While I knew full well that this was the summer of airline chaos, it didn’t stop me from planning a family vacation after two years of missed opportunities.
While I was well aware that this was the summer of airline chaos, it didn’t stop me from planning a family vacation after two years of missed opportunities.
After giving up traveling for two years amid the pandemic, these days I’d rather push through the hurdles when it comes to travel than give in to the challenges. Read also : International airlines launch battle plans to deal with a summer of travel chaos.
I am also a travel writer and frequent flyer who closely follows aviation news. So when I decided to travel with my husband and 7-year-old twins to the little-known Caribbean island of Canouan, I was as prepared as possible for the likelihood of a long and complicated journey right now.
While the remote island wasn’t exceptionally far from our home in Los Angeles, it was far enough away to require three planes each way.
But the return trip was particularly arduous (four airports, three flights, and more than 18 hours of total transit time) and taught me some lessons that I’ll remember vividly the next time I fly.
These are my most important conclusions that I will carefully consider before planning my next trip.
I learned that even if my flight is on time, my luggage could cause me to miss my connection.
I learned that even if my flight is on time, my luggage could make me miss my connection.
Because our Caribbean island destination was off the beaten track, our return trip went like this: a small propeller plane from St. On the same subject : Flying with a Gun: How to Travel Safely and Legally with a Firearm. Vincent and the Grenadines to an American Airlines connection in Barbados, via Miami, and then back home in Los Angeles.
When we arrived in Miami, about eight hours into our trip, we were already sweaty and exhausted, but had to collect our checked luggage from customs, only to immediately re-check it for our last flight to Los Angeles.
This is standard procedure when traveling on a multi-leg international flight and not only was it a logistical inconvenience, but it also almost caused us to miss our connection home.
That’s because even though the flight from Barbados to Miami left roughly on time, it took over an hour for our luggage to get to the carousel.
While I had considered the possibility that a delayed flight might cause a missed connection, it hadn’t even occurred to me that luggage alone might do it.
Our layover in Miami lasted about 2.5 hours and ended up being long enough to get over this hurdle. But I definitely wouldn’t allow anything shorter than that when traveling back to the US with a layover from an international destination.
In the future, I will remember that a longer layover buffer is useful when checking in and rechecking baggage.
I did not plan for the possibility of airport concessions being closed, especially when flights are delayed.
I didn’t plan for the possibility that airport concessions might be closed, especially when flights are delayed.
When we finally picked up our luggage in Miami and checked it back in for the flight to Los Angeles, we hurried across the terminal to our gate. Read also : How to travel more without spending more.
It turned out that we hadn’t needed to run; our connecting flight was experiencing incremental delay after delay totaling about two hours. Local time was around 9 p.m. and long after dinnertime for our elementary school twins.
My kids were fading at this point, especially my daughter who needed water. But at this time of night, most of the concessions in the terminal were closing.
A friendly cashier took pity on us and opened the register to sell us bottled water, but it was a good reminder that airport concessions can’t always be trusted for essentials like food and water.
When we got to the gate, I saw that there were only limited takeout and snack options nearby, so we settled for an impromptu dinner of sandwiches and sweets.
It was enough to get by, but barely palatable.
As a COVID-19 cautious traveler, I had to prepare for personal discomfort with no mask mandates.
As a COVID-19 cautious traveler, I had to prepare for personal discomfort without mask mandates.
My family is extremely cautious around COVID-19, and we have managed to avoid the virus for so long by taking precautions like social distancing and wearing masks.
Although masks are no longer required by law in US airports or airplanes, we prefer to travel using N95s for adults and KN95s for children. I also travel with COVID-19 test kits, a pulse oximeter, a thermometer, and fever reducers for children and adults, in case any of us get sick.
While I can plan for my family in this way, I cannot control the behavior of the people around me at the airport or on planes.
For example, I noticed that a woman sitting next to my son in economy class started coughing profusely all the way down one leg of our trip. I was worried that he might share his germs with my family, but at that point there was nothing we could do to escape.
In our travel experience, we saw very few people wearing masks and I knew there was a chance some people might fly while actively sick.
It made me uncomfortable, but I put my faith in high quality masks and hoped for the best.
I learned the importance of carefully considering your airline if you have another option.
I learned the importance of considering your airline carefully if you have a choice.
I didn’t strategically choose my airlines when I booked this flight, but I learned the importance of doing so in the future.
For example, when we flew Panamanian airline Copa on our outbound flights from LAX, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the airline still required masks on domestic flights and at the Panamanian airport. This was in accordance with Panama’s federal law that requires masks on public transportation. It was a policy that matched our family’s preferences and is something I will look for when I book travel again.
Coincidentally, Copa was also named the airline with the fewest delays in the world before the pandemic, with a punctuality performance of just under 90% and we had no problems with our flight.
While I was lucky with that result, I’ll be sure to research these stats and policies before booking in the future if I get to choose which airline to fly with.
Choosing a specific airline can significantly affect your flight experience. For me, it was mostly a matter of COVID-19 protocols, but I can also see how it could affect service, comfort, and timeliness.
I invested in GPS trackers for my checked luggage and it was such a relief to know where my bags were when they didn’t make it to my final destination.
I invested in GPS trackers for my checked luggage and it was a huge relief to know where my bags were when they did not arrive at my final destination.
Before we checked our four bags in Los Angeles, I outfitted each one with an Apple AirTag. These are little GPS trackers that monitor your gear using the Find My app. A pack of four of these costs less than $100. This turned out to be a clutch move.
Upon our return, after three flights and over 18 hours in transit, we finally arrived in Los Angeles after 2am and were much worse for wear.
Three of our checked bags made their way slowly to the carousel, but a fourth did not. I opened the Find My app on my iPhone and located my bag 2,342 miles away in Miami. So instead of futilely waiting at the airport, we went home and got some rest.
When I woke up a few hours later, I called American Airlines to officially file a claim for my delayed baggage. Armed with the details from my application, I was able to speak to the agent with confidence and authority about my missing bag and its whereabouts.
Knowing his location didn’t help my bag reappear any faster, but tracking him as he moved across the country instilled more confidence that I’d eventually be reunited with him.
Ninety-nine hours later, it arrived at our house, delivered by a third-party courier arranged by the airline, and I was grateful I didn’t have to wonder if it would actually show up, as my information let me know where it was. at all times.
My travel experience was far from perfect, but it certainly could have been worse. I will use these learnings to be even better prepared for any eventuality next time.
My travel experience was far from flawless, but it certainly could have been worse. I’ll take these learnings to be even better prepared for any eventuality next time.
Our trip back was one of the toughest travel days we’ve ever had, but compared to so many travel horror stories dominating the news right now, we could have fared a lot worse. At no time did we have to sleep on the airport floor, for example, and I would definitely do it all over again.
For me, the stress of not traveling is far greater than the stress of just going out and exploring the world or, in my case, getting home.
I will do it again, but I will be prepared with long layovers on airlines I trust and I will arrive equipped with snacks, luggage tags, and my mask.
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What airline loses the most luggage?
Republic Airways was the worst performer, with 8,794 of the 941,879 bags it boarded, or 0.93%, closely followed by American Airlines, which mishandled 50,375 of the nearly 6 million bags it boarded, or 0.85%.
Does Southwest lose a lot of luggage? In general, about seven out of every 1,000 bags are lost.
How often is luggage permanently lost?
100 days: all bags leave the WorldTracer system. After 100 days, your bags are likely to be lost forever and untraceable. Fortunately, only about 2% of lost luggage is gone forever.
How likely is it for an airline to lose your luggage?
The chances of your airline losing your luggage are slim. According to the Air Travel Consumer Report issued by the US Department of Transportation, you face a less than 1 percent chance of a major airline misplacing your bags; in 2012, there were only 3.09 reports of lost bags per 1,000 passengers.
How do airlines lose your luggage?
One of the reasons luggage is lost is that passengers simply forget about it and remember it once it’s too late. If one of your bags belongs to the 25 million pieces of luggage that get damaged each year, it will probably find its way back to you.
How do you prevent theft in checked baggage?
Invest in a tough ID tag. Lock checked luggage with a TSA-approved lock. Place a copy of your boarding pass in your checked baggage. Take a photo of the contents of your checked baggage just before you pack it all up to prove your case if you need to file a claim.
Are things stolen from checked luggage? The moral of the story is NEVER PACK things in checked baggage that you really don’t want to lose: medications, valuables, etc. Bags get lost and yes, things get stolen. I hope you get the watch back.
How common is checked baggage theft?
According to the Department of Transportation, baggage theft is a common problem. US airlines reported more than three mishandled bags per thousand in March. More than 1 million bags were stolen in 2018. This resulted in $1.2 billion in lost valuables.
How do you prevent luggage theft?
How to avoid lost or stolen luggage, according to the experts
- Pack less and carry on if you can.
- Get TSA Preâ® or CLEAR.
- Choose bright and colorful luggage.
- Skip the fancy luggage.
- Take advantage of plastic wrap machines.
- Don’t travel with anything you can’t replace.
- Keep an eye on your luggage even during the flight.
How do I secure my checked luggage?
If you don’t want to use a lock, it’s a good idea to have a fastener (such as zip ties or duct tape tags) in your bag that alerts you to tampering. This way, you’ll know to check your bag for missing items. When it comes down to it, a lock is better than no lock when your goal is to keep luggage secure and intact.
What happens if your luggage gets lost at the airport?
Report Lost Baggage Immediately Go immediately to the airline counter and explain the situation. The airline representative will likely need identification and your baggage claim tag information and will refer to your flight itinerary to find out where your baggage is.
Does the airport pay you if they lose your luggage? Under DOT regulations (for domestic travel) and international treaties (for international travel), airlines must compensate passengers if their bags are damaged, delayed, or lost.
What happens if my bag gets lost at the airport?
Contact the airline Call the airline if you cannot find an airline representative. When applicable, complete the airlines’ forms to file your claim while you are at the airport. The airline must provide a toll-free number that you can call to receive updates on your lost baggage claim.
How long should I wait for my luggage?
It usually takes 23-38 minutes from landing to departure from the airport. This of course depends on the airport, how big your flight is, how long it takes to get through immigration, and how many bags you need to claim from the baggage carousel.
Why does it take so long for your luggage to arrive? Weather is one of the main reasons your baggage may take a little longer to get to the claim area. When lightning strikes, or any other severe weather, ground crews are ordered inside for safety reasons, meaning it will take longer to get to your luggage and get you inside.
How long does it take to deplane and get luggage?
2-3 minutes after arrival, the first passengers leave the plane. 3-5 minutes after arrival, the first bag is unloaded. 30-35 minutes before departure, the passengers of the next flight begin boarding. 10 minutes before departure, the bridge door and the cabin door are closed.
How long do you have to wait for luggage?
Passengers can typically expect to see their checked bags between 15 and 45 minutes after arrival, according to Nick Gates, director of SITA, an aviation technology company. The size of an airport, the passenger capacity and the degree of modernization in the handling of your baggage play an important role.
