My top 5 tips for dealing with delayed luggage

On my recent trip back to Cusco, my checked luggage didn’t get there with me.

It’s every traveler’s worst nightmare: you arrive at your destination, without your stuff. This is why I travel with carry-on most of the time, but sometimes even I have to check a bag.

Last week, I flew from Seattle to Los Angeles on Alaska Airlines, then from Los Angeles to Lima, Peru with a connection to Cusco on Latam Airlines. After I had boarded my flight in Seattle, I could see on my phone that my checked suitcase wasn’t on the plane with me.

1. Always put an AirTag in any luggage that you check.

Before we even started taxiing down the runway in Seattle, I called Alaska Airlines and told them that my bag had been left behind. They promised to send it on the next flight to LA, but it would still arrive after my flight to Lima had left. I explained to the Alaska agent that they would have to give the bag to Latam to be flown to Peru.

2. Ask the airlines for the specific vocabulary you need to solve the problem.

Airlines have a very specific lingo that can help you get what you need faster. The Alaska agent told me that I needed to call Latam and request two things. First, I had to ask for a “delay courtesy file.” This is a favor that airlines do for each other when they accept a delayed bag from another airline. I also had to ask for a “world tracer number” which would allow me to track my bag with one number between both airlines.

When you check your bag, your receipt has a number associated with the tag that the airlines puts on your bag. This is specific to that airline. Even on the same trip, when you recheck your bag with another airline, you get a new tag and a new number. Having a world tracer number would allow Alaska to tag my bag with a number that wouldn’t change after they gave it to Latam.

My checked luggage was still delayed for a week! 

3. If an agent is unhelpful, call back to get a different person.

I called Latam at least twice a day to follow up on my bag. I often got conflicting information from different agents and some of them were completely unhelpful. Calling back to get a new agent was the most effective strategy. Yes, it takes more time than it should, but that was the only way I could get the service I needed.

4. Just keep calling until you get your luggage.

Every time I called, the Latam agent who spoke to me added another note to my delayed luggage file. Unlike most airlines, Latam’s policy is that agents can’t transfer a call to a supervisor. Each time I had an unhelpful agent, I asked that they put a note in my file that I requested a supervisor to call me. This is the best way to get a supervisor’s help even if you’re not allowed to talk with them directly.

5. Check if you’re entitled to compensation from the airlines or your credit card.

I checked if I had insurance that would pay for a delayed bag. If I had been traveling, rather than getting home, I would likely have had to buy clothes and things while I waited a week for the bag to arrive.

Alaska Airlines gave me a $150 voucher for my bag arriving late in Los Angeles, but I wasn’t entitled to any compensation from them. Latam Airlines maintained that since I hadn’t checked my bag in with them, they didn’t owe me anything for it arriving late. The credit card I used to buy the flights would only reimburse me for things I bought to replace a bag that was lost.

In this case, I couldn’t find any fine print anywhere that would get me compensation for the week without my suitcase. That’s not always the case! It’s worth it to check with the airlines and with your travel insurance and credit cards.

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