25.9% of American flyers had luggage lost by airlines: Survey

Losing luggage during a holiday is a nightmare that travellers hope never to encounter. The study, in which more than 3,000 people across Australia, America and Canada were surveyed, found that 25.9% of American travellers have lost luggage while travelling with an airline. In contrast, 20.4% of Australian travellers and 30.4% of Canadian flyers had the same claims.

Of the American travellers who have had luggage misplaced, the majority reported waiting for days before receiving their lost luggage, with 6.9% reporting they never received their belongings. American travellers reported the highest rate of same-day luggage retrieval, with 22.3% having received their lost luggage within hours.

Over three-quarters of American flyers (76.6%) who have had their luggage misplaced never received any compensation or reimbursement from their airline and those who did received a median compensation of US$275.00.

The majority of American flyers with lost bags did not get reimbursed by their travel insurers. Meanwhile, 30.5% reported not making a claim to their travel insurance for their lost luggage, and a further 22.7% reported not having any travel insurance cover whatsoever.

Compare the Market’s Executive General Manager of General Insurance, Adrian Taylor, notes how travel insurance can cover your lost luggage.

“Losing your luggage on your holiday can be a nightmare. If your airline loses your luggage, they might reimburse you for the loss, but even then, it could be days or weeks without your gear,” Mr Taylor said.

“At the same time, there is a chance that the reimbursement you receive does not adequately cover you for your loss or damages. This is where travel insurance can help you bridge the gap.

“Ensuring your travel insurance policy covers you against loss or theft, including cash and travel documents, could potentially leave you with more adequate reimbursement should things go awry.

“Luggage cover while travelling affords you a great deal of peace of mind and allows you to focus on your trip.”

Always read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and Target Market Determination (TMD) to check for the inclusions, limits and restrictions before purchasing.