear. Likewise when travelling on a Gap year you may have your backpack stolen or you might simply leave it on a train or in a restaurant. So what can you do when your in a foreign country with nothing with you other than what’s in your hand luggage. Well with the right planning, a bit of ingenuity and keeping a cool head you may be able to transform what could be an impossible situation into a manageable one.
1) Prepare for the worst. Packing your luggage like it may be lost or stolen is a good tip, which basically means not leaving anything too valuable in the hold but rather keeping it on your person. Secondly remember to note what colour, brand, size and description of your backpack, even take a picture, just in case you loose it you can show it to any authorities.
2) Pack your carry-on wisely. The 48 hour rule is the frequent travellers first code, which basically means pack anything you cant live without for 48 hours into your hand luggage, a change of clothes, medication, travel documents etc. This is because within 48 hours you should have enough time to find suitable replacements.
3) Personalise & Label your luggage. One reason your luggage may be missing is that someone else mistook it for their own. If you own a plain black suitcase for instance it can be tricky to distinguish between them so label your luggage with your name and address and telephone number. A luggage identifier such as Smart Tag or Global Bag Tag is another clever way to track down lost luggage.
4) Fill out the forms. Don’t leave the airport without filling out the lost luggage form as often luggage is simply placed on another flight by accident but is often retrievable provided you keep the luggage receipt (usually stuck to your passport). Often airlines or travel insurance providers will cover you for lost luggage and may even be able to provide vouchers for immediate essentials. If your bag is lost or stolen elsewhere a police report is often a prerequisite to claiming insurance, so try and head to the station.
5) Buy replacements cheaply. Often when travelling you can pick up some of the missing items on the cheap be it clothes, toiletries, etc but don’t burn through all your cash, as the majority of lost luggage is found within a few days. There’s no point picking up an entire new wardrobe if your luggage is returned within two days.
Losing your luggage is not the ideal start to any trip be it a holiday, Gap year or volunteering overseas placement, but the key to managing the situation is to plan for the worst case scenario.