‘EasyJet lost my suitcase: am I entitled to compensation?’

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Dear Which?,

My suitcase went missing last October after an easyJet flight from Inverness to Luton. 

I was advised by the airline to log the missing case online on its dedicated baggage portal.

The portal states that if a bag isn’t found within five days, easyJet will contact the customer for further information. I added the details requested, but received no update as to the whereabouts of my suitcase.

I was eventually informed that it had been left in Inverness and would be sent on to Tel Aviv – where I was flying to from London – but it never arrived and I received no further information on where it was. I left Tel Aviv airport with no suitcase, having borrowed clothes and other essentials from people I was travelling with.

According to the easyJet website, I’m entitled to £25 per day for up to three days to cover essential items in the event of lost luggage. But I haven’t received this money and am struggling to get in touch with the airline to find out when it’ll be paid.

I’m appalled at the lack of assistance or support following the incident – phone calls, emails and texts remain unanswered. Attempting to contact easyJet on matters like this is to experience a deeply frustrating maze of dead ends and buck passing.

Can you help find out where my luggage and compensation are, please?

Douglas, the Scottish Highlands

Put to Rights

Hannah Downes, consumer rights expert at Which?, says:

Finding out that your baggage hasn’t travelled with you when going abroad is every holidaymaker’s worst nightmare.

If an airline loses your belongings, you can pursue compensation, which may help to soften the blow of having to rebuy essential items.

To claim, you have to write to the airline within seven days of the items going missing. You can use our template letter to make your claim.

Missing items are officially considered ‘lost’ after 21 days. If you receive compensation from the airline, it may not cover the full cost of replacing the lost items, so you might be better off claiming on your travel insurance policy.

When we contacted easyJet on Douglas’s behalf, it apologised for the delay in reuniting him with his suitcase. It said incidents of lost luggage are extremely rare, and claimed that it has one of the best performances on luggage tracking in the industry.

EasyJet has since offered Douglas compensation, but it is still unable to locate his lost belongings.

Need to know

• If your luggage has been damaged or lost, you can claim compensation from either the airline or your travel insurance provider.
• To claim compensation, you must write to the airline within seven days of the luggage being declared lost. 
• You may be better off claiming on your travel insurance policy. Check the terms and conditions of your policy to see what you’re entitled to.

Get in touch. If you’ve got a consumer rights problem you need put right email us at yourstory@which.co.uk

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