WHILE it may be tempting to head straight for home after landing at the airport, you should make sure to check your suitcase first.
One traveller has warned passengers to give inside their bag a quick look before leaving the terminal, or you could struggle to claim back from any damaged luggage complaints.
Traveller Gina Sheldon found this out the hard way, after arriving home with her suitcase she thought was full of Christmas presents back in December.
However, when she opened it she was stunned to find dog food and other random items.
Gina, who was travelling with Air France from Paris to Boston, told Fox 10: "When I opened my luggage all of the gifts were gone and replaced with individual plastic bags filled with dog food, dirty t-shirts and empty French body product containers.”
After contacting the airline, she was given 75,000 air miles from Delta who she booked the tickets with as a codeshare.
However, she complained to Air France as she said this didn't cover her flight or lost presents.
Despite this, Air France told her that as she had left the airport, she couldn't claim.
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They said, as reported by Live and Let's Fly: "You left the baggage area and went home so we have no way to confirm that those items were or were not in your bag when transported or what occurred after you left.
"Claims for missing items must be made immediately at the airport with the baggage department for that reason.”
Delta has since said they have offered "fair compensation" as an apology.
Therefore next time you get your bag back from the carousel, it is worth checking inside as well as outside.
While problems like these are rare, the quick check could save you hundreds of pounds.
Live and Let Fly also warned: "When claiming your luggage from an airline baggage claim carousel, don’t just check the exterior of your bag for damage, but make sure your personal contents are inside.
"Sometimes, your bag may look right and feel right, but the contents have been switched and thieves are counting on you not to notice until it is too late."
It is also worth noting that the Montreal Convention, introduced in 1999, lets passengers claim for damaged or lost baggage up to seven days afterwards.
Here is why it takes so long for your bag to arrive after a flight.
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