schnookies

I finally made my mind up about going to Rome before going to Scandinavia. So I feel like I'll be flying a lot and I really don't like to fly. Another worry is that I'll end up losing my luggage. I know it sounds very petty. But I'm just confused about when to pick up my luggage between changing flights and not. They sometimes tell you that your luggage will go the whole way and it doesn't!!
Please calm me down with some good advice!!

schnauzer

Schnookies, there is not a lot you can do to prevent the luggage losing scenario happening. Make sure your lugguage is easily recognisable, well secured, and identified easily. ie name and address and phone number easily seen. If you are going to Rome first - from where? and it is your first stop then of course your luggage will be ticketed through to Rome and you will pick it up there. Are you making any other stops along the way - either before then or on the way to Scandinavia? If it is straightly forward it shouldn't be a problem. Check with the check in staff as to where you need to pick up your bags. Make sure you sight the tag on your bag and see what is says. Even the three letter codes are usually easy to identify. Rome is FCO from memory.

I have travelled around the world both for work and pleasure over the last 30 years and touch wood, I have never lost a bag. Damaged yes, but never lost. I worry every time, but there isn't a lot you can do. always take a change of underwear, clean T shirt, and toiletries bag with you on the plane. At least you will have these if your bag goes astray. You will be fine, enjoy.
Schnauzer

bill_boy

Good advice from Schnauzer, schnookes.

isabel

Do you mean you are spending time in Rome, or just changing planes? But really, in either case the answer is to do carry-on only. What airline are you flying? They all allow a 20-21" suitcase in the cabin with you. The weight limit is different depending on the carrier - BA, Virgin, etc the most strict with only 12-13kg (less than 6 pounds), but the US carries are more generous, up to 40 pounds. But they all also allow a "personal" item which can be a fairly large totebag/briefcase/daypack - and they don't weigh that. So it is quite easy to travel for up to a month (some people say longer) with just carry-on. Flying from Rome to Scandinavia the plane will be smaller and the carry-on rules stricter, but then you are only flying non-stop and I sense they don't loose as much luggage.

ira

Hi S,

Put those absolute essentials that you must have with you in your carryon bag, so that if your luggage goes astray, you will be OK for a day or two.

Have a nice visit, and stop worrying.

jody

Isabel, you have your pounds and kilos mixed up! They allow 6 kilos which is about 13 pounds

rosexmke

I put our whole trip contact list with dates, flight, addresses, websites and phone numbers in my suitcase last time I traveled. And always carry a change of clothers. My daughter and a friend both had their luggage lost for 2 days when six of us traveled to spain in march. it was a miserable nightmare to be jet lagged and unrested and touring and having the same clothes you had on in the states. Some things you just can't control so be prepared and enjoy the rest.

laverendrye

12 to 13kg is roughly 26 to 29 pounds. However, I suspect the limit is 6 kg (12-13 lbs).

Carrybean

"I put our whole trip contact list with dates, flight, addresses, websites and phone numbers in my suitcase last time I traveled."

I do this on every trip but so far haven't lost my luggage other than about 30 years ago on my way to Martinique & it turned up after 2 days.
I'm not one who would be traveling for any length of time with just a carry-on but more power to those who do.

isabel

jody - right you are. See what happens when you try to do anything before the coffee kicks in! The rest of what I said was right though.

LaBellaDona

I always put my destination in Europe on my luggage tag (with a post-it so that I can remove it on the way home and my home address will be there) - and I always put my destination on the inside of my luggage just in case the external tag gets lost.
Dona

roadlesstraveled

Hi schnookies, I am sure that luggage can be lost on any flight, but I was in a similar situation and I can share my experience. I recently traveled from my home near LAX to Rome. Because I was using my AA FF miles, I did have the most convenient schedule. I flew from LA to NY, NY and to Zurich on American and from Zurich to Rome on Swiss Air. On the way back home, it was British Airways to London and American from London to LA.

I packed light so I considered not checking my luggage. In the end, I checked by 21” rollaboard and carried on a small bag with a change of clothes and toiletries. Although I was worried that my checked suitcase would not make it to Rome given that I was dealing with 2 airlines and 3 airports, I was so glad I did. In London I practically had to run to make my connection and it would have been burdensome to have my suitcase with me. I also would have hated dragging my suitcase on all those flights and trying to find space it the overhead compartment. My luggage arrived where it was suppose to and on time. I would check my luggage again given these circumstances. Have a great trip!

clevelandbrown

I make an itinerary with dates, locations, and phone numbers of everywhere we will be. I email it to our kids, and put a copy in each of our bags, and leave one by the phone for our cat sitter.

I like to minimize the amount we carry on, as it seems lately that there is a lot of potential violence as everyone who won't check anything tries to jam all their stuff in the overhead. We carry on only totes with absolute necessities, and slide them under the seat in front of us; they double as a footrest.

Despite a lot of flights with checked bags, we have only lost one. In Fairbanks Alaska, 45 below zero, they managed to misplace the bag with our winter outerwear! When luggage is lost, you go to the airline claims desk and complete a form, including where you will be. Within 24 hours, they had found our lost bag and delivered it to our hotel, so the inconvenience was mild.

When you check your luggage, make sure they have the proper destination on the tag (they do it right in front of you). When you get to your destination, rush to the baggage area (security against theft is almost universally nonexistent) and grab your luggage when it arrives. It helps to have some unique marker on your bags (a colored strap or colored cloth on the handle) as so many bags look alike.

Usually you have to pick up and recheck your luggage if you go through customs and immigration at an intermediate stop, but when we have had to do this, the flight crew has always given a good explanation of just what we should do, and there are functionaries in the area to give you information if you need it.

Celia

An easy thing to do to lower the chances of lost luggage is just this -- know the three-letter airport code of the place where your luggage is supposed to go, and then watch the agent put the tag on. If it isn't right, say something.

jody

I was just reading a post earlier today..I think it was the Air France post.. and someone mentioned that she used Neon Yellow Retriver luggage Tags from Magellan. You type your itinarary, place it inside the tag..the outside has instructions in several languages telling the lost luggage people how to contact you.They really look good and I'm about to order them..

http://www.magellans.com/store/Lugga...ersLA311?Args=

Merseyheart

I second Jody's suggestion. I've used retriever tags on my luggage for the last couple of trips. Not that I've had to use them! Whew! But it's nice to know they're on my bags. As previous posters suggest, carry some toiletries, a change of clothes, and any necessary stuff like prescription glasses and medications on board with you (in your carry-on tote bag). Take along a list of hotel names, addresses and phonnumbers, in case something gets lost. They will know exactly where to route your bags. When I travel domestically (usually one leg), I mark the bag with the city and the hotel (on one of the paper tags the airline gives you).

DeborahAnn

Those luggage tags from Magellan do look like a great idea. We had our luggage lost only once internationally and that was the only time we had bought trip insurance

It did take three days and many phone calls to get our luggage from USAir but that was because we left Paris immediately. With the trip insurance we were reimbursed for the clothes we had to purchase until our luggage arrived.

schnookies, if you call the airline they should be able to tell you, as mine did today, at which airports you will need to pick up your luggage. take a few deep breaths to calm yourself down and relax so you can enjoy planning your trip. Deborah

Treesa

Schnookies: Your worry is understandable. We just returned from Italy. We also spent a week in Madeira and TAP Portugal managed to misplace my luggage from Funchal to Rome. I spent my last three days in Rome wearing the same pair of black jeans. I bought some underwear, tops and a pair of shoes (TAP handed me 80 euros cash as an advance; I appeared in their office in Rome in person as I was getting nowwhere on the phone). Their tracer showed my luggage arrived in Rome that morning but it never made it to our hotel in Rome. In a way it was rather liberating not to have to carry that bag full of dirty laundry (Funchal does not have a self service laundromat). It's been 12 days now and my luggage has not been reunited with its rightful owner. According to their tracker, the airline found the luggage but nobody knows where it is. I think my bag is still in Fiumicino. My hotel concierge in Rome told me this happens very, very frequently.

rex

Once you have confirmed your carry-on allowance (or we could help with that if you post the name of your airline, and perhaps the exact cities you're flying to/from...)...

...then use that info to maximum advantage by planning your carry-on bag carefully. Even with a 6 kg (13.2 pounds) limit (BA, for example), you can pack a lot of stuff into that weight limit by using a (small-medium) lightweight nylon duffel (about 8 ounces empty), and while you're at it... over-dress until you get past the carry-on "weigh-in" (then shed the extra clothes and put them in your carry-on also) - - or you could even just shed the added clothes o the plane. 12 pounds of stuff - - plus the "extra outfit" you've put on, on top of your traveling outfit - - could be many days worth of clean underwear, socks, tops, an extra pair of pants, toiletries and various personal items.

I advocate always planning a carry-on with EVERYthing you could conceivably want for the first 48 hours (or more). Luggage loss need not be a serious trip disrupter, if you plan for it.

Best wishes,

Rex

annhig

we always use old fashioned tie on luggage tags. as well as flight details, on the way out, i put our name plus 1st destination address, and on the way back, our home address.

we also use very visible case straps.

so far [touching wood] so good.

every time I travel, i am surprised by the no of cases that have no identifying characteristics or owners' details.