Revised Article:
The Joy of Misplaced Luggage, or Why You Might Want Icelandair to Misplace Your Stuff
This tale revolves around the peculiar pleasure of not getting your lost luggage back - but that pleasure might be reserved for Icelandair travelers only.
In December of last year, my family and I lived through an agonizing version of this story. One of our oversized bags failed to make it onto our flight to Munich, leaving my wife washing laundry every night for the first week. The rest of us, without coats and boots, shivered.
In the second week, we spent valuable sightseeing time and money on replacement items at an Austrian outlet mall. The airline, a major US carrier, never contacted the lost luggage hotline, nor did they respond to the numerous emails I'd sent about the missing baggage. We finally got it back a week after our return.
Prepare Your Luggage for Iceland
Having learned my lesson, I made two adjustments when we traveled to Iceland for Thanksgiving this year.
Firstly, I tagged the only piece of luggage we actually checked (mine) with an AirTag. Secondly, I packed a tiny carry-on with a hat, gloves, boots, an outfit, and layers, just in case.
Before departing, we worried about the weather (Iceland is notoriously unpredictable in November) and the potential eruption of the Grindavik volcano. These concerns were overshadowed at the airport due to fears we might not even arrive in Reykjavik.
We were told that our JetBlue flight (Icelandair partners with them on domestic flights) was delayed for 10 hours due to mechanical issues from Atlanta to Boston. We spent the entire day at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, missing all our connecting flights and risking missing our last flight to Reykjavik for the night.
With less than 30 minutes to reach our connecting flight in Boston, we rushed to a different terminal for our Icelandic Air flight. However, I forgot to take my bag with me at Logan International Airport.
The Ocean Between Me and My Luggage
At the Reykjavik lost luggage counter, I raised my phone to show the location of my bag on the Find My App to an Icelandair employee. She nodded, apologized, and handed me a few items: a travel kit with toiletries, including a wooden comb, a small deodorant, and a large white T-shirt with the Icelandair logo on the tag.
The other item she handed me was a slip of paper with information for a baggage specialist and the address of a store on Laugavegur, Reykjavik's main shopping street. "Here," she explained, "you can find all the necessary items for the cold weather at no additional cost to you."
I didn't need to be convinced as I'd heard this line before.
From Skeptical to Enthusiastic
After a restful night at an Airbnb, we set out for Laugavegur in the afternoon. The shop assistants found my wife a parka, which she declared one of the highlights of our funny and adventurous Icelandic week. They also gifted me some high-quality, thick socks with Nordic patterns and advised me not to return them.
Before dawn the next day, I received a message from Icelandair, informing me that my luggage would be flown to Reykjavik on a red-eye flight that night.
The following morning, as I sat in a small bus, my phone rang with news that my bag had arrived at the airport and would be delivered later that day. I replied that we'd still be on the road until nightfall, and asked if they could deliver it upon our return. They agreed promptly.
When they sent me another email to arrange delivery the next day, I informed them that we would have already left for the waterfalls and other attractions.
Helga, the lost luggage employee, suggested contacting the Airbnb hosts to share the delivery code, allowing us to store our bags while we were away. "Our drivers are very trustworthy and friendly people," she explained, "and they've often helped travelers keep their bags safe when they're not around."
The Airbnb hosts agreed: "Island is the safest country in the world."
Upon our return from sightseeing the next day, we found my bag at the Airbnb restaurant. However, my wife kept the parka for the remainder of our trip.
I still have the socks and the wooden comb - unlikely mementos of the most cringe-worthy baggage incident in my travel history. Therefore, I offer Icelandair this one and only Icelandic word that I learned on this trip: "Thank you!" ("Takk!")
David G. Allan serves as Executive Editor of CNN Features & Enterprise. He notes that the area where you claim lost luggage is often called "Baggage Claim" on most US airports, while it might be called "Baggage Claims" on foreign airports, the grammatically correct name for the feature.
Notable Mentions
Icelandair's Approach to Lost Baggage
Icelandair handles lost or misplaced luggage according to the Montreal Convention, a global agreement that sets liability limits for mismanaged luggage. Here's an overview of how they typically handle it and what travelers can do to prepare:
Handling Lost Baggage: What to Expect
- Liability Limits: Icelandair is liable for up to €1,300 (approximately $1,400 USD) for lost or damaged luggage, as per the Montreal Convention.
- Claim Process: File a Property Irregularity Report at the baggage help desk in the airport. Then, contact Icelandair through their dedicated form, providing relevant documentation such as check-in receipts, boarding passes, pictures of your luggage, and a list of damaged or lost items.
- Claim Submission Deadlines: Claims must be filed within the specified time frame. However, the exact deadline for Icelandair is not specified in the sources.
Preparing for Luggage Issues
- Documentation: Keep detailed documentation of your luggage, including receipts, boarding passes, and photos of your bags before checking them, to support your claim.
- Expenses: Have original receipts for any expenses incurred due to delayed or lost luggage; airlines often reimburse reasonable expenses for necessary purchases.
- Additional Coverage: Purchase excess valuation coverage when checking in, increasing your compensation amount without functioning as insurance.
- Travel Insurance: Check your travel insurance policy details, as it may cover additional aspects of luggage loss or damage.
- Contact Information: Keep Icelandair's contact details handy, including their complaints email and online form, to file claims or complaints promptly.
By following these guidelines, travelers can better prepare for potential luggage issues and ensure they receive the compensation they're entitled to if their luggage is lost or damaged while traveling with Icelandair.
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