Ontario Couple Discovers Their Lost Luggage Was Donated To Charity, Woman Finds Lost Luggage After 4 Years; Tips On How To Keep Your Luggage Safe When You Travel

Traveling can be an exciting way to spend time doing anything but the usual. However, traveling comes with its own set of unusual challenges. A case in point is what happened to an Ontario couple who were tracking their lost luggage with an AirTag in September, last year. Flying Air Canada on their way back from their honeymoon in Greece, Nikita Rees-Wilson and her husband stopped over at Montreal where they had to recheck their bags for the final leg of their journey to Toronto. When they arrived at their final destination, one bag made it back but the other didn't. They diligently filed the necessary paperwork and a lost bag report. Through their Air Tracker, they were able to determine that the suitcase was still in Montreal, and that's where it remained for four weeks. Soon after, they saw with some relief, that there was some movement on the tracker. They believed their luggage was on its way back to them. But much to their chagrin, they soon discovered that their bag was donated to charity. Nikita took to Tik Tok to tell HER story. After many calls, and following up with Air Canada, they finally got their luggage back but not until the police and the media got involved. They also only claimed to have received only a quarter of the expected compensation.

Another alarming story is that of Oregon resident, April Gavin. 4 years ago, on her way home from a business trip to Chicago, United Airlines lost April's luggage. Despite many attempts to report and recover her bags in the several months following the incident, the airline had either no clue or chose not to provide her with any information. Then out of the blue, on January 2023, April received a call from the airlines from their Houston, Texas branch informing her that they had found the bag. Fortunately for her, barring a little wear and tear of the bag, her belongings including her jewellery were as she had last seen them. April received a reimbursement amount between $1,200-1,750 but not without running pillar to get her due. To avoid these happening to you, we have curated a list for a convenient travel experience.

Also Read: Top 10 Places To Visit In India For The Republic Day Long Weekend

Tips to take care of your luggage while traveling

Easy Tips To Follow To Keep The Luggage Safe

1. Early Check-In

Always make sure that you reach the airport at least an hour before your expected time of arrival so that you do all the check-in formalities systematically without any rush.

2. Use A Luggage Tag

It is always advisable to use a unique luggage tag, maybe something that is totally unique to just you so that you can identify your luggage immediately on the conveyor belt.

3. Try A GPS Tracking Tag

You can even invest in a GPS tracking device. Thanks to modern-day technology and advancements, you can use tracking devices on your luggage that can give you the location of your bag.

Also Read: 5 Tips And Tricks For Mothers Travelling With Young Kids On Long Flights

4. Carry The Valuables In The Cabin

Always carry your valuables like tablets, wallets, loose cash, jewellery, on you that are packed in your cabin luggage. Though it may be a hassle to carry it everywhere, especially during connecting flights, it is better to be safe than sorry.

5. Carry A Spare Set Of Clothes

In case you have layovers or in-transit flights, it is always a good idea to carry a change of clothes. You never know when a fresh set of clothes may be useful. Not just in case of lost luggage, but minor accidents like spilling of juice, etc. may also take place which would need you to change your clothes.

6. Remove All The Old Tags

It is a common practice to leave some of the old travel tags on the luggage which have bar codes and older travel details. This may confuse the current airlines' staff in carrying on their duties of sending the luggage to your respective flights. To avoid this, it is always beneficial to remove all the older tags.

7. Always Have Travel Insurance

While buying airline tickets, directly through a travel agent or from the airlines directly, you may be asked about travel insurance. Though while planning a budget trip, we may often opt out of buying travel insurance, it is important in times like this that it makes sense to invest those few bucks in insurance.