There’s nothing quite as bad as arriving at your destination and then realizing your luggage showed up damaged… Except maybe realizing your luggage never arrived at all.

Can you get help from the airline with lost luggage?

You’ve just gotten off a long flight, and you’re standing at the luggage carousel. You watch passenger after passenger claim their luggage and walk away. As the number of bags dwindles, you’re still waiting. Pretty soon, it’s clear: Your luggage is lost.

Or, maybe, your luggage did arrive, but it’s very much damaged.

In either situation, what can you do? Can you get help with lost luggage from the airline or airport? Here’s how to go about notifying the proper authorities, getting this situation sorted, and getting back to your trip.

1. Make sure you’ve looked everywhere.

Before you panic, make sure that you’ve actually looked everywhere for your luggage. Don’t just look at your carousel. Sometimes, luggage gets mixed up, even if it should really only need to go from the aircraft to the carousel that you’ve been standing in front of for the last 45 minutes.

Did other flights come in around the same time? Go to those flights’ luggage carousels and see if you can spot your bag.

Check at your airline’s baggage desk as well, but do this last. If it’s not there, you’ll be positioned exactly where you need to be for the next step in the process of getting lost luggage help: enlisting the authorities.

2. Report your lost luggage.

Was your bag nowhere to be found in any of the above spots? Tell the carrier employee at the baggage desk. They’ll be able to advise you if they can locate the bag in their system. You’ll need to provide your luggage tag for this, which is why it’s important to hold onto it!

If the employee cannot locate the bag in the airline’s system, they’ll help you fill out a lost luggage report. The report will ask you to describe your bag and travel itinerary. You’ll also need to provide some basic information, such as contact info.

3. Ask about your rights and compensation.

Depending on the airline, you may receive some compensation for your trouble. Some airlines will offer a reimbursement for any necessary items you have to buy as a result of your luggage being lost. Some will also give you free airline miles. Others might have toiletry packs on hand to hold you over until your luggage is hopefully found.

However, beyond whatever the airline offers you, it’s important to note that you have some legal rights if your luggage is lost, delayed or damaged. For example, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation, if a piece of luggage is deemed lost by the airline, you must be compensated for the bag’s contents, subject to depreciation and maximum liability limits. Airlines must also refund any fees paid to transport the lost bag (such as if you checked the bag). Similarly, in the European Union, the airline is liable to compensate you up to EUR 1,300 for the lost baggage. You must file a claim for compensation, in writing, with the airline within seven days of your flight.

4. Check your credit card.

If you booked your flight with a personal credit card, your credit card may also offer lost luggage reimbursement. It’s smart to, before your trip, see what kind of travel coverage your card offers. Learn how to use it if needed.

5. Wait.

After you’ve filed your lost luggage report, if the airline cannot offer you any further lost luggage help, all you can do is wait. In the meantime, though, go out and buy the items you need to tide you over until your luggage is possibly found. Keep receipts for all items for later reimbursement if you manage to get a reimbursement. Do note that airlines will not reimburse you for items deemed unnecessary. Try to buy only what you actually need for your trip.

As you wait, you should be able to track your bag’s status via the airline’s website and your lost luggage report. If you do not receive any updates in a timely manner, you may need to nudge the airline. If you’re still not getting updates, inform your country’s governing body.

What about damaged luggage?

For damaged luggage, you’ll similarly need to visit the baggage desk at the airport and file a claim with your air carrier. This is, of course, reliant on the fact that you checked your luggage for damage before you left the airport. If you leave the airport and try to get compensation from the airline for luggage damage, you likely won’t have much luck. So, before you wheel your suitcase to the curb, give it a thorough once-over.

Just as is the case with lost luggage, passengers do have certain government-mandated rights. Again, EU passengers can be compensated up to EUR 1,300 for damaged luggage unless the damage occurred due to a default within the bag. In order to claim compensation, you must submit a written request within seven days of your flight.

In the U.S., airlines must repair or reimburse damaged luggage so long as it’s evident that the damage was the airline’s fault and occurred during transit; if the damage cannot be repaired, the airline will negotiate compensation. U.S. airlines can opt not to reimburse you for damaged items in your luggage, such as high-cost valuables, fragile items, etc.

For damaged luggage, it is worth considering just how bad the damage is. If you’re still able to use the luggage, you may not find that the hassle of filing a claim and dealing with the airline’s sometimes difficult claims department is worth your energy or time.

Need more travel tips and help?

Check out the JTB Business Travel Waypoint blog for more, with guides on everything from the right bag to pack for your trip to the best travel credit cards for bag delays.