The number of insurance claims for lost luggage has increased nearly two-fold in the first six months of this year, according to an insurance company.
The number of insurance claims for lost luggage has increased nearly twofold in the first six months of this year, according to an insurance company.
Travel insurance firm Insureandgo saw 2,094 claims from January to June - an 85% rise on the same period in 2006.
Travel insurance firm Insureandgo saw 2,094 claims from January to June - an 85% rise on the same period in 2006.
The figure includes both budget and other airlines. The average amount claimed was more than £200.
The figure includes both budget and other airlines. The average amount claimed was more than £200.
Insureandgo expects poor figures for the remainder of 2007, following a spate of lost bags recently.
Insureandgo expects poor figures for the remainder of 2007, following a spate of lost bags recently.
'Enormous rise'
'Enormous rise'
Based on figures from the Association of European Airlines (AEA), Insureandgo said the number of bag lost throughout Europe rose 22% over the same period compared with last year, even though passenger numbers only rose 1.4%.
Based on figures from the Association of European Airlines (AEA), Insureandgo said the number of bags lost throughout Europe rose 22% over the same period compared with last year, even though passenger numbers only rose 1.4%.
The AEA figures exclude budget airlines such as Easyjet and Ryanair.
The AEA figures exclude budget airlines such as Easyjet and Ryanair.
Insureandgo managing director Perry Wilson said: "We have seen an enormous rise in claims for lost luggage."
Insureandgo managing director Perry Wilson said: "We have seen an enormous rise in claims for lost luggage."
The average amount claimed by Insureandgo's customers who lost luggage was about £200.
"With the summer holiday season now in full swing, we can unfortunately expect more families' holidays to be ruined by lost baggage."
"With the summer holiday season now in full swing, we can unfortunately expect more families' holidays to be ruined by lost baggage."
The latest figures come after Norwich Union - Britain's biggest insurance company - released figures showing that it saw a 40% increase in claims for missing luggage during the first half of the year.
The latest figures come after Norwich Union - Britain's biggest insurance company - released figures showing that it saw a 40% increase in claims for missing luggage during the first half of the year.
In January, bad weather and a broken conveyer belt at Heathrow airport created huge confusion over luggage, with British Airways having to send back more than 2,000 items of left luggage to passengers.
More recently, BAA - the owner of Heathrow - has been attacked by business leaders and politicians for overcrowding and lost baggage problems.
British Airways lost more luggage than any other major European airline in 2006, according to figures from the Association of European Airlines (AEA).
Has your luggage been lost by an airline? Have you made or are you planning to make a claim for your lost luggage? Send us your experiences using the form below.
Has your luggage been lost by an airline? Have you made or are you planning to make a claim for your lost luggage? Send us your experiences using the form below.
