What to do when you and your old bag separate

Second of two parts

Last week we discussed ways to keep your luggage from becoming lost in space.

But even the best-laid plans can't guarantee the suitcase you've been attached to for so many years won't go astray. It might opt to hang out in some dark corner of an airport with a bunch of other old bags, never to be seen again.

In the good old days, before the government deregulated the airlines, lost luggage could mean a windfall.

On a flight to Barbados during the 1980s, five of us arrived without baggage. Although the airline was quite sure our luggage would arrive on the next aircraft, we were told to buy whatever we needed to make ourselves comfortable.

We bought swimwear, daywear and evening wear. The sky was the limit.

The next day our luggage arrived by courier and our purchases were ours to keep as compensation for the trouble we had experienced.

Those days are gone. Because all the airlines are worried about going belly-up, they're more concerned about making sure their bottom lines are covered before worrying about ours.

Last year, when Jean Cowden's bag didn't make it to Paris until it was time to go home, the airline only gave her a T-shirt, a toothbrush and a hard time. Jean spent more time on the phone trying to find her bag than she did sipping café au lait on the Champs Elysees.

However, when you lose your luggage, all is not necessarily lost. Most airlines will still reimburse you for the purchase of necessities if the bag is missing for 24 to 48 hours. But you need to ask.

If the airline decides the bag is hopelessly lost, which usually takes several weeks, it will cost them -- but not necessarily as much as you would like. The airline depreciates the value of used items in your lost bag and often refuses replacement of valuables such as jewelry and electronic equipment.

In addition, the U.S. Department of Transportation put a ceiling on what a traveler can claim. On a bag lost within the United States, $3,000 is the limit. But that doesn't mean the airline will pay top dollar. Overseas compensation varies and is often less than what you would get on a domestic flight.

In order to keep from losing when you lose, here's what you need to do:

• Go to the baggage-service counter. When you arrive at your destination and find you're not going to be left holding the bag, go directly to the service counter. Identify what is missing and ask the agent to trace the bag. If he sounds optimistic and tells you it will probably arrive on the next aircraft, don't believe him. Unless he actually traces your bag, that's pie in the sky.

When Pam Ramsey landed empty-handed in Miami, the agent said her bag would arrive in one hour on the next flight. Pam opted to wait. The bag didn't arrive on that flight (or the next one, either). In fact, it never arrived. Pam lost a whole day of her vacation as well as her luggage.

• Get it in writing. Insist on written details of the airline's obligations. Be firm.

When Vince Magyar flew to London, his bag didn't. The agent told Vince that his luggage would be sent to his hotel the next day. Vince insisted on a written contract that stated the airline approved his purchase of necessary clothing and accessories if the bag didn't arrive in a timely manner. He also had the name and phone number of the agent who filed the report. Three days later when the bag arrived, Vince presented his written contract and had no problem getting reimbursed for his purchases.

• Check your homeowners policy. Before you travel, check your personal insurance policy.

When Stanton Wesley's checked bag disappeared on a flight to Los Angeles, he lost nearly $3,000 in contents. The airline refused to pay more than $1,500. Stanton's personal insurance picked up the rest.

Remember, if you aren't left holding your bag, be sure you carry on -- not by ranting and raving at the baggage counter, but by packing a tote with what you can't live without. It must fit under the seat in front of you. Don't leave home without it.

Gail Todd, a free-lancewriter,worked as a flightattendant for more than 30years. She can be reached viae-mail at gailtodd@aol.com.