Things You Should Know When Flying Abroad

Losing your luggage when flying abroad can be very annoying. Not only this, but it can also end up being a very expensive inconvenience.

When you give your luggage at the check-in desk before boarding your plane for your holiday – you expect to get it back at the other end. But in 2007 1 out of every 2,000 passengers never saw their holiday luggage – and will never see it again.

The UK's Air Transport Users Council (AUC) has recently published a report showing that the world's airlines irretrievably lost more than one million bags in 2007 alone.

SITA, the global travel solutions provider, has also published a report - the “Baggage report” for 2008 - where it announced that airlines mishandled 42 million bags worldwide in 2007.

Moreover 15% of the bags being delayed by most of the European network carriers are delayed by more than two days - according to the Association of European Airlines. Two days without your bags can be really pricey, especially at the moment as the British pound is weaker than the Euro.

So how do you avoid unwanted surprises?  Best and wise think to do is to make sure that your gear is covered (and more important if) by the travel insurance policy of the company you are flying with. If you are travelling with expensive items – sport, music, electronics – is highly recommended to get a specialist cover.

Most of the insurance providers in the UK provide annual travel insurance, as well as single and business trip covers. Check online – most of the time they offer special deals.

A good idea that can save you lots of money is to keep the receipts of the expensive items you buy – like cameras, laptops, expensive jackets or clothes or mobile phones. With a receipt it is easier to prove the real value of the item lost from your luggage.  This is also a good reason why to buy using credit cards – there is also a receipt with the credit card company.

Travel insurance will also cover most of the common inconvenience of travelling abroad, such as a missed flight or cancellation, losing passports, money and - of course - luggage. But it can also cover medical emergency and medical assistance if required.

Next time you fly to your holiday destination, think about those 1.2 million of people that did not get their luggage. For some advice and a travel insurance quote, check this site – Greenbee.com/travel-insurance) – it might save you lots of stress and money.