As a suitcase claw at the airport: vacationer finds her black market case!

As a suitcase claw at the airport: vacationer finds her black market case!

Flughafen Mallorca, Spanien - The incoming tourists at Palma de Mallorca airport often see themselves confronted with various luggage problems. On May 28, 2025, a German vacationer experienced a particularly unusual incident: she accidentally took the suitcase of a fellow traveler. It was a large black case with a lock that was not her own. In order to find the rightful owner, she turned to the public in a Facebook group to share her experience and search for information. She was looking for someone who had flown from Frankfurt at 04:45 and also transported a suitcase of this kind. Fortunately, the problem could be solved quickly, and the vacationer received her own suitcase. The exchanged luggage was returned to the rightful owners, which shows that helpfulness and sense of community are very important in such situations.

users of the Facebook group gave numerous tips to avoid future confusion. This included, for example, the use of colorful ligaments on the suitcase or the choice of a strikingly designed luggage.

tips on dealing with lost luggage

In addition to the incidents mentioned, there are numerous other challenges that tourists can experience on arrival at Mallorca Airport, especially if their luggage is missing. Users should know what to do in these cases. First of all, it is advisable to report the loss at the Lost-and-Found-Found switch. For this purpose, a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) should be filled in to receive a process number. The loss should also be reported to the airline, either directly on site or online. With package tours, it makes sense to inform the tour operator immediately to receive support.

The use of a suitcase tracker, such as an Apple Airtag, can also help to track the location of the luggage during the trip. Sharing the location link with the airline is supported by many companies and enables easy persecution of the status of the missing suitcase. During the waiting time for the suitcase, you should get the necessary items such as underwear or shampoo and keep support for it to reclaim the costs.

legal steps and compensation

After a period of three weeks, a case is considered lost, which grants travelers the right to replace the content by the airline. The maximum liability limit is around 1,900 euros, based on the current value of the objects. The airline liability rules, which are due to the Montreal Convention, apply in over 130 states. Flights from Germany to countries such as Turkey are also under this regulation.

For those who travel with package tours, there are other ways to assert financial claims. Travelers should check whether there are reduction claims or compensation due to useless vacation time. The reduction of the travel price for every missing vacation can vary between 20 and 50 percent, depending on the individual case.

In order to avoid future mishaps, it is advisable to photograph the content of the suitcase before the trip and to transport important objects such as cash, jewelry and expensive electronics in hand luggage. The visible of contact details on the suitcase and design of the luggage in striking colors can also help to prevent confusion and losses, as the vacationer from Frankfurt experienced.