Lost Luggage
By Amy Ziff, Editor-at-Large
November 10, 2004
Given all the time I spend flying each year, I was surprised that it wasn't until recently that my luggage got lost. (Perhaps this is because I'm a road warrior who avoids checking baggage at all costs. And if I do check, I'm usually on a non-stop ticket.) But nonetheless, there I was, headed for a golf weekend and there was no getting around it: my clubs had to be checked.
I arrived at the airport, and I'll admit, I was running late, so I decided to give over my bag as well as my clubs. While my ticket read Delta, the flight was operated by Commair, and I was flying a small commuter plane to Jacksonville. Travelers with bags had to gate-check anyway, so I congratulated myself on my prudent check-in. That is of course, until it wasn't.
Two hours later, staring at an empty luggage display, having retrieved only my clubs, I realized I had forgotten to abide by my own rules. Rule # 1: Always keep a change of clothes (or whatever is critical with you on the plane.) You see, dressed comfortably for my flight in a tank top, jeans and flip-flops, I was hardly wearing acceptable golf attire. It was 6pm and my tee-time was but 12 hours away. Where could I find golf attire that wouldn't cost a fortune?
Thus, I was finally inducted into the realm of the lost baggage club. You might like to think that I, traveling pro that I am, have some special tricks or pull to save myself from such travel woes. Alas, I do not.
Like everyone else, I waited at the lost baggage counter to explain the absurdity of it all. However, losing one, but not all of your items is par for the course. Since I was on the last flight from JFK that evening, my bag--unless it had gone to Atlanta mistakenly--was not likely to arrive ahead of my tee time. I took my claim ticket and the 800 number to call for my bag status, as well as a handy little pouch (with toothpaste, toothbrush, face wash, a razor, shaving cream and a mini deodorant) intended to get me through the evening. It was a small consolation. Airlines don't give out money for missing bags until they're deemed "lost." I was informed that I was free to purchase whatever I needed while my bags were missing and to save my receipts and send them in when filing a claim. But I knew to0 well that given the current state of the airlines situation, Delta wasn't obligated (or likely) to pay anything whatsoever.
In the end, I got lucky. My baggage showed up at 3am, with plenty of time for me to dress for my game.
So how can you protect yourself from despair and your vacation from ruin? By packing smarter. Consider not checking any luggage at all. On shorter trips, if you can manage a small bag that fits in the overhead, that's your safest bet. Non-stop is best, direct (a flight where you stop but don't change aircraft) is second, connecting is third.
When checking luggage, strategize on what to take with you. If for example, you're headed to the beach, keep a bathing suit with you--who wants to have to buy any old suit when you get there? If you're playing golf, keep the bare minimum of what you'll need with you. And, if you're traveling to a wedding and are in the wedding party or going to a black-tie event where you have special clothes, I recommend taking a lightweight hanging bag that fits on the plane with you. Carry extra medicine or vitamins you may need with you. You should also keep all your valuables with you and leave at home whatever you can't do without. Now you're ready to hit the road with a bit more ease. Although it wasn't fun, I'm a better traveler for having lost my luggage. Now I just hope it doesn't happen again–to either of us!
For more travel tips and advice, check out Amy Ziff's blog, The Window Seat, or her monthly column, Travel Trends & Advice from A to Z. To suggest a topic for a future column or to tell about a travel experience of your own, please email Amy Ziff at ask.amy@travelocity.com.
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