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What happens if someone steals your luggage?

Yes, you should call the airport's law enforcement office at both your departure airport and your arrival airport, filing reports for stolen goods. You can find the phone numbers by calling each airport's main line and asking the operator to speak to the office that handles airport law enforcement.



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Once an airline determines that your bag is lost, the airline is responsible for compensating you for your bags' contents - subject to depreciation and maximum liability limits.

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Don't worry, the baggage will return to the airport, more specifically, to the airlines concerned, and eventually, to the owner. You see, the owner of the luggage who mistakenly took home somebody else's luggage will find out it is not his and he would like to know where his own luggage is.

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Airlines are legally required to compensate you for lost items and any baggage fees you paid.

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Airlines will likely want to stay out of court, so you must file a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) to increase your likelihood of a settlement. If that doesn't work, file a claim in small claims court. That doesn't require an attorney, but each state has maximum limits regarding what you can recover.

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Travelers who suspect they were a victim of stolen luggage should immediately notify their airline of the situation. A stolen luggage report can also be filed with the airport police, in the event your property is recovered on baggage handlers or other employees.

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Luggage thieves can be charged with federal crime
So, if someone takes an unusual route attempting to leave the space, officers may see that.

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Assemble a detailed list of contents for your lost bags. Any receipts or other proof of the items will be helpful. There are several exceptions to what airlines will cover in terms of packed items, but you should be able to get reimbursed for most of the contents you can account for.

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Individuals can sue airlines in small claims court for damages caused by an airline's negligence. For example, damages can arise from personal injuries (for example a broken arm) or from emotional distress caused by an airline's negligent treatment.

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During the first three months of 2023, over 721,000 bags checked on domestic flights were mishandled out of 113 million checked bags in total—an average of 0.64 bags per 100 checked bags, per the U.S. Department of Transportation. That's up from 2019, when 0.59 bags were mishandled per 100 checked bags.

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After 100 days, your bags are likely lost forever and can't be tracked. Luckily, only about 2% of lost luggage is missing forever.

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The amount of this compensation is around 1,385 euros maximum per person, regardless of the number of pieces of luggage. In the event of flight problems, such as delay, cancellation, or overbooking, the EU Passenger Rights Regulation applies in many cases.

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Passengers may return to the airport to pick up their item or may approve someone else, in writing, to do so. Items can be shipped back to the owner at the owner's expense.

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What airlines lose the most luggage Europe? And if you've flown in Europe, we probably don't even need to tell you who it was. That's right: Ryanair. It led the pack of damaged luggage claims by a considerable margin, nearly tripling those made against second-place Emirates.

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American Airlines is the number one worst airline for losing or damaging your luggage, with 5.34 incidents per 1,000 bags. Although it's a low percentage compared to the total number of bags checked, American Airlines still takes the dubious distinction of being the airline most likely to lose your luggage.

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If you must check your suitcase, try to book a non-stop flight whenever possible — especially if you're flying international. According to SITA, the mishandling rate on international routes is 8.7 bags per thousand passengers; on domestic routes, it's 1.85 bags per thousand. Go carry-on only.

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