Tips To Find The Lost Baggage:
- As you make your packing list and tick off the items you put in your suitcase, bear in mind that this makes a perfect inventory if your luggage becomes lost, and you have to make a claim. Try to keep it legible and store it safely at home with a copy in your hand luggage. It is easier to have this list already made than have to produce one in the stressful airport environment. Don't forget to add any items you bought while away to your list if your luggage becomes lost on your return journey.
- Consider that lost luggage is a possibility when you pack - try to distribute essential items throughout your luggage so that the loss of one bag won't completely ruin your holiday or impair your work. Critical questions (medications, travel documents, money) and information should be carried in your hand luggage with you. Backups should still be made and again evenly distributed in your checked luggage or sent on ahead of time. Make sure you pack a couple of underwear changes, etc. in your hand luggage so that in the unfortunate event all your luggage 'disappears,' you will be able to manage until you can purchase replacements.
- Find out what your airline's missing luggage policy is before you travel. For example, you need to know if you will be reimbursed for buying replacement items, even if your luggage is found the next day!
- Immediately report your lost luggage - don't leave the airport before you do so - and in fact, you should begin proceedings before leaving customs. They have particular forms that will enable your luggage to go through customs without you being present, in the event, it's only delayed. You should also leave the numbers to combination locks or a set of keys with customs if your luggage is locked. This will speed up the process and prevent your bags from being damaged.
- Let's stress the need for rapid action again - if you leave the airport before reporting your luggage as being lost; your airline is unlikely to process your claim.
- Ensure that a representative from your airline knows about the problem, and seek out their customer service department for advice, as a messy claim could affect your use of the airline in the future.
Tips You Can Follow During Changed Or Cancelled Flight:
- All airlines should have a written set of conditions that determine what legal obligations the airline has to you if your flight is delayed, canceled, or causes you to miss a connection. It is worth obtaining a copy of this (via the Internet or directly from the airline) before you are due to fly - in the event that you need it, the information will be to hand.
- If your flight is delayed/canceled, speak to the airline's employees. This may just mean arriving at your destination late, or that its necessary to arrange another flight. In such a situation, the staff are likely to be receiving a lot of hassle from all directions - being polite to them is likely to get you much further. After all, they aren't personally responsible for the delay.
- If there is a queue at the counter, ring the airline to book your alternative flight instead. This will effectively take you to the front of the queue and is also generally a free-phone number. If there is more than one of you in the group, consider leaving one in the queue, whilst the other tries to phone. If one of your party is a member of a frequent flyer club, see if they are able to get you any special deals when re-booking.
- If you are going to be stuck overnight, or if you are going to drive instead of wait for an alternative flight, consider booking sooner rather than later. If many people are in the same situation as you, you'll need to beat the rush.
- If you have any other reservations, make sure you inform them of the delay or new arrangements - for example, hotels, car rental agencies, or other airlines.
- If your airline is unable to accommodate your alternative flight arrangements within the contracted time, they may be able to find you a seat with another airline. The airlines you could use for this may be limited to those your original airline has partnerships with.
- If a delay in one flight causes a connecting flight, go to the customer service desk of the airline that generated the problem. They should be able to arrange an alternative flight and at least contribute to any extra expenditure the delay causes. You may also receive hotel vouchers if the delay causes an overnight stay. Of course, this only applies if you have not caused the problem yourself by not allowing enough time between the flights. You need to leave at least enough time for the minimum check-in period (contact your airline to find out how long this is) for the second flight, and also time for disembarking and collecting your luggage from the original flight.
- Delta Comfort Plus
Tips To Follow If Being Late For Flight Check-In At The Airport:
- Airlines have minimum recommended and required check-in times - find out what they are, as such times not only vary from airline to airline but also from airport to airport!
- Missing the minimum recommended check-in time could mean you won't have enough time to move through the airport security in time to take your flight.
- Airlines will often set specific times by which you must check-in, move through the departure gates and board. If you arrive later than these times, the airline is under no obligation to let you on the flight, even if the plane is still grounded - in fact, it may be impossible to do so! For example, if you arrive late, security won't rush you through, and if you try to rush them, you're likely to appear suspicious!
- The minimum check-in time is also important if your luggage is going to make the same flight as you - otherwise, it may have to follow on a later flight, which can increase the chances of it being lost.
- If you miss the obligatory times, you will be breaking the ticket contract you have with the airline - meaning if you subsequently miss your flight, you will not receive any refund or compensation.
Tips To Follow While Getting Bumped:
- Airlines regularly overbook planes on the assumption that not everyone who purchases a ticket will turn up at all, or in time for the flight. This does not normally cause any problems as the overbooking percentage is normally accurately determined. Sometimes though, everyone does turn up, and there are more people than seats to take them. In this situation, some ticket holders will be forced to catch another plane - this is 'getting bumped.'
- Before it is insisted that some travelers stay behind, the airline will usually request volunteers to donate their seats. In this case, the volunteers are generally given a free ticket for the next flight out. If this means an overnight stay, ask the airline to pick up the hotel costs for you.
- If there are too few volunteers, the airline will decide who stays and who goes. Those checking in late, or holding discounted tickets will be the first to get bumped - so get to the gate and check-in well within the airlines requested parameter!
- Should you have to fund any extra costs due to such an involuntary delay, make sure, you keep all the receipts. You can always appeal to the airline's Customer Service Department for a refund, despite being led to believe otherwise, its always worth a try! Only send out copies of the receipts to the airline - keep hold of the originals yourself.
- Depending on the circumstances, the airline may give out vouchers for meals, local hotels and transport to them, so check on this before making your own arrangements - but be aware, if there are a lot of people in the same situation as you, accommodation and transport will sell out quickly. So make sure you are as efficient as possible in finding out details from the airline and making new arrangements!
- If you are going to be delayed, don't forget to change any linking flights, and inform any hotels or car rental services of the problem - you don't want them to think you aren't turning up and overbook you as well!
Tips To Avoid Ear Pain During Take-Off Or Landing:
Pressure changes within the cabin of an airplane during take-off and landing can cause some passengers to discomfort in their ears but can cause excruciating pain for others. Children tend to suffer particularly as they are prone to colds, which often block the Eustachian tubes with mucus, and so prevent the normal pressure equalization process from occurring.
Things You Can Do To Avoid It:
- Chewing something juicy (like chewing gum) or sucking a hard-boiled sweet, and the following swallowing of saliva can help relieve the pressure on the ears.
- Yawning can help to ease the problem.
- Nursing a baby or offering your child a drink can help their ears due to the swallowing action. Crying can also be beneficial, so don't try to prevent it.
- If you normally sleep on a plane, request a wake up before descent, as the pain when you wake on landing is likely to be much worse. This is because you swallow much less whilst sleeping.
- It may be useful to take a decongestant before you fly if you are feeling a little stuffy - and have some pain killers readily available.
- It is possible to buy earplugs (in both adult and child sizes) designed specifically for air travel and pressure equalization - but they can be difficult to find.
- If you suffer greatly with your ears, try this little tip! Place two folded napkins at the bottom of a cup and ask for some hot (as hot as possible) water to be poured over them. Drain off all excess water, so that only steam remains. Cover your troublesome ear with the cup, and the steam will help to clear the Eustachian tubes so easing the pain!
