#Southwest airlines checked bag how to

Most airlines will declare a bag lost between five and fourteen days after the flight, but this can vary from one airline to another. When does an airline consider a bag lost?Īirlines may have different policies to determine when a bag is officially lost. For example, an airline cannot have a policy that they will reimburse a passenger up to only $50 for each day that a passenger’s bag is delayed. What are airlines’ responsibilities when your bag is delayed?Īirlines are required to compensate passengers for reasonable, verifiable, and actual incidental expenses that they may incur while their bags are delayed - subject to the maximum liability limits.Īirlines are not allowed to set an arbitrary daily amount for interim expenses. Passengers should stay in close communication with the airline after filing a claim and during the baggage location process. Passengers should file a baggage claim with their airline as soon as possible. It may be helpful to use this technology to locate your baggage, if available. Some airlines now offer applications for cell phones, tablets, and other electronic devices, which provide passengers with data on the location of their baggage. Airlines have tracking systems in place to try to identify the bag’s location. When a checked bag does not arrive at its destination, airlines are responsible for locating the bag. What should a passenger do if his or her bag is missing after taking a flight

What about damage to the wheels, handles, or straps of baggage?Īlthough airlines are not required to cover fair wear and tear, airlines cannot exclude liability for damage to wheels, handles, straps, and other components of checked baggage. Passengers may wish to consider purchasing additional insurance for valuable items. This applies even if passengers did not disclose, when they checked-in, that these items were packed in the bag. These exclusions are typically listed in the airlines’ contracts of carriage.įor DOMESTIC travel, airlines are not required to compensate passengers for items they have excluded in their contracts of carriage.įor INTERNATIONAL travel (including the domestic segment of an international itinerary), airlines are responsible for these items if they have accepted them for transportation. When the damage to the bag cannot be repaired, airlines will negotiate a compensation amount based on the value of the bag and its depreciation.Ĭan the airlines exclude liability for certain items?Īirlines often exclude liability for certain categories of items (for example: fragile items, electronics, cash, perishable items, other valuables, etc.). What are airlines’ responsibilities when they damage your baggage?Īirlines are responsible for repairing or reimbursing a passenger for damaged baggage and/or its contents when the damage occurs while the bag is under the airline’s control during transportation (subject to maximum limits on liabilities).Īirlines are not responsible for pre-existing damage to the bag or if the damage was caused by improper packing.

#Southwest airlines checked bag how to

You can find tips on how to pack, check-in, and claim your luggage to minimize the chance of damage, delay, or loss in DOT’s Fly Rights publication here. Under DOT regulations (for domestic travel) and international treaties (for international travel), airlines are required to compensate passengers if their bags are damaged, delayed, or lost. While the vast majority of airline passengers’ checked bags arrive at their destination on time and in the condition received, a passengers’ bag may occasionally become damaged, delayed, or lost in transit.