September 22, 2022

What if My Bags Don’t Turn Up? Solutions for 3 Common Travel Issues

Considering how active Australians have been on the world travelling stage, we find ourselves in a strange time. Even the most avid travellers haven’t had the chance to get away overseas for a while, but with things returning to normal, it’s time to start planning your next trip. However, due to years of uncertainty, it’s common for people to feel a little nervous about taking to the skies again.

The great thing is, booking multi-city flights has never been easier. In fact, booking round-world (RTW) flights from Australia is a simple and seamless option – it’s what happens next that can make people feel a bit anxious. If you’re worried about things like your bags not turning up at your destination, or missing a connecting flight, don’t stress.

Here are some of the common travelling issues people face and how to solve them.

Your Bags Don’t Arrive At Your Destination

There’s perhaps no occurrence more frustrating than lost luggage. Picture this: You arrive at your destination to start your amazing round-the-world holiday. You’re standing at the baggage carousel, eagerly awaiting your items so you can get out of the airport and really get your holiday underway.

But your bags aren’t there.

Panic sets in, naturally, because everything you need for your holiday is nowhere to be found. What do you do?

The Solution

The first thing you need to do is relax. No amount of stress is going to make your bags magically appear. The good thing is, even if the bags aren’t where they should be, they have to be somewhere. The most common problem is the bags have been sent to an incorrect destination. So, while this is extremely frustrating, you just need to make your way to the lost luggage counter or the airline’s customer service desk.

Report your issue, and let the airline take it from there. In some cases, luggage gets lost when loading or unloading, so it could be that your bags have arrived and not made it to the correct carousel. Alternatively, you may need to wait a few days for the airline to track down your bags and deliver them to you.

One major tip is to ensure that all of your essential documents, such as passport, itineraries and money, are kept on your person, or at least in your smaller carry-on luggage. That way, even if the worst happens and your luggage never turns up, your holiday won’t be completely ruined.

You Miss A Connecting Flight

When travelling around the world, it’s not unusual to need a couple of flights to get to your next destination. Unfortunately, this comes with the risk that your flight gets delayed, causing you to miss the next leg of your journey. Of course, there are plenty of other reasons that you might miss a flight, such as not getting to the airport on time.

Missing a connection is never the end of the world, but if you don’t have the right protections in place, it can certainly be a costly exercise to re-book your flights and change your travel arrangements.

The Solution

The issue of a missed connection can be solved in several ways, but it often depends on the reason behind it. If you missed your flight because a previous flight was delayed, this is through no fault of yours. The airline should book you on the next available flight at no extra cost to you. If the next flight isn’t until the next day they should also provide accommodation. It’s important to note, though, that this is not a legal requirement. Your airline can choose whether or not to do this, and often it depends on the type of fare you’ve booked.

Some flights are heavily discounted, but they don’t offer much protection for these occurrences. It’s crucial you read the terms and conditions when you book. If the fare offers no provision for rebooking flights, you’ll be on your own.

If bad weather causes a flight cancellation, the rules are much the same. Opting for travel insurance when you book is the safest way to ensure you get reimbursed for such occurrences or re-booked free of charge.

However, if you miss a flight due to your own actions (sleeping in, getting caught in traffic etc.), you’ll undoubtedly be on your own. Airlines don’t cover you for these sorts of mistakes, and you’ll need to re-book your flight at your own expense. The best solution? Allow plenty of time to get to the airport and always factor for unexpected situations like heavy traffic.

You’ve Lost Your Passport

When travelling on a RTW ticket, you’re obviously going to be venturing in and out of many different countries. For that, the one key document you need is your passport. Of course, like anything, passports can be lost or stolen while overseas, causing considerable complications if you have a flight coming up.

The Solution

If you’ve lost your passport in a foreign country, there are only two options. You can call the Australian Passport Office on 131 232, however, this isn’t always the easiest thing to do from outside of Australia. Plus, there will be delays in having a new passport issued to you while overseas.

The best option is to find the Australian embassy or consular mission in the country where you are. You’ll find these offices in most countries around the world, and they will be able to guide you further. There are penalties for not reporting a passport lost or stolen immediately, so you must contact the embassy or consulate quickly. Plus, it might take some time to re-issue a passport, so you’ll want to give yourself plenty of time to adjust the rest of your travel plans.

If you want to ensure you’ve got the very best round the world airfares to take you around the world, with as many protections against unforeseen events as possible, contact us at Airfare Geeks today. Our experts will ensure you get the travel package you want for your international travel dreams holiday.