Going on vacation? Which airports most often lose and damage luggage from Riga 0 12

In particular, the figures indicate that most often luggage problems during the summer period occur in Turkey, Italy, and Greece, followed by Bulgaria and Spain.

Luggage issues account for nearly one in ten claims for travel insurance. Most often, they are related to damaged, lost, or otherwise harmed luggage – 58% of all luggage insurance claims. In about a third, or 35% of cases, the suitcase does not arrive at the destination with the traveler or is delivered later. Another 6% of claims are related to the loss of items or their damage during travel.

"In practice, luggage delays can last even several days, especially on long-haul routes or trips with multiple connections. Therefore, it is always recommended to keep documents, medications, mobile devices and their chargers, a minimum of hygiene products, and at least one change of clothes in hand luggage. However, even this may not be enough. If a suitcase does not arrive for several days, a person has to buy additional clothing, hygiene products, children's items, or other essentials on-site – these are unnecessary additional expenses, which is why more people, when choosing travel insurance, pay attention to whether the coverage includes risks related to luggage," notes expert Ivo Danche.

The specialist adds that on routes with connections, the risks for luggage are objectively higher – each connection means another stage where the suitcase needs to be transferred from one plane to another.

Moreover, if the first flight is delayed, the connection time is short, and the airport is heavily congested, the likelihood increases that the traveler will arrive at the destination before the luggage. Due to errors, the luggage may end up on a completely different flight. Therefore, when traveling long distances and on connecting flights, it is essential to prepare for the situation where the suitcase may not arrive immediately or may be lost altogether.

Broken wheels, torn handles, and damaged shells – what luggage 'endures' during flights

Luggage cases during travels can vary. In some cases, the suitcase arrives at the destination with a delay of several days. In other cases, travelers receive damaged luggage – with broken wheels, handles, zippers, or shell damage. Losses from such damages most often range from several dozen euros to several hundred euros in individual cases.

Therefore, it is recommended to choose a high-quality and durable suitcase with a hard shell and quality wheels, as handles, zippers, and wheels are most often affected during transportation. It is also advisable not to overload the luggage – an overloaded suitcase is significantly easier to damage. It is also important to remove old stickers and tags from the luggage to reduce the likelihood of mistakenly sending the suitcase on a different route. For additional security, travelers increasingly use protective film or luggage covers, which help protect the suitcase from scratches and dirt. Meanwhile, valuable items, documents, electronics, and medications are recommended to be transported in hand luggage.

The expert reminds: if the luggage was not received at the destination or was received damaged, it is necessary to immediately contact the carrier or the airport's baggage service to obtain written confirmation of the delay, loss, or damage of the luggage. It is also necessary to keep receipts for the purchase of essential items, as they will be needed to file a reimbursement claim.