A LoyaltyLobby reader left a comment with a couple of images about a checked luggage theft that had taken place while flying with LOT.
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Reader’s Comment:
My luggage got stolen stuff inside while transfer at Warsaw airport with LOT Polish. First time happening to me
All new La Mer recently purchased from duty free gone
Some recently opened boxes gone and left me only one that nearly finished. All my Louis Vuitton perfumes also left me with empty boxes. I got no response from airlines at all
Images:
Here’s what you need to do:
1. File Property Irregularity Report (PIR)
You need to file a PIR at the airport and state what you believe was stolen.
If you have already left the airport before you realize the theft, you should open a complaint on the airline’s website.
Remember that it is always the last airline, regardless of whom you checked the bag(s) with.
The airline wants receipts for the stolen items, so always attach copies of them to the claim.
2. Report The Theft To the Police
This is theoretically not needed, but the airline has a harder time arguing when you have filed a police report and attached it to the claim.
Travel Insurance
Even if you have travel insurance, they may require you to claim with the airline first and only cover what the airline doesn’t.
The limit to the airline’s responsibility is 1,519 SDR (approximately 1,866 euros) per person who checked bag(s).
I had a theft case with Avianca & Copa (unclear where the theft took place), and I documented how I got the payment from Copa:
Compensation Clinic: Pilferage From Delayed Luggage (Avianca & Copa)
Conclusion
These luggage thefts are rare, but they do happen, often at specific airports.
You need to report the theft to the airline, get the PIR number, and file a claim. The claim, depending on the airline, may need following up.
At least LOT is based in Europe, so the reader has a better chance of succeeding with their claim, and there is also a regulator they can escalate it to if needed.
I tend to snap a photo of all significant purchase receipts (and Google Photos they go) just in case I need them for warranty or theft claims down the road.