Is there a limit as to what distance airlines deliver delayed baggage?
Suppose I've self-arranged a connection through a given airport (connecting journey ticketed separately), and have checked baggage with me. I've made sure to do the usual things when booking a self-arranged connection (booked enough buffer time at the connection, ensured I have the right visas, etc.).
However, there's a possibility that the airline operating my first segment will fail to deliver my bags on time. When a bag delay happens, I see the baggage service agents at the destination to file a report and specify the address I want my bags delivered once they're found.
But what happens if I'm scheduled to, separately, fly out of the same airport on another ticket from the one I came into it on? Can I specify an address on the form that's very far from the connection airport? Will the airline deliver my bags there, regardless of distance, or is there a limit as to how far they'll deliver them?
The furthest I've experienced this is when flying into LAX airport on an international flight: we specified a delivery address in San Diego and there were no problems. But what if the address is in a completely different region of the world?
Are the rules different if the incoming segment is domestic or international, given the different treaties that apply to international travel and baggage (the Warsaw and Montreal conventions, etc.)?
Best Answer
Good read on the overall topic https://thepointsguy.com/guide/lost-delayed-luggage/
A few conclusions
- There is no single standard, every airline has their own set of rules and are governed by different set of local legal standards
- Most airlines will go through some significant effort to deliver your bag. My record was 120 km. As far as I know, this is typically not done by the airlines themselves but by a local provider who covers an entire airport which are used by most airlines at a particular airport. This way the provider can pool all the delayed bags for a specific region and cover this fairly economically
- The above link covers your specific case: Delta indeed shipped a delayed bag to reach the customer at a different destination that was booked on a separate ticket. I'm guessing in this case this required some good will from the second carrier (who wasn't responsible for anything) so your mileage may vary greatly here.
- If they can't or don't want to ship it after you, they may either have to return it to the departure airport or declare it as lost and pay compensation. That's expensive (e.g. United pays $1500 per lost back), so if they can get it to your for less money, they probably will.
Pictures about "Is there a limit as to what distance airlines deliver delayed baggage?"
How long does it take for delayed luggage to be delivered?
FAA data shows that delayed baggage usually arrives within 3-7 days. However, if the bag is truly lost, your chances of finding lost luggage after 30 days are cut in half.Do airlines compensate for delayed baggage?
Under DOT regulations (for domestic travel) and international treaties (for international travel), airlines are required to compensate passengers if their bags are damaged, delayed, or lost.How do airlines handle delayed arrival of suitcases?
Typically you should find the counter somewhere in the area where you've been waiting for your bags to arrive. Major airlines, especially those using the airport as a hub, will run their own service for lost or delayed baggage. The airline's logo will indicate the counter you should proceed to.What happens when your luggage is delayed?
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