You've had a long flight. You're excited to start your vacation -- that luxurious timeshare awaits. You can picture it as you wait by the luggage carousel: you and your sweetie sipping cool drinks as you relax on a breezy balcony, gazing below at the clear azure waters lapping the pristine white sands.
Hang onto that thought. It may be the only thing that keeps you from erupting like Vesuvius because in just a moment you're going to find out that the airlines have lost your luggage.
Lost luggage is every traveler's nightmare and is reaching monstrous levels. The problem has become so rampant in Europe that travelers have been advised to avoid checking bags altogether. The Association of European Airlines which includes all major European carriers is recommending that travelers limit their bags to carry-ons. On average 10 passengers per flight lost bags on European carriers between April and June.
Cited as the worst of the worst, British Airways is on track to lose a record 1.3 million bags this year. If you watch the morning talk show Live With Regis and Kelly, you may have heard Regis Philbin rant about British Airways losing two of his wife's bags this summer. British Airlines was forced to use freighter aircraft to reunite passengers with their luggage after 20,000 lost bags piled up in London's Heathrow Airport this summer. A shortage of baggage handlers at Heathrow has only compounded the problem.
But Britain isn't the only problem area. Last month Italian travelers experienced similar luggage nightmares at Rome's Fiumicino Airport. In the U.S. lost luggage claims soared 26% in June compared to last year.
Industry experts say the problem is multi-faceted, a factor of increased airline traffic, a spike in delayed flights with less time to transfer baggage to connecting flights, increased security screening and restrictions on carry-on bags, and the growth of budget airlines which require passengers to check and recheck their own bags.
What can you do to help insure that you and your luggage both arrive at your vacation destination at the same time? Try these tips:
Hang onto that thought. It may be the only thing that keeps you from erupting like Vesuvius because in just a moment you're going to find out that the airlines have lost your luggage.
Lost luggage is every traveler's nightmare and is reaching monstrous levels. The problem has become so rampant in Europe that travelers have been advised to avoid checking bags altogether. The Association of European Airlines which includes all major European carriers is recommending that travelers limit their bags to carry-ons. On average 10 passengers per flight lost bags on European carriers between April and June.
Cited as the worst of the worst, British Airways is on track to lose a record 1.3 million bags this year. If you watch the morning talk show Live With Regis and Kelly, you may have heard Regis Philbin rant about British Airways losing two of his wife's bags this summer. British Airlines was forced to use freighter aircraft to reunite passengers with their luggage after 20,000 lost bags piled up in London's Heathrow Airport this summer. A shortage of baggage handlers at Heathrow has only compounded the problem.
But Britain isn't the only problem area. Last month Italian travelers experienced similar luggage nightmares at Rome's Fiumicino Airport. In the U.S. lost luggage claims soared 26% in June compared to last year.
Industry experts say the problem is multi-faceted, a factor of increased airline traffic, a spike in delayed flights with less time to transfer baggage to connecting flights, increased security screening and restrictions on carry-on bags, and the growth of budget airlines which require passengers to check and recheck their own bags.
What can you do to help insure that you and your luggage both arrive at your vacation destination at the same time? Try these tips:
- Select nonstop flights when possible.
- Don't check in at the last minute.
- Place identification outside and inside checked bags.
- Make sure the attendant checking your bags places a destination tag on each one. Always remove old tags to avoid confusion.
- Do not lock your bags as they may need to be opened for security. If you wish to lock your bags, go to the Transportation Safety Administration website for information about locks that airline personnel can open and relock.
- Hang onto your claim check.
For a wide selection of luggage and luggage tags, visit the Timeshare Giant Store. More information on the Embassy genuine buffalo leather tote shown above is available at the Timeshare Giant Store.
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