A new survey reveals that 30.4% of Canadian flyers have had luggage misplaced by airlines – the most among travellers from Australia, Canada and the U.S. Moreover, the majority of flyers with lost luggage did not get reimbursed by their airline and the bags were likely to take days to be returned, if at all.
The study of more than 3,000 people across the three countries conducted by market comparison service Compare the Market Australia, found that 30.4% of Canadian travellers have lost luggage while travelling with an airline. In contrast, 20.4% of Australian travellers and 25.9% of American flyers had the same claims.
Of the Canadian travellers who have had luggage misplaced, the majority reported waiting for days before receiving their lost luggage, with 6.5% reporting they never received their belongings.
Canadian travellers were among the least likely to receive their lost luggage on the same day, with only 19.7% of Canadian travellers with lost luggage reporting same-day luggage pickup.
Canadian travellers also reported the highest rate of luggage retrieval taking more than a week, with 14.9% reporting waiting for weeks and 2.3% reporting a wait time of months.
Almost three-quarters of Canadian flyers (70.9%) who have had their luggage misplaced never received any compensation or reimbursement from their airline, and those who did received a median compensation of CA$300.
While Canadian travellers reported the highest reimbursement rate of the study, the reimbursement received was also typically less than their Australian and American counterparts.
The majority of Canadian flyers with lost bags did not get reimbursed by their travel insurers, says the survey. Meanwhile, 26.5% reported not making a claim to their travel insurance for their lost luggage, and 20.4% reported not having any travel insurance coverage whatsoever.
Compare the Market’s Executive General Manager of General Insurance, Adrian Taylor, notes how travel insurance can cover your lost luggage.
“Losing your luggage on your holiday can be a nightmare. If your airline loses your luggage, they might reimburse you for the loss, but even then, it could be days or weeks without your gear,” Taylor said. “At the same time, there is a chance that the reimbursement you receive does not adequately cover you for your loss or damages.”
Taylor says travel insurance can help travellers bridge that gap.
“Ensuring your travel insurance policy covers you against loss or theft, including cash and travel documents, could potentially leave you with more adequate reimbursement should things go awry. Luggage cover while travelling affords you a great deal of peace of mind and allows you to focus on your trip.”
He adds that travellers should always read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and Target Market Determination (TMD) to check for the inclusions, limits and restrictions before purchasing.
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