When You Arrive

On arrival, walk briskly to the baggage reclaim area; this will help get your circulation moving and reduce the risk of DVT.

If your luggage does not arrive in the baggage claim area, find the agent on duty immediately. There could be a chance that your luggage has already arrived on a different flight and has been stored for safekeeping. Sometimes your luggage can be loaded onto a non-stop flight even though you were on a plane that had a stopover on the way.

However, if your luggage is not there, make sure you fill in all the appropriate paperwork before leaving the airport, even if you have been promised that the bag will be on the next flight. Fill out all the information about your baggage on the forms provided; be as detailed as possible. Make sure the airline will deliver the bag without charge when it is found, and get a phone number to call in case you need to follow-up.

Even if you have been assured that your case will be delivered to you soon, if you need basic items such as toothbrush, toothpaste and razor, ask. Most airlines will provide these for you while you're waiting for your suitcase.

If your bag arrives, but it is open or unlocked, check immediately to see if any of the contents are missing or damaged. Report any problems to your airline before leaving the airport.