Luggage chaos on Mallorca: holidaymaker finds fake suitcase!

Luggage chaos on Mallorca: holidaymaker finds fake suitcase!

For many tourists, their holiday on Mallorca begins at Palma Airport, but problems can sometimes arise there. A German vacationer experienced a strange mishap when she accidentally opened a fellow traveler's suitcase. How derwesten.de reported that she had taken the wrong suitcase from the baggage carousel. To find the rightful owner, she turned to a Facebook group, looking for someone who had flown out of Frankfurt at 4:45 a.m. and also had the wrong suitcase. The suitcase was large, black and had a lock.

Fortunately, the problem was quickly solved: the holidaymaker received her suitcase back and the swapped luggage was handed over to its rightful owners. Meanwhile, members of the Facebook group shared tips on how to better identify luggage, with suggestions such as adding colorful ribbons or choosing a brightly colored suitcase frequently mentioned.

Tips for vacationers

Luggage problems can always arise at Palma Airport, especially during travel times. Travelers planning an autumn holiday in Mallorca should be aware of what to do if their suitcase does not arrive. The Montreal Convention has regulated the rights and obligations of airline passengers in such cases since 2001. In the event of lost or damaged luggage, it is advisable to visit the Lost & Found counter (Equipaje extraviado) to complete a Property Irregularity Report (PIR), such as mallorcamagazin.com describes.

The defects should be reported to the airline in writing within seven days if there is damage or within 21 days if the baggage is delayed. If a suitcase is missing for more than 21 days, it is considered lost. If the PIR is not filled out, the airline cannot be obliged to provide a refund. These deadlines also apply to package tours.

Reimbursement claims and regulations

Travelers are allowed to make necessary replacement purchases for items such as clothing or toiletries, but must ensure that they are actually necessary. Receipts and luggage stickers should be kept for this purpose. Airlines usually only reimburse half the cost of new clothing. On the return journey, there is no right to replacement of necessary purchased items if luggage is delayed, except in extreme cases, such as returning after a long journey or the loss of special clothing.

In the event of permanent loss of luggage, passengers are entitled to replacement, with the liability limit for luggage problems being 1288 Special Drawing Rights (approx. 1690 euros). Valuable items such as computers or jewelry should always be transported in hand luggage. Baggage insurance depends on the individual case and it is advisable to make a list of the contents of your suitcase and take photos of them in order to be better prepared for reimbursement claims.