Travel tips: Know your flyers rights

HOUSTON – Newlyweds Elizabeth and Paul Hart chose Turks and Caicos for their summer honeymoon.

“You know Turks and Caicos is a very glamorous place and on your honeymoon you want to feel nice. So I packed my really nice clothing,” Elizabeth said.

Somewhere along the way, the airline lost Elizabeth’s bag.

“It was not a good way to start our honeymoon. Me crying in the airport,” she added.

This summer alone, the Department of Transportation says airlines mishandled more than half a million bags.

The airline did offer Elizabeth a $50 credit for future flights and reimburse her bag fee. But Elizabeth feels like she’s owed more.

The non-profit group flyers rights says there are a few things you can do to maximize the chance you’ll get reimbursed. First, itemize everything in your suitcase. Elizabeth did that and one better. She included pictures. Next, submit a claim as fast as possible.

Keep in mind, you won’t see any extra cash for items with sentimental value and the airline will likely try to depreciate the value of your items.

By law, airlines can reimburse travelers for lost goods up to $3,500. But airlines reject those claims about 90 percent of the time.

Paul Hudson, President of Flyer’s Rights, said there’s one more thing you should do if your luggage is lost: Check your renter’s or home insurance policy.

“Most homeowners policies have a provision for theft loss even if it’s outside the home,” Hudson said.

Elizabeth and Paul Hart are now looking for a new airline when they travel

“I think it’s a shame for them because we’re both young, we like to travel and we have a lifetime of that ahead of us and they’ll never see another dollar of our business,” Elizabeth said.

Many credit cards offer protection for lost luggage if you book your trip with the card. Most people don’t even know they have the coverage and rarely use it.  So, check the benefits on your card when you’re buying the ticket.

Click here to file a travel complaint.

You can learn your flyer’s rights here.

2015 Click2Houston/KPRC2