A suitcase goes missing for nine days across multiple airlines and countries, and we turn the chaos into a clear, repeatable travel system. Alexa walks through the exact steps that lowered stress, sped up delivery, and maximized reimbursements while touring, teaching, and performing on the road.
We start with prevention that pays off when things go wrong: layer-by-layer packing photos, a simple cloud inventory, suitcase shots, and bright identifiers that make claims painless. You will hear which items should never leave your carry-on, why sentimental or irreplaceable pieces either stay home or stay with you, and how old, overstuffed luggage quietly raises your risk of damage. We dig into AirTags and Tiles, airline bag-tracking apps, and when travel insurance is worth it for long or complex trips—plus how it filled the gap when airline reimbursement fell short.
Then we get tactical. At the first hint of a delay, work every channel: line up at the gate desk, rebook in the app, and call the airline at the same time. If your bag does not arrive, head straight to the baggage desk before leaving the airport, file a claim, and lock down your reference number. Keep every receipt, scan everything, and centralize notes, photos, tags, and forms. Learn how to contact partner airlines to find the last scan, what daily allowances typically cover, and how to choose versatile essentials that carry you through work and play without wasting money. We also cover deadlines for delayed, damaged, and lost luggage, passenger rights under US DOT, EU 261, and the Montreal Convention, and how to coordinate benefits across the airline, your insurer, and your credit card.
Travel smarter, not harder. Save this playbook for your next trip, share it with a friend who checks bags, and tell us your wildest lost-luggage story on socials. If this helped, subscribe, leave a quick review, and pass it along to your favorite traveler.
Please support our show by shopping through Eagle Creek: https://alnk.to/gVNDI6N and/or feel free to donate to:
http://paypal.me/TheROAMies
And it means the world to us when you subscribe, rate and share our podcast.
Alexa and Rory
The ROAMies
Follow us at:
http://www.TheROAMies.com
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_00 (00:00):
I am Alexa.
SPEAKER_01 (00:02):
And together we are to each other.
We are a touring musical duel.
SPEAKER_00 (00:11):
And our music has taken us to all kinds of places
all around the world and keepsus always on the go.
SPEAKER_01 (00:16):
So we hope you enjoy our stories and adventures while
running around working all yourplates.
SPEAKER_00 (00:22):
And we hope to facilitate your busy lifestyle
and feed your inner travel bug.
Hi, and welcome back to theRomies Podcast.
I'm Alexa, and I'm taking overthis episode because I'm the one
who had a nine-day baggage delaythis summer, and thought it
(00:46):
would be helpful to pass alongsome tips and tricks and lessons
that I learned from theexperience.
So today's experience is allabout something every traveler
dreads, and that's baggagedelays and lost luggage.
So that moment when you'restanding at the carousel and
everyone else's bags are longgone, and you're thinking,
please don't let me do that one.
(01:07):
But yeah, possibly sooner orlater, it kind of happens to
almost everyone.
So the good news is there arethings you can do before you
fly, while you're traveling, andalso after your bag is delayed
or even lost.
And any or all of these thingsare gonna make the whole process
way less stressful.
And so we've learned some ofthese tricks the hard way, and
(01:30):
hopefully you can learn them theeasy way and not be in a
situation that can befrustrating and where you've
lost your luggage for nine wholedays of your trip.
If your trip was going to be anine-day trip, then yeah.
Alright, so number one beforeyou fly.
(01:52):
So here are things you can do tobe like prep smart, pack smart,
all that.
The first thing that I recommendis that you take Brooke's
course.
We've talked about Brookebefore, we've had her on the
podcast several times.
You go to her packing list.
(02:12):
Her packing list.
That's the name of her brand andher course, her packing list.
So we'll put that in the shownotes so you can reference that.
Especially for us girls who loveto pack all of our things
because all of our things areall of our things and they're
awesome, and we should have allof them.
And so Brooke helps you learn topack light.
(02:32):
She takes you through asystematic process.
And I actually, because for thistrip, we were gonna be gone for
three months, which we were gonefor three months in Europe.
And it's also business stuff.
So I checked a bag, Rory checkeda bag, and then we had our
carry-on, like a carry-onbackpack, and then I also had my
(02:53):
carry-on to Kooleley.
And so I did check a bag thistime.
Now I didn't do all of the sameprep work for this trip that I
did prior when I was takingBrooks' course.
But because I had done Brooks'course and had done the work in
the course, I had all of theselike packing lists and
(03:17):
spreadsheets and photos andthings that I had done as part
of the work and part of learninghow to pack.
All of those were already likein my computer, on my phone, et
cetera.
And so when my bag was delayed,I had a real fear that my bag
was really lost.
I was able to start itemizingwhat was in the bag.
(03:40):
I did not do this before thetrip.
But because I had done a lot ofthe work from Brooke's course, a
lot of the lists were alreadywritten for me.
And because I packed a lot ofthe same things that I did in
the course, so I was able to gothrough and kind of go through
that list and go, oh yeah, okay,I did pack that, I had that, I
(04:02):
had that, I had that, and thatso it gave me a really, really
solid starting place.
And then as I was thinkingthrough, because in order to
file the claim for a lost bagand all that, you've got to list
the items that are in your bagand what's missing because if
they become lost, you then haveto be reimbursed for like your
lost luggage, right?
(04:22):
And not just delayed luggage.
But even for delayed baggage,they were asking me for an
inventory of items so that theycould confirm that the bag they
found was actually my luggage.
So they wanted the to have theoption of being able to open up
that luggage and see that thingsthat I listed on the inventory
(04:42):
list matched, and then they knewto send that to the proper
country and then deliver it tothe proper hotel.
So Brooks course was a reallygreat kickstart for me.
And so here's my advice and tipand trick to you.
If you don't take her course,whether you take her course or
not, go ahead when you'repacking or once you're done
(05:02):
packing, take a picture ofeverything in your luggage at or
as you're packing, layer one,take a photo, put more stuff on
that layer, take a photo.
So take photos as you're packingor and or make a whole list of
everything that you're packing.
That way you've already got theinventory.
It's right there.
That's the easiest time to dothis kind of thing.
(05:26):
And then if you just store it inthe cloud, like if it's on a
Google Doc, for example, or it'sin the notes on your phone,
something like that, then youhave a cloud version backup of
what's in your luggage.
So one thing that I had done wasI took a picture of the luggage
because I have done this before.
And so I'm not in a full habitof doing this, but I've done
(05:49):
enough that I'm kind of in ahabit to do it.
And that is to take a picture ofthe actual bags themselves so
that if your bag is delayed, youcan show the picture to the
clerk at the counter and say,hey, this is my bag.
And then they can go, oh, okay,here's the brand, here's the
make.
It's a hard case, it's a softcase, etc.
(06:10):
And then, of course, having aluggage tag with your name,
email, phone number, andaddress, having all of that on
there is also a very pretty goodidea to do.
Another piece of advice that Iwould like to pass along is do
not overstuff an old suitcase.
(06:30):
If you decide that you have theneed to overstuff a suitcase,
make sure it's a new one.
Don't overstuff an old one.
And here is where my fear that Ihad lost my luggage came into
play.
And what also taught me someother lessons about how to pack.
(06:53):
My parents had this older bagthat was big, and I couldn't
need it to a big bag for threemonths with all of the different
types of weather and events thatwe were doing and all of that.
And so I had my luggage was veryfull.
Since it was kind of ahand-me-down piece of luggage, I
wasn't sure how much life thatbag had had or what it had gone
(07:15):
through, but I just assumed thatit was older.
My fear was that my bag washeavy and older.
And if it dropped on the floor,it could have shattered and my
stuff just explode everywhere.
And just a side note, I wasn'tconcerned about any of these
(07:37):
things prior.
Like when I checked my bag, Ifelt fully fine that it was
going to be just fine.
It was when my bag was delayed,and then after five days
continued to be delayed, then Istart wondering, no one knows
where my bag is.
(07:58):
That's when I started to getconcerned that, hmm, I wonder.
And I really kept envisioningall of my stuff really kind of
just being scattered on thetarmac on you know, in some
luggage depot and just being abig old mess and just scattered
(08:21):
everywhere.
And maybe I would get some stuffback, maybe not.
But I was concerned because A,it was an older suitcase, but
two, I had really maximized, Iwas I was in the weight limits,
but I really had stuffed thatbig bag.
You know, pretty much theopposite of what Brooke teaches
in her course.
(08:42):
She still has a lot of work todo on me.
But that being the case, it wasvery likely that an old
overstuffed bag could kind ofexplode.
So that became a real fear ofmine.
And as I was making inventorylists and doing all of these
things, I was like, oh thatskirt, I've had it for 10 years
(09:05):
and I love it, and it goes witheverything, and it's a classic,
and it's a time when I can'treplace it now, and blah, blah,
blah.
And for me, my clothes aresentimental.
And like I could probably tellyou a story with every piece of
clothing I have.
And so it's not necessarilysomething that I can just, oh, I
can just easily replace this onAmazon.
(09:26):
No, I got this when I went toAfrica and I was on this trip
with these people and blah blahblah blah blah, right?
So there were certain pieces.
I did have a couple new pieces,but I shopped at places that
have like one-of-a-kind items,and there was no way to replace
that.
Even if you shop at like a TJMaxx, you can't necessarily
(09:47):
replace things you get therebecause the inventory is very
different from store to store.
So what that taught me was okay,there are certain pieces that
are very, very valuable to me.
And if I lose this hat or thisskirt or this dress, I will be
(10:10):
very, very sad and not be ableto replace these exact items.
And it's gonna be difficult tofind something down the road.
So doing the exercise ofthinking through what my stuff
was and what would really,really make me sad if I if this
was this one piece of clothingwas lost forever, it helped me
(10:33):
learn which pieces were veryvaluable to me and which were
not.
And so that shows somethingabout what I packed, which were
really kind of irreplaceable andvery like precious to me.
So the practical takeaway fromthat is if you are taking those
things on the trip, which numberone, should you does that really
(10:56):
have to go with you if it's thatimportant to you?
Now, because I travel so much,those pieces are important to me
because they're great travelwardrobe pieces.
But if it's something that is sodear to you, you probably A,
should leave it at home.
Or two, it should be on yourbody.
And so thankfully, one of mydresses that I really loved was
(11:16):
actually on my body.
So I was traveling in it.
So that wasn't gonna goanywhere.
But then plan three slash C isthat you pack those precious
items, those are the ones thatgo in your carry-on bag, so that
it's with you on your person atall times.
Now, of course, you know thatthe other thing that you do is
(11:40):
with your carry-on, that's yourcomputer, your iPad, your
earbuds, your phone charger,your medications, all of those
things that should your luggagebe completely lost, you'll be
okay because things that aresuper valuable to you, or if you
have that special piece ofjewelry that you feel like,
(12:01):
well, gosh, this has to go onthis trip.
Anything that's like crazy,super important to you, and or
you feel is irreplaceable, doyou feel like that it has value,
and you feel the necessity tobring it with you, those all
need to be on your person slashand or on your carry-on.
As you're packing, think aboutor as you're laying out what you
(12:24):
want to pack, as you're kind ofassessing and going through your
process, whether that's a Brookeprocess or your own process.
You want to be thinking, whichof these pieces would I just be
so devastated if I lost them?
Then you can think about, okay,yes, this is gonna go on the
trip, but it's not gonna go inmy checked bag.
(12:46):
Now, again, if you're takingBrooks course, you are only
gonna have a carry-on with you,whether you're going for two
weeks, one week, or threemonths.
There's a way to get it done andhave everything just with you.
And so then you don't have anyof these issues, right?
But we know a lot of people docheck bags, and that's why we're
(13:10):
doing this episode to help equipyou when you do check a bag,
because it happens that you'llcheck a bag.
Okay.
I think too, just another littlereminder of things that are good
to have on your carry-on ismaybe a toothbrush or an extra
pair of underwear, or like ifyou're going on a beach trip,
throw in your swimsuit and/orwhatever you might need for that
(13:32):
first day there.
And that way you have someessentials that until your bag
can find you, you can getthrough.
So those are other things tothink about that go on your
carry-on bag if you're checkinga bag as well.
And now luggage tags areavailable.
So Apple Air tags or tiles,those can go in your bags and
(13:53):
help you kind of keep track ofwhere your bag is.
And so if you want to invest inthose kinds of tools, those are
now becoming more frequent, moreavailable.
And a lot of airlines are alsoon their apps providing the
information of where your bagis, and you can kind of keep
track of your bag even throughtheir app.
(14:13):
So you can utilize thoseresources as well.
And then one of the things thatthankfully we did on this trip
that we don't normally do is wedid get travel insurance for our
flights.
That travel insurance actuallycame in handy because the
airline did not reimburse mewhat they told me they would
reimburse me.
(14:33):
So the travel insurance thencovered, I don't know if it
covered like the fulldifference, but they it helped
out with reimbursing what I hadto buy for not having my luggage
for nine days because I wasperforming and teaching and
working.
I couldn't just be in the sameclothes.
I actually had to do my hair andI had to buy things for my hair.
(14:54):
I had to buy shoes and I had tobuy clothing to get me through
the nine days.
You know, we just kind of hadthe voice in our head maybe you
should get travel insurance thistime.
So we were really glad that wedid.
So listen to that voice whenyou're trying to decide about
travel insurance.
I would say also, like I said,we don't always get it.
So you need to think about whatwould the loss be in something?
(15:17):
What are the what is thelikelihood?
You never know when something'sgonna happen medically or
otherwise.
And so that's why it'sinsurance.
It's there like just in case.
And so if you want and need thatpeace of mind, and you're the
kind of person that would justrather have it than not, and you
have the money to spend on it,then go for it.
(15:40):
Otherwise, you can kind ofassess, okay, we're taking the
trip is this long versus thislong, like a shorter trip.
Maybe you don't need travelinsurance, but for us, a
three-month trip, that's kind ofa longer trip.
We wanted, if something happenedback home in the States and we
need to come home early, feltlike a good idea to have the
travel insurance.
(16:00):
You can assess what are youtaking with you that you could
possibly lose or break or orhave issue with, something like
that.
So it could be the type of tripyou're doing, the length of the
trip, all of that can factorinto your decision about is
travel insurance right for thistrip?
And then you can buy travelinsurance either with the flight
(16:24):
or you can buy it just directlyfrom an insurance company.
You can get like a year-longpolicy, all of that.
So there's lots of differentoptions and lots of things to
think about with travelinsurance.
But we were glad we did it forthis flight and it did pay off.
Okay, so that's a little bitabout luggage delay, and we
might come back to that.
But I just want to detour hereand talk about flight delays.
(16:47):
So if your flight is delayed orcanceled, you don't you don't
want to just wait around.
Immediately, what you want to dois try to go to that desk at the
gate right away while you'rewaiting.
Check the airline app andor thewebsite for rebooking options.
Now, the agent at the counter isgonna help rebook your flight,
but you can utilize startfinding options yourself.
(17:09):
Also, while you're in line, youcould call the airline while
you're in line waiting.
And sometimes the call centercan rebook you before you even
reach the counter.
So you can be standing in lineand also be proactive and just
kind of see which happens first.
And sometimes that might matterif, like, this you have a really
big flight that's being delayed,and you have all of these people
that are fighting for the samelimited seating for a
(17:32):
replacement.
You're kind of in a race alittle bit.
And also you could beresearching while you're waiting
in line, you can be researchresearching alternative flights
for yourself so that you knowwhat options might be out there.
Oh, well, gosh, there's anairport 30 minutes away from
here.
And maybe it makes sense for meto hop in my car, like if your
(17:54):
car's there, and I'll just, youknow, or I'll drive three hours
to wherever I'm going and thencatch a flight in that city,
whatever.
So you can kind of get creativeand just kind of be thinking as
you're waiting in line, what aresome options you could do?
And most airlines are requiredby law to compensate you in a
lot of the situations or to takecare of you, rebook you, and all
(18:15):
of that.
So don't be rude, but also standup for yourself, right?
Stand up for yourself in a nice,kind way.
And I will tell you thatkindness and patience are the
your biggest assets in thissituation of a delayed flight
because everybody is frustrated,everybody is miserable.
Most people do not enjoy havingtheir plans be changed and
(18:37):
having to miss certain thingsthat they paid for and expected.
And most everybody's gonna bemad and grumpy, right?
And so don't be that person.
There's plenty of grumpiness,everybody understands, you're
all in the same boat.
Now, if you're actually stuck onthe tarmac, you can remember
that airlines aren't gonna keepyou there forever.
(18:59):
And kind of a rule of thumb isthat about at three hours,
usually they must cancel or letyou off the airline.
So you're probably not gonna bejust stuck on a tarmac for more
than three hours.
So if you want to kind of budgetyour energy or your time or your
phone battery accordingly, youcan kind of keep that in mind.
Okay, I shared some things aboutwhat you can do before you even
(19:23):
leave on your trip to help withdelayed baggage.
So let's say your baggageactually does get delayed.
What you're gonna do is, youknow, you're standing a badge
baggage claim and your baggageis not coming, there's no more
luggage coming.
You can go straight to theairline's baggage desk before
you even leave the airport.
That is so super important.
Make sure you file a claim rightaway and get a copy of that
(19:46):
reference number.
Take a picture of it, have thatpicture in your phone, start
keeping a record in all in oneplace, keep it organized so you
can refer to that.
I can't tell you how many timesI had to keep going back to my,
I kept everything in my notes.
I have an iPhone, and so notesis our notebook section.
And so I would take pictures inthere, I would scan, scan the
(20:08):
forms they gave me.
I would start working on myinventory list, all of those
things I did in one kind ofpage.
I every reference number I couldthink of.
You have to keep your boardingpass, keep your baggage claim
number, your bag tag, all ofthat, pictures of your bags,
right?
Anything you have, pictures ofwhat's inside.
(20:31):
You can just move all of thatinto that notes page, and it's
all right there in one place.
And just keeping thingsorganized is so helpful because
I found I had to constantly goback to them and reference
things, not only to get my bagin the first place, but also to
then apply for the compensationand all of that.
(20:53):
So immediately go to thatcounter, file claim, get a copy
of your reference number, andyou can show them your packing
inventory with a photo of yourbag, all of that.
And then make sure that you askwhat their daily budget and
allowance is because most ofthem are gonna reimburse you for
your toiletries and yourclothing.
(21:14):
They're gonna call itnecessities.
My baggage has been delayed inprevious years.
I ended up with some great longtime pieces that have been
really great assets to my travelwardrobe.
So you might just get lucky whenyou're shopping and find some
things that are gonna be reallyhelpful long term and something
that you can use.
And I do want to encourage youthat, you know, don't just like
(21:36):
if you can buy something thatyou're actually going to wear
and enjoy and keep because youdon't want to just have more
junk that you're just gonnacarry around.
So try to shop at a place thatwill fit the budget allowance
that they offer, but alsosomething that you will enjoy
having in your closet or that isgoing to be a very versatile
(21:56):
piece that will suit a lot ofexperiences or things that you
need to do on your trip.
Find a versatile piece ofclothing that you can get a lot
of mileage out of as you'rewaiting for your bags.
So, in the case of my bag thisyear, not having a bag for nine
days, I had to go shoppingalmost every day because each
(22:18):
day I would learn you're notgonna have your bag tomorrow.
And so then I would need to goget something else because of
what we were doing and all ofthe different types of things we
were doing.
I couldn't just reusenecessarily all of the things
that I had.
So, and at some point, like Imentioned earlier, I had to buy
shoes and I had to buy differentthings for my hair or whatever.
(22:41):
And I'm not gonna give up theactivities on the itinerary and
the work that I'm doing justbecause I don't have the right
clothing for it.
So they have to be understandingthat of what you're doing.
And I think it's important tocontinue to keep customer
service aware of what you'remissing and why and why you need
to purchase the things you needto purchase because that's gonna
(23:02):
help your case when you aretrying to get reimbursed for
your items.
But really, at the end of theday, they're gonna have a daily
budget.
So ask them what that is, andthen hope that they stick to it
and really only buy what feelslike an essential.
There's a few things you couldwait on.
(23:23):
Maybe you can hand washsomething instead of having to
buy something different or new.
I think another tip is to beproactive with keeping track of
your bag and trying to find yourbag.
You know, a lot of this stuff isonline and automated, and so you
can hop in and see what thestatus is with things.
And my bag continued to beunfounded and that's why I
(23:44):
continued to develop this fearof like, oh no, my bag is
sprawled and my stuff is goneforever.
So knowing that they didn't knowwhere my bag was was very
disconcerting and very kind ofdepressing to me because more
things would come to mind.
Oh, yeah, I packed that, Ipacked that.
And so the more things that Irealized I was losing forever,
(24:07):
the like, you know, I just got,oh, I'm gonna be so sad if I
don't have that.
Girls and our stuff, I tell you.
Anyway, we were on threedifferent airlines across the
course of our trip.
They're all partner airlines,but we we had our first flight,
we had a layover in Heathrow,and then we ended up in Finland.
(24:28):
And so I had to check with eachairline, and I finally found
that the last place they hadseen it was in London.
And so I was like, okay, atleast I can tell Finnair that my
bag has last been seen atHeathrow.
(24:48):
So can you please check there?
And so basically, once I kind oftracked down where it was like,
you know, I made calls and spoketo people and I was checking
online, but I was also calling.
And when I found out where mybag actually was last seen, it
then sped up the process andthey were able to say, okay, now
(25:12):
we have located your bag andit's starting to make its way.
And it still took several daysfor my bag to get back to me
after they had located it.
Just know you might have tocontact multiple airlines
depending on what your flightroute was.
Big reminder this goes back tothat organization thing, but
make sure you keep all of yourreceipts, keep the physical
(25:34):
receipts, also take scans andpictures of them, keep all of
that in your phone, keep all ofthe receipts, keep your boring
pass, keep the claims form, allof that.
Now, another tip is that claimsmust be filed within about the
first seven days.
And so, in the case with this, Ilearned after the fact, like
(25:55):
three months later, that my bagdamaged.
So my bag did get damaged, thehandle had broken off, and the
suitcase did not bust open, butthe outer casing did bust on
this suitcase.
And it had all been intactbefore I left.
So there was damage to theactual suitcase, which is a
(26:18):
different thing than delayedbags and a different thing than
lost baggage.
So I learned that in the casewith this airline, the damaged
luggage report had to be filedwithin the first seven days.
So I didn't even get my bag fornine days.
So kind of be impossible for meto know if the bag was damaged
or not.
(26:39):
And thankfully, they created anew report for me to file or a
new, they gave me a new numberso I could file my damaged bag.
I don't know yet the result ofthat because I am still dealing
with all of this.
When you are filing the claim,you can ask that question what
is my allowance and how will Ibe reimbursed?
(27:00):
And that way you can kind ofjust know what you can expect.
Now, let's say your baggage isactually lost.
Let's say the worst sad scenariohappened and my suitcase
exploded and my stuff ended upeverywhere, and no one could
keep track of it because it'sjust all over the place and they
lose your bag altogether.
The airline will give youreimbursement.
(27:21):
If you have travel insurance,travel insurance will give you a
benefit for your lost baggage.
Keep in mind you can alsopotentially from your credit
card, some premium cards willcover lost luggage.
And then if you are flying inand out of Europe, there are
passenger rights.
We're adopting as Americans someof those same laws, but um they
(27:45):
do have some passenger rightsfor lost baggage.
So sometimes you can stack theairline plus the insurance plus
the credit card.
So, you know, again, that's whykeeping track of everything is
super important.
Having it all organized is superimportant.
But also, like some airlineswill not want you to submit the
same receipts to them that yousubmit to travel insurance.
(28:08):
So you also have to read thefine print and make sure that
you're not muddying any linesbetween who will compensate
what, um, because sometimes theydon't want you to double dip.
And again, while you're waitingfor all these claims to process,
this is when your carry-onstrategy really pays off because
then you're not stranded withnothing.
(28:28):
And, you know, thankfully, I hadmy computer and my ukulele.
And, you know, I think I packedmy makeup and my toiletries were
with me.
I had my essentials on me, on myperson.
I just didn't realize that howimportant some of those things
in my check bag were.
(28:49):
So that's gonna be my littlenote to self, especially for my
next trip.
Andor just don't check a bag atall.
And just some extra tips, youknow, pack a change of clothes
in your travel buddy suitcase.
So, you know, you can alwayslike Rory and I both checked
bags and we know this rule, andwe actually didn't do it for
this trip.
(29:09):
So when you know your advice,actually follow your own advice
instead of not following yourown advice, because that would
have been helpful.
Because Rory's luggage made itjust fine.
His suitcase had no problem.
So if I had an extra outfit inhis suitcase, that would have
been really helpful.
So if you are traveling withsomeone, put an outfit in each
other's bags so that you'recovered.
(29:31):
And if you can avoid havingtight layovers because the more
time that you have betweenflights, the less chance you'll
you'll have of missing bags.
Another tip I'm sure a lot ofyou already know and have heard,
but to use distinctive luggageor a bright strap or you have a
special sticker or a bright bowor something on your luggage,
(29:52):
and that helps just set it apartfrom others.
So especially if you have likejust a black suitcase, you might
Especially think about that ofjust adding just adding
something distinctive to yourluggage.
And then knowing your rights.
The US DOT and EU 261 and theMontreal Convention, they all
(30:13):
cover different aspects ofbaggage delays and losses.
So while you're waiting for yourbag, you can check on those
things and make sure you getreimbursed the way you need to
reimburse.
And remember that some arespecific to lost luggage and not
delayed luggage.
So always try to keep in mindthat those are different things
(30:36):
and they will compensateaccordingly.
In all the cases where myluggage has been delayed, I've
been traveling for what over 20years.
I've had quite a few instanceswhere my bags have been delayed.
And I think every time, maybethere was one time it went only
to the airport, but most everytime it came to my hotel or
(30:58):
where I was.
This year they delivered it tothe camp where we were teaching.
Usually the airlines willdeliver your luggage once they
find it.
And that's so great of them, youknow, to find you, get your
address, and deliver it to you.
Especially when you're inTanzania in a little remote
village.
You eventually get your luggage.
It's pretty nice.
(31:19):
And again, that's another thingthat you can ask when you're
filing your claim for yourdelayed bags and or potentially
lost bags, is, you know, willyou be able to deliver this to
my hotel and etc.
And for me, we were in one cityfor the first six, five to seven
days of our trip and then movedto the camp where we were
(31:42):
teaching in a totally differentcity.
And so I had to go online to myrecord and change that address
so that they didn't deliver towhere I wasn't going to be.
So make sure if you are movingaround that you keep going
online and updating that if youneeded to do that.
This is a recap prep with yourphotos and inventories.
(32:05):
Keep your essentials and thethings that you love that you
just have to take on this trip.
Keep them all on your person inyour carry-on.
Know the rights that you haveand the process for delayed
flights, delayed bags, lostbags, and ask for that
compensation.
Keep all your records, keepeverything very organized, and
(32:27):
you might be entitled to morethan you think.
You know, lost luggage can bevery stressful, but being
prepared is gonna keep it fromcompletely ruining your trip.
And hey, sometimes it turns intoa mini shopping spree on the
airline's dime.
Thanks for joining us.
We will see you on the nextepisode.
And in the meantime, on socialsthis week, tell us your craziest
(32:48):
baggage delay story.
Did your suitcase end up in adifferent country?
Did it go all over the worldbefore it got back to you?
Did the airline actually pay up?
Let us know.
We'll see you on socials atNoromi.
We hope we've inspired you thisepisode.
So join us next time.
Please subscribe to, rate, andshare our podcast with your
(33:11):
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And on all social platforms, weare at The Roamies.
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And our main hub is our website.
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At www.theRomies dot com.
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I am Alexa.
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And together we are to each other.
We are a touring musical duel.
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And we hope to facilitate your busy lifestyle
and feed your inner travel bug.
Hi, and welcome back to theRomies Podcast.
I'm Alexa, and I'm taking overthis episode because I'm the one
who had a nine-day baggage delaythis summer, and thought it
(00:46):
would be helpful to pass alongsome tips and tricks and lessons
that I learned from theexperience.
So today's experience is allabout something every traveler
dreads, and that's baggagedelays and lost luggage.
So that moment when you'restanding at the carousel and
everyone else's bags are longgone, and you're thinking,
please don't let me do that one.
(01:07):
But yeah, possibly sooner orlater, it kind of happens to
almost everyone.
So the good news is there arethings you can do before you
fly, while you're traveling, andalso after your bag is delayed
or even lost.
And any or all of these thingsare gonna make the whole process
way less stressful.
And so we've learned some ofthese tricks the hard way, and
(01:30):
hopefully you can learn them theeasy way and not be in a
situation that can befrustrating and where you've
lost your luggage for nine wholedays of your trip.
If your trip was going to be anine-day trip, then yeah.
Alright, so number one beforeyou fly.
(01:52):
So here are things you can do tobe like prep smart, pack smart,
all that.
The first thing that I recommendis that you take Brooke's
course.
We've talked about Brookebefore, we've had her on the
podcast several times.
You go to her packing list.
(02:12):
Her packing list.
That's the name of her brand andher course, her packing list.
So we'll put that in the shownotes so you can reference that.
Especially for us girls who loveto pack all of our things
because all of our things areall of our things and they're
awesome, and we should have allof them.
And so Brooke helps you learn topack light.
(02:32):
She takes you through asystematic process.
And I actually, because for thistrip, we were gonna be gone for
three months, which we were gonefor three months in Europe.
And it's also business stuff.
So I checked a bag, Rory checkeda bag, and then we had our
carry-on, like a carry-onbackpack, and then I also had my
(02:53):
carry-on to Kooleley.
And so I did check a bag thistime.
Now I didn't do all of the sameprep work for this trip that I
did prior when I was takingBrooks' course.
But because I had done Brooks'course and had done the work in
the course, I had all of theselike packing lists and
(03:17):
spreadsheets and photos andthings that I had done as part
of the work and part of learninghow to pack.
All of those were already likein my computer, on my phone, et
cetera.
And so when my bag was delayed,I had a real fear that my bag
was really lost.
I was able to start itemizingwhat was in the bag.
(03:40):
I did not do this before thetrip.
But because I had done a lot ofthe work from Brooke's course, a
lot of the lists were alreadywritten for me.
And because I packed a lot ofthe same things that I did in
the course, so I was able to gothrough and kind of go through
that list and go, oh yeah, okay,I did pack that, I had that, I
(04:02):
had that, I had that, and thatso it gave me a really, really
solid starting place.
And then as I was thinkingthrough, because in order to
file the claim for a lost bagand all that, you've got to list
the items that are in your bagand what's missing because if
they become lost, you then haveto be reimbursed for like your
lost luggage, right?
(04:22):
And not just delayed luggage.
But even for delayed baggage,they were asking me for an
inventory of items so that theycould confirm that the bag they
found was actually my luggage.
So they wanted the to have theoption of being able to open up
that luggage and see that thingsthat I listed on the inventory
(04:42):
list matched, and then they knewto send that to the proper
country and then deliver it tothe proper hotel.
So Brooks course was a reallygreat kickstart for me.
And so here's my advice and tipand trick to you.
If you don't take her course,whether you take her course or
not, go ahead when you'repacking or once you're done
(05:02):
packing, take a picture ofeverything in your luggage at or
as you're packing, layer one,take a photo, put more stuff on
that layer, take a photo.
So take photos as you're packingor and or make a whole list of
everything that you're packing.
That way you've already got theinventory.
It's right there.
That's the easiest time to dothis kind of thing.
(05:26):
And then if you just store it inthe cloud, like if it's on a
Google Doc, for example, or it'sin the notes on your phone,
something like that, then youhave a cloud version backup of
what's in your luggage.
So one thing that I had done wasI took a picture of the luggage
because I have done this before.
And so I'm not in a full habitof doing this, but I've done
(05:49):
enough that I'm kind of in ahabit to do it.
And that is to take a picture ofthe actual bags themselves so
that if your bag is delayed, youcan show the picture to the
clerk at the counter and say,hey, this is my bag.
And then they can go, oh, okay,here's the brand, here's the
make.
It's a hard case, it's a softcase, etc.
(06:10):
And then, of course, having aluggage tag with your name,
email, phone number, andaddress, having all of that on
there is also a very pretty goodidea to do.
Another piece of advice that Iwould like to pass along is do
not overstuff an old suitcase.
(06:30):
If you decide that you have theneed to overstuff a suitcase,
make sure it's a new one.
Don't overstuff an old one.
And here is where my fear that Ihad lost my luggage came into
play.
And what also taught me someother lessons about how to pack.
(06:53):
My parents had this older bagthat was big, and I couldn't
need it to a big bag for threemonths with all of the different
types of weather and events thatwe were doing and all of that.
And so I had my luggage was veryfull.
Since it was kind of ahand-me-down piece of luggage, I
wasn't sure how much life thatbag had had or what it had gone
(07:15):
through, but I just assumed thatit was older.
My fear was that my bag washeavy and older.
And if it dropped on the floor,it could have shattered and my
stuff just explode everywhere.
And just a side note, I wasn'tconcerned about any of these
(07:37):
things prior.
Like when I checked my bag, Ifelt fully fine that it was
going to be just fine.
It was when my bag was delayed,and then after five days
continued to be delayed, then Istart wondering, no one knows
where my bag is.
(07:58):
That's when I started to getconcerned that, hmm, I wonder.
And I really kept envisioningall of my stuff really kind of
just being scattered on thetarmac on you know, in some
luggage depot and just being abig old mess and just scattered
(08:21):
everywhere.
And maybe I would get some stuffback, maybe not.
But I was concerned because A,it was an older suitcase, but
two, I had really maximized, Iwas I was in the weight limits,
but I really had stuffed thatbig bag.
You know, pretty much theopposite of what Brooke teaches
in her course.
(08:42):
She still has a lot of work todo on me.
But that being the case, it wasvery likely that an old
overstuffed bag could kind ofexplode.
So that became a real fear ofmine.
And as I was making inventorylists and doing all of these
things, I was like, oh thatskirt, I've had it for 10 years
(09:05):
and I love it, and it goes witheverything, and it's a classic,
and it's a time when I can'treplace it now, and blah, blah,
blah.
And for me, my clothes aresentimental.
And like I could probably tellyou a story with every piece of
clothing I have.
And so it's not necessarilysomething that I can just, oh, I
can just easily replace this onAmazon.
(09:26):
No, I got this when I went toAfrica and I was on this trip
with these people and blah blahblah blah blah, right?
So there were certain pieces.
I did have a couple new pieces,but I shopped at places that
have like one-of-a-kind items,and there was no way to replace
that.
Even if you shop at like a TJMaxx, you can't necessarily
(09:47):
replace things you get therebecause the inventory is very
different from store to store.
So what that taught me was okay,there are certain pieces that
are very, very valuable to me.
And if I lose this hat or thisskirt or this dress, I will be
(10:10):
very, very sad and not be ableto replace these exact items.
And it's gonna be difficult tofind something down the road.
So doing the exercise ofthinking through what my stuff
was and what would really,really make me sad if I if this
was this one piece of clothingwas lost forever, it helped me
(10:33):
learn which pieces were veryvaluable to me and which were
not.
And so that shows somethingabout what I packed, which were
really kind of irreplaceable andvery like precious to me.
So the practical takeaway fromthat is if you are taking those
things on the trip, which numberone, should you does that really
(10:56):
have to go with you if it's thatimportant to you?
Now, because I travel so much,those pieces are important to me
because they're great travelwardrobe pieces.
But if it's something that is sodear to you, you probably A,
should leave it at home.
Or two, it should be on yourbody.
And so thankfully, one of mydresses that I really loved was
(11:16):
actually on my body.
So I was traveling in it.
So that wasn't gonna goanywhere.
But then plan three slash C isthat you pack those precious
items, those are the ones thatgo in your carry-on bag, so that
it's with you on your person atall times.
Now, of course, you know thatthe other thing that you do is
(11:40):
with your carry-on, that's yourcomputer, your iPad, your
earbuds, your phone charger,your medications, all of those
things that should your luggagebe completely lost, you'll be
okay because things that aresuper valuable to you, or if you
have that special piece ofjewelry that you feel like,
(12:01):
well, gosh, this has to go onthis trip.
Anything that's like crazy,super important to you, and or
you feel is irreplaceable, doyou feel like that it has value,
and you feel the necessity tobring it with you, those all
need to be on your person slashand or on your carry-on.
As you're packing, think aboutor as you're laying out what you
(12:24):
want to pack, as you're kind ofassessing and going through your
process, whether that's a Brookeprocess or your own process.
You want to be thinking, whichof these pieces would I just be
so devastated if I lost them?
Then you can think about, okay,yes, this is gonna go on the
trip, but it's not gonna go inmy checked bag.
(12:46):
Now, again, if you're takingBrooks course, you are only
gonna have a carry-on with you,whether you're going for two
weeks, one week, or threemonths.
There's a way to get it done andhave everything just with you.
And so then you don't have anyof these issues, right?
But we know a lot of people docheck bags, and that's why we're
(13:10):
doing this episode to help equipyou when you do check a bag,
because it happens that you'llcheck a bag.
Okay.
I think too, just another littlereminder of things that are good
to have on your carry-on ismaybe a toothbrush or an extra
pair of underwear, or like ifyou're going on a beach trip,
throw in your swimsuit and/orwhatever you might need for that
(13:32):
first day there.
And that way you have someessentials that until your bag
can find you, you can getthrough.
So those are other things tothink about that go on your
carry-on bag if you're checkinga bag as well.
And now luggage tags areavailable.
So Apple Air tags or tiles,those can go in your bags and
(13:53):
help you kind of keep track ofwhere your bag is.
And so if you want to invest inthose kinds of tools, those are
now becoming more frequent, moreavailable.
And a lot of airlines are alsoon their apps providing the
information of where your bagis, and you can kind of keep
track of your bag even throughtheir app.
(14:13):
So you can utilize thoseresources as well.
And then one of the things thatthankfully we did on this trip
that we don't normally do is wedid get travel insurance for our
flights.
That travel insurance actuallycame in handy because the
airline did not reimburse mewhat they told me they would
reimburse me.
(14:33):
So the travel insurance thencovered, I don't know if it
covered like the fulldifference, but they it helped
out with reimbursing what I hadto buy for not having my luggage
for nine days because I wasperforming and teaching and
working.
I couldn't just be in the sameclothes.
I actually had to do my hair andI had to buy things for my hair.
(14:54):
I had to buy shoes and I had tobuy clothing to get me through
the nine days.
You know, we just kind of hadthe voice in our head maybe you
should get travel insurance thistime.
So we were really glad that wedid.
So listen to that voice whenyou're trying to decide about
travel insurance.
I would say also, like I said,we don't always get it.
So you need to think about whatwould the loss be in something?
(15:17):
What are the what is thelikelihood?
You never know when something'sgonna happen medically or
otherwise.
And so that's why it'sinsurance.
It's there like just in case.
And so if you want and need thatpeace of mind, and you're the
kind of person that would justrather have it than not, and you
have the money to spend on it,then go for it.
(15:40):
Otherwise, you can kind ofassess, okay, we're taking the
trip is this long versus thislong, like a shorter trip.
Maybe you don't need travelinsurance, but for us, a
three-month trip, that's kind ofa longer trip.
We wanted, if something happenedback home in the States and we
need to come home early, feltlike a good idea to have the
travel insurance.
(16:00):
You can assess what are youtaking with you that you could
possibly lose or break or orhave issue with, something like
that.
So it could be the type of tripyou're doing, the length of the
trip, all of that can factorinto your decision about is
travel insurance right for thistrip?
And then you can buy travelinsurance either with the flight
(16:24):
or you can buy it just directlyfrom an insurance company.
You can get like a year-longpolicy, all of that.
So there's lots of differentoptions and lots of things to
think about with travelinsurance.
But we were glad we did it forthis flight and it did pay off.
Okay, so that's a little bitabout luggage delay, and we
might come back to that.
But I just want to detour hereand talk about flight delays.
(16:47):
So if your flight is delayed orcanceled, you don't you don't
want to just wait around.
Immediately, what you want to dois try to go to that desk at the
gate right away while you'rewaiting.
Check the airline app andor thewebsite for rebooking options.
Now, the agent at the counter isgonna help rebook your flight,
but you can utilize startfinding options yourself.
(17:09):
Also, while you're in line, youcould call the airline while
you're in line waiting.
And sometimes the call centercan rebook you before you even
reach the counter.
So you can be standing in lineand also be proactive and just
kind of see which happens first.
And sometimes that might matterif, like, this you have a really
big flight that's being delayed,and you have all of these people
that are fighting for the samelimited seating for a
(17:32):
replacement.
You're kind of in a race alittle bit.
And also you could beresearching while you're waiting
in line, you can be researchresearching alternative flights
for yourself so that you knowwhat options might be out there.
Oh, well, gosh, there's anairport 30 minutes away from
here.
And maybe it makes sense for meto hop in my car, like if your
(17:54):
car's there, and I'll just, youknow, or I'll drive three hours
to wherever I'm going and thencatch a flight in that city,
whatever.
So you can kind of get creativeand just kind of be thinking as
you're waiting in line, what aresome options you could do?
And most airlines are requiredby law to compensate you in a
lot of the situations or to takecare of you, rebook you, and all
(18:15):
of that.
So don't be rude, but also standup for yourself, right?
Stand up for yourself in a nice,kind way.
And I will tell you thatkindness and patience are the
your biggest assets in thissituation of a delayed flight
because everybody is frustrated,everybody is miserable.
Most people do not enjoy havingtheir plans be changed and
(18:37):
having to miss certain thingsthat they paid for and expected.
And most everybody's gonna bemad and grumpy, right?
And so don't be that person.
There's plenty of grumpiness,everybody understands, you're
all in the same boat.
Now, if you're actually stuck onthe tarmac, you can remember
that airlines aren't gonna keepyou there forever.
(18:59):
And kind of a rule of thumb isthat about at three hours,
usually they must cancel or letyou off the airline.
So you're probably not gonna bejust stuck on a tarmac for more
than three hours.
So if you want to kind of budgetyour energy or your time or your
phone battery accordingly, youcan kind of keep that in mind.
Okay, I shared some things aboutwhat you can do before you even
(19:23):
leave on your trip to help withdelayed baggage.
So let's say your baggageactually does get delayed.
What you're gonna do is, youknow, you're standing a badge
baggage claim and your baggageis not coming, there's no more
luggage coming.
You can go straight to theairline's baggage desk before
you even leave the airport.
That is so super important.
Make sure you file a claim rightaway and get a copy of that
(19:46):
reference number.
Take a picture of it, have thatpicture in your phone, start
keeping a record in all in oneplace, keep it organized so you
can refer to that.
I can't tell you how many timesI had to keep going back to my,
I kept everything in my notes.
I have an iPhone, and so notesis our notebook section.
And so I would take pictures inthere, I would scan, scan the
(20:08):
forms they gave me.
I would start working on myinventory list, all of those
things I did in one kind ofpage.
I every reference number I couldthink of.
You have to keep your boardingpass, keep your baggage claim
number, your bag tag, all ofthat, pictures of your bags,
right?
Anything you have, pictures ofwhat's inside.
(20:31):
You can just move all of thatinto that notes page, and it's
all right there in one place.
And just keeping thingsorganized is so helpful because
I found I had to constantly goback to them and reference
things, not only to get my bagin the first place, but also to
then apply for the compensationand all of that.
(20:53):
So immediately go to thatcounter, file claim, get a copy
of your reference number, andyou can show them your packing
inventory with a photo of yourbag, all of that.
And then make sure that you askwhat their daily budget and
allowance is because most ofthem are gonna reimburse you for
your toiletries and yourclothing.
(21:14):
They're gonna call itnecessities.
My baggage has been delayed inprevious years.
I ended up with some great longtime pieces that have been
really great assets to my travelwardrobe.
So you might just get lucky whenyou're shopping and find some
things that are gonna be reallyhelpful long term and something
that you can use.
And I do want to encourage youthat, you know, don't just like
(21:36):
if you can buy something thatyou're actually going to wear
and enjoy and keep because youdon't want to just have more
junk that you're just gonnacarry around.
So try to shop at a place thatwill fit the budget allowance
that they offer, but alsosomething that you will enjoy
having in your closet or that isgoing to be a very versatile
(21:56):
piece that will suit a lot ofexperiences or things that you
need to do on your trip.
Find a versatile piece ofclothing that you can get a lot
of mileage out of as you'rewaiting for your bags.
So, in the case of my bag thisyear, not having a bag for nine
days, I had to go shoppingalmost every day because each
(22:18):
day I would learn you're notgonna have your bag tomorrow.
And so then I would need to goget something else because of
what we were doing and all ofthe different types of things we
were doing.
I couldn't just reusenecessarily all of the things
that I had.
So, and at some point, like Imentioned earlier, I had to buy
shoes and I had to buy differentthings for my hair or whatever.
(22:41):
And I'm not gonna give up theactivities on the itinerary and
the work that I'm doing justbecause I don't have the right
clothing for it.
So they have to be understandingthat of what you're doing.
And I think it's important tocontinue to keep customer
service aware of what you'remissing and why and why you need
to purchase the things you needto purchase because that's gonna
(23:02):
help your case when you aretrying to get reimbursed for
your items.
But really, at the end of theday, they're gonna have a daily
budget.
So ask them what that is, andthen hope that they stick to it
and really only buy what feelslike an essential.
There's a few things you couldwait on.
(23:23):
Maybe you can hand washsomething instead of having to
buy something different or new.
I think another tip is to beproactive with keeping track of
your bag and trying to find yourbag.
You know, a lot of this stuff isonline and automated, and so you
can hop in and see what thestatus is with things.
And my bag continued to beunfounded and that's why I
(23:44):
continued to develop this fearof like, oh no, my bag is
sprawled and my stuff is goneforever.
So knowing that they didn't knowwhere my bag was was very
disconcerting and very kind ofdepressing to me because more
things would come to mind.
Oh, yeah, I packed that, Ipacked that.
And so the more things that Irealized I was losing forever,
(24:07):
the like, you know, I just got,oh, I'm gonna be so sad if I
don't have that.
Girls and our stuff, I tell you.
Anyway, we were on threedifferent airlines across the
course of our trip.
They're all partner airlines,but we we had our first flight,
we had a layover in Heathrow,and then we ended up in Finland.
(24:28):
And so I had to check with eachairline, and I finally found
that the last place they hadseen it was in London.
And so I was like, okay, atleast I can tell Finnair that my
bag has last been seen atHeathrow.
(24:48):
So can you please check there?
And so basically, once I kind oftracked down where it was like,
you know, I made calls and spoketo people and I was checking
online, but I was also calling.
And when I found out where mybag actually was last seen, it
then sped up the process andthey were able to say, okay, now
(25:12):
we have located your bag andit's starting to make its way.
And it still took several daysfor my bag to get back to me
after they had located it.
Just know you might have tocontact multiple airlines
depending on what your flightroute was.
Big reminder this goes back tothat organization thing, but
make sure you keep all of yourreceipts, keep the physical
(25:34):
receipts, also take scans andpictures of them, keep all of
that in your phone, keep all ofthe receipts, keep your boring
pass, keep the claims form, allof that.
Now, another tip is that claimsmust be filed within about the
first seven days.
And so, in the case with this, Ilearned after the fact, like
(25:55):
three months later, that my bagdamaged.
So my bag did get damaged, thehandle had broken off, and the
suitcase did not bust open, butthe outer casing did bust on
this suitcase.
And it had all been intactbefore I left.
So there was damage to theactual suitcase, which is a
(26:18):
different thing than delayedbags and a different thing than
lost baggage.
So I learned that in the casewith this airline, the damaged
luggage report had to be filedwithin the first seven days.
So I didn't even get my bag fornine days.
So kind of be impossible for meto know if the bag was damaged
or not.
(26:39):
And thankfully, they created anew report for me to file or a
new, they gave me a new numberso I could file my damaged bag.
I don't know yet the result ofthat because I am still dealing
with all of this.
When you are filing the claim,you can ask that question what
is my allowance and how will Ibe reimbursed?
(27:00):
And that way you can kind ofjust know what you can expect.
Now, let's say your baggage isactually lost.
Let's say the worst sad scenariohappened and my suitcase
exploded and my stuff ended upeverywhere, and no one could
keep track of it because it'sjust all over the place and they
lose your bag altogether.
The airline will give youreimbursement.
(27:21):
If you have travel insurance,travel insurance will give you a
benefit for your lost baggage.
Keep in mind you can alsopotentially from your credit
card, some premium cards willcover lost luggage.
And then if you are flying inand out of Europe, there are
passenger rights.
We're adopting as Americans someof those same laws, but um they
(27:45):
do have some passenger rightsfor lost baggage.
So sometimes you can stack theairline plus the insurance plus
the credit card.
So, you know, again, that's whykeeping track of everything is
super important.
Having it all organized is superimportant.
But also, like some airlineswill not want you to submit the
same receipts to them that yousubmit to travel insurance.
(28:08):
So you also have to read thefine print and make sure that
you're not muddying any linesbetween who will compensate
what, um, because sometimes theydon't want you to double dip.
And again, while you're waitingfor all these claims to process,
this is when your carry-onstrategy really pays off because
then you're not stranded withnothing.
(28:28):
And, you know, thankfully, I hadmy computer and my ukulele.
And, you know, I think I packedmy makeup and my toiletries were
with me.
I had my essentials on me, on myperson.
I just didn't realize that howimportant some of those things
in my check bag were.
(28:49):
So that's gonna be my littlenote to self, especially for my
next trip.
Andor just don't check a bag atall.
And just some extra tips, youknow, pack a change of clothes
in your travel buddy suitcase.
So, you know, you can alwayslike Rory and I both checked
bags and we know this rule, andwe actually didn't do it for
this trip.
(29:09):
So when you know your advice,actually follow your own advice
instead of not following yourown advice, because that would
have been helpful.
Because Rory's luggage made itjust fine.
His suitcase had no problem.
So if I had an extra outfit inhis suitcase, that would have
been really helpful.
So if you are traveling withsomeone, put an outfit in each
other's bags so that you'recovered.
(29:31):
And if you can avoid havingtight layovers because the more
time that you have betweenflights, the less chance you'll
you'll have of missing bags.
Another tip I'm sure a lot ofyou already know and have heard,
but to use distinctive luggageor a bright strap or you have a
special sticker or a bright bowor something on your luggage,
(29:52):
and that helps just set it apartfrom others.
So especially if you have likejust a black suitcase, you might
Especially think about that ofjust adding just adding
something distinctive to yourluggage.
And then knowing your rights.
The US DOT and EU 261 and theMontreal Convention, they all
(30:13):
cover different aspects ofbaggage delays and losses.
So while you're waiting for yourbag, you can check on those
things and make sure you getreimbursed the way you need to
reimburse.
And remember that some arespecific to lost luggage and not
delayed luggage.
So always try to keep in mindthat those are different things
(30:36):
and they will compensateaccordingly.
In all the cases where myluggage has been delayed, I've
been traveling for what over 20years.
I've had quite a few instanceswhere my bags have been delayed.
And I think every time, maybethere was one time it went only
to the airport, but most everytime it came to my hotel or
(30:58):
where I was.
This year they delivered it tothe camp where we were teaching.
Usually the airlines willdeliver your luggage once they
find it.
And that's so great of them, youknow, to find you, get your
address, and deliver it to you.
Especially when you're inTanzania in a little remote
village.
You eventually get your luggage.
It's pretty nice.
(31:19):
And again, that's another thingthat you can ask when you're
filing your claim for yourdelayed bags and or potentially
lost bags, is, you know, willyou be able to deliver this to
my hotel and etc.
And for me, we were in one cityfor the first six, five to seven
days of our trip and then movedto the camp where we were
(31:42):
teaching in a totally differentcity.
And so I had to go online to myrecord and change that address
so that they didn't deliver towhere I wasn't going to be.
So make sure if you are movingaround that you keep going
online and updating that if youneeded to do that.
This is a recap prep with yourphotos and inventories.
(32:05):
Keep your essentials and thethings that you love that you
just have to take on this trip.
Keep them all on your person inyour carry-on.
Know the rights that you haveand the process for delayed
flights, delayed bags, lostbags, and ask for that
compensation.
Keep all your records, keepeverything very organized, and
(32:27):
you might be entitled to morethan you think.
You know, lost luggage can bevery stressful, but being
prepared is gonna keep it fromcompletely ruining your trip.
And hey, sometimes it turns intoa mini shopping spree on the
airline's dime.
Thanks for joining us.
We will see you on the nextepisode.
And in the meantime, on socialsthis week, tell us your craziest
(32:48):
baggage delay story.
Did your suitcase end up in adifferent country?
Did it go all over the worldbefore it got back to you?
Did the airline actually pay up?
Let us know.
We'll see you on socials atNoromi.
We hope we've inspired you thisepisode.
So join us next time.
Please subscribe to, rate, andshare our podcast with your
(33:11):
friends.
SPEAKER_01 (33:11):
Or, you know, whomever.
SPEAKER_00 (33:13):
And please like and follow us on Instagram, YouTube,
and Facebook.
SPEAKER_01 (33:16):
We are also on X.
And on all social platforms, weare at The Roamies.
That's T H E.
SPEAKER_00 (33:22):
R O A M.
SPEAKER_01 (33:23):
I E S.
And our main hub is our website.
SPEAKER_00 (33:27):
At www.theRomies dot com.
SPEAKER_01 (33:30):
That's right, that's T H E.
SPEAKER_00 (33:32):
R O A M.
I E S dot com.
We'll be there until next time.
Yeah, thanks for listening.
Bye.
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