Mishandled baggage rates are very low (less than 0.5% of bags are mishandled). However, sometimes baggage may be delayed. There are many reasons for delay, including a tight connection at an airport or a late check-in. However, most bags are reunited with their owner within three days.

Since almost 92% of bags are reunited with their owners, your airline may refer to them as delayed rather than lost. There’s a good chance you’ll get your bag back.

If you have a missing bag, all related inquiries must be placed directly with the airline that you traveled on.

Unfortunately, no. SITA provides IT baggage services to many of the world’s airlines, and each airline follows their own process to trace and locate delayed baggage.

If your bag is missing, your airline will likely ask you to complete a delayed baggage report. If you’ve traveled on a multi-leg flight, you should always make the report with the final airline you traveled with.

If you have already left the airport, your airline may be able to do this over the phone or may ask you to return to the airport. Your baggage tag number is a key identifier, so it’s important to share it with your airline if you have it. Your airline will then search for the delayed baggage. Most bags are reunited with their owner within three days.

Your airline will provide you with a file reference number or property irregularity number, typically in a format like ‘JFKXS12345.’ The airline will then keep you updated on the progress of your bag via phone calls, SMS or email. In some cases, you may also be able to track your delayed baggage online; if available, your airline can share details of the baggage tracker website.

In most cases, the airline may be able to locate the baggage quickly using your baggage tag number and arrange for it to be sent to your arrival airport. If your airline is unable to locate it quickly, they will search for your baggage globally, and once located, will arrange for it to be reflighted to the arrival airport.

You may hear your airline refer to your delayed baggage as being ‘reflighted’ or ‘forwarded’. This means they have located the bag and have booked a new flight to transport it to its intended destination. If you are no longer near your arrival airport, your airline may send it to an airport that’s closer to you.

Once your airline has located your bag and it has arrived at your destination airport, they may contact you to arrange:

• Delivering your baggage by courier to your address at a time that suits you.
• Collecting your bag yourself from the airport.

The delivery process may take up to 24 hours depending on timing and capacity at the arrival airport. Please note that it may not always be possible to have your bag delivered due to customs regulations.

If you’re traveling to various locations, you can provide a temporary address and how long you are staying there when you register your delayed baggage with your airline.

If your temporary address changes at any point, you should contact your airline to update it.

Approximately 92% of bags are found and returned to their owners, so there’s a high chance it will be returned. If it is not located in a timely fashion (this can be 5-10 days), your airline will contact you to go over the next steps.

If your baggage is damaged, you should report it to your airline at your arrival airport. If you were traveling on a multi-leg flight, you should make a report with the last airline you travelled with. Your airline may advise you to return to the arrival airport to make the claim.