Consumer watchdog draws attention to compensation policies among airlines for baggage mishaps

The Consumer Council said on Thursday that despite all airlines operating flights to and from Hong Kong provide compensation for passengers with baggage incidents, there are significant differences in terms of cash allowances, definitions of lost baggage, and whether claims for fragile or valuable items are accepted.

The watchdog’s comments came after it received 61 complaints against airlines in the first eight months of this year regarding their handling of baggage incidents.

The Council said it has surveyed 22 airlines operating flights to and from Hong Kong on their baggage compensation arrangements, reporting procedures, and claims details for international flights.

It noted that some airlines lacked transparency in their compensation details and often handled claims on a “depending on the circumstances” basis, which can easily lead to disputes.

For instance, the watchdog said their study has found a near four-fold difference in cash allowance for delayed baggage.

“Half of the airlines provided passengers with a one-off cash allowance for delayed baggage,
ranging from approximately HK$237 to about HK$1,177, a difference of almost 4-fold, three of which issued different cash allowances based on the passenger’s cabin class,” it said.

The Council reminded that while consumers are generally protected by international conventions in the event of baggage incidents, it is important to be aware that the compensation limits under those conventions may not be sufficient to fully cover the loss of baggage containing valuable items. Consumers were also advised to purchase additional insurance. 

“Consumers should also take heed of the different claim requirements and time limits of various airlines and retain all correspondence records for future reference,” it added.