It’s a traveller’s worst nightmare so try to reduce the chances of it happening at all … and, if it does, how (hopefully) you can retrieve it

It’s every traveller’s worst nightmare: you arrive at your destination, but your luggage doesn’t. Whether it’s due to a mishandled transfer, or a sneaky suitcase thief in the arrivals hall, lost luggage can quickly turn a holiday into a stressful ordeal. Here’s what to do if yours doesn’t turn up.

Report your luggage as missing

All baggage is managed by the airlines from check-in to arrival. So once you are sure your luggage has not arrived, report it as missing at your airline’s desk in the baggage reclaim hall (this is sometimes operated by a third-party ground handler). If there is no one at the desk, call your airline instead.

File what’s known as a property irregularity report (PIR) before you leave the airport. This official document is used to report incidents involving damaged, lost or delayed baggage. It serves as a record of the incident and is essential for initiating claims and tracking the status of the baggage.