For those travelling abroad for holiday, one nagging worry you may have is not seeing your suitcase on the luggage carousel when you land.
Unfortunately there is not a lot you can do to avoid a situation like this, so it is important to be well-informed of what to do if it comes down to it.
The consumer champion Which? have a number of tips to help you out in this situation.
What happens if you miss your flight due to airport delays?
These include taking photographs of every high value item you pack and keep hold of any receipts so you can prove what was in there before you submit a claim.
Also keeping important documents in your hand luggage is a way to avoid the worst happening if you lose your main suitcase.
What to do if your luggage is lost or delayed
The first thing you would need to do if your luggage was lost or delayed is to go to the lost luggage desk, which is usually near baggage claim.
From there a member of staff will ask for a description of your luggage before issuing a Property Irregularity Report.
Which? report: "Keep this safe as it will have a tracking number on it which you will need in order to enquire about the whereabouts of your luggage. You will also need this to claim compensation."
From there if your luggage is found the airport can have it arranged to be sent to where you are staying or you can pick it up yourself.
Can you claim compensation for lost luggage?
This is possible and airlines will usually assess the value of its content to decide how much they will award you.
Which? report: "You will need to be able to prove the value of the items you are claiming for which you can do with receipts, credit/debit card records or any other proof of value.
"As there are no rules which fix the amount the airline must pay you, it’s down to the individual airline to decide on how much compensation they will award and it will depend on the value of the items you have lost."
How to claim for lost luggage
Which? report: "Once you are reunited with your luggage or it is declared lost, you can open a claim with the airline. You have seven days to do this if your luggage is lost or 21 days from the date you receive your luggage if it has been delayed.
"Most airlines have a section on their website for dealing with lost and delayed luggage where you can file your claim and upload any evidence needed. Alternatively, you can contact your airline via email or post. If you’re doing this, make sure you send a copy of your Property Irregularity Report as this is the first thing you will be asked for."
Alternatively, you can claim compensation through your travel insurance.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here