BEFORE you check your luggage, you should check which airline you are flying with – as some are more likely to lose your bags.
Certain airports are also worse than others for misplacing your baggage, according to new research.
Luggage storage company Bounce analysed lost luggage on flights to and from the UK between 2016 and 2020 using date from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
While the data only shows lost luggage which wasn't resolved by airlines, the worst airline was found to be Royal Air Maroc, which often flies between the UK and Morocco.
The airline had 9.7 per cent of lost baggage cases followed by Iberia with 6.69 per cent.
However, populaw low-cost airline Ryanair came in third (6.19 per cent), followed by Vueling (5.18 per cent) and Pakistan International Airlines (4.68 per cent).
It's best to avoid checking in a bag at Heathrow Airport too, which came out as the worst UK airport for losing bags.
The large London airport had 42.75 per cent of lost suitcases, although as one of the busiest airports in the world, is to be expected.
This was followed by Gatwick at 19.31 per cent and Manchester t 11.49 per cent – Birmingham was next with 8.51 per cent, followed by London Stansted at 6.9 per cent.
Bounce founder Cody commented on the research: "Travelling can be a frustrating experience at the best of times, but perhaps one of the most irritating things that can happen when travelling is losing your luggage.
"This usually happens when catching a flight as travellers must entrust the airline with their baggage, and in some unfortunate cases, suitcases do go missing.
"From our research, we found that the CAA dealt with 598 cases of lost luggage between 2016 and 2020 in the UK. These cases were ones which the airlines failed to resolve, ultimately leaving their customers completely without their luggage."
However, he also revealed his best advice on what to do if your suitcase gets lost.
He said the first thing to do is contact the airline, not the airport: "There should usually be a representative from the airline at the airport, but if not, be sure to call them."
He also said that you may be able to get a refund of your baggage fees if they have lost it, as well as any expenses you have incurred such as toiletries and clothing, so keeping the receipts is adviced.
Some insurance policies also offer compensation for lost bags, so it is worth checking that as well – if not, then some home insurance or credit card providers have protection built in too.
Here is some other advice on what to do if you lose your bag while on holiday.
The 5 worst airlines for lost luggage on UK flights
- Royal Air Maroc – 9.70% of lost baggage cases
- Iberia – 6.69% of lost baggage cases
- Ryanair – 6.19% of lost baggage cases
- Vueling Airline – 5.18% of lost baggage cases
- Pakistan International Airlines PIA – 4.68% of lost baggage cases
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