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Whether you have flown on flights for business, or holidays and vacations, you may have lost luggage or know of people that have. Here are some travel tips that can help you reduce this risk.

Whether you have flown on flights for business, or holidays and vacations, you may have lost luggage or know of people that have. Here are some travel tips that can help you reduce this risk.

It has been estimated that more than a million bags are lost by the airlines each year in the U.S. alone. How many bags get lost in the whole world is anybody's guess. Here are a few tips that might help you find your bags should they get lost.

You should attach two or three tags with your name, home address, and phone number to the handle and zipper-pulls of each bag that you are checking. There is less of a chance that all of your tags will get torn off in transit. Make sure that you have removed any old airline tracking tags that are still attached to your luggage as they could confuse the baggage handlers.

Also, you should place the same contact information, including a copy of your itinerary and destination address inside each your bags. Then, if they do go astray and are found in time, it's possible that they could be forwarded to your hotel.

If you can, pick luggage with preferably a bright or odd color that will stand out from all of the black and brown bags. Know the brand name of the luggage that you own and attach a colorful scarf or ribbon to the handle to make identification easier. Stick a few decals or a contrasting colored tape to all of the sides of the bags so they can be easier to see as it goes around the carousel. Remember these details, or even better, take a digital picture of your luggage just before you leave and bring it with you. This will also help the lost luggage airport staff in finding your bags if they become lost in transit and turn up at their office. It will also help if you have to make a claim.

It can help if you make a list of what you have in your luggage and carry that list in you carry-on bag. The chance of your checked luggage getting lost in transit increases when you have delayed, or connecting flights. Pack your valuables, including your laptop or Blackberry, travel documents, prescriptions, etc., in your carry-on luggage. It's best to pack only the things you can afford to lose in your checked baggage. Analysts believe the airline industry's problem of lost luggage is not going to go away anytime soon.

What should you do if the airlines lose your luggage?

Go immediately to the baggage claim office and file a claim. Many airlines have a twenty-four hour window of time starting from when your flight arrives to file and be eligible for compensation. You will receive a claim receipt to check the tracking of your luggage with the airline by phone, or on the airline's website. Make sure you keep all your flight documents until the lost luggage problem is resolved.

How can you guarantee that the airlines won't lose your luggage?

There are some companies like FedEx, UPS or DHL, that can send your luggage in the U.S. directly to your hotel or street address for a very reasonable cost. If you're staying at a hotel, your luggage will be taken to your room by a bellboy. When you consider that in the United States alone, over a million bags are lost by the airlines each year, this service is well worth considering. If you are planning to travel by air throughout Europe, FirstLuggage.com, provides a similar service.