I got to San Francisco airport at 2pm to find it had been canceled altogether.

“Oh, that flight’s been canceled,” announced the man who I was trying to give my check-in luggage to. “You’ll have to change your flight at the ticket machine.”

The ticket machine said that no flight would be available until tomorrow. “But I have to fly today,” I told the machine, realizing I was talking to a machine but struggling to follow my own advice on this blog by remaining Zen and avoiding Airport Rage.

Then a lady shouted, “Anyone with a canceled flight should line up at Desk 16!” Trouble was, the line didn’t move. There was a long queue and one person at the counter who couldn’t do anything.

People were getting angry. Some seemed to have Tourette’s. They all complained to each other how inconvenient all this was and how their situation was more pressing than everyone else’s. “I have to be there,” they said simply.

Soon the cellphones came out. “Agent! Yes! I want to talk to a person!” they cried to the United answer service. “I have to be there,” some said simply. Some made it on to other airlines and flights, and passed on details like betters with inside tips. “Try Delta… I made the 6.15.”

Other people got disconnected and transfered to other operators who were confused. There were some tears. Those who made it to the front counter were raising their voices to dangerous levels.

Luckily I made it to another airline, but my ticket looked strange, like it had been booked at the last minute. I was treated with deep suspicion. Mysterious symbols were scrawled on my ticket in red. I was told to wait behind a fence. My laptop was swabbed and I was ordered to step into the Explosives Check Machine, which hissed air at me.

The flight left three hours later, but I could still make my transfer in LA. However, upon arrival I encountered a two-hour check-in queue. There were two staff to check in hundreds of people on two Air New Zealand flights, although they had devoted three staff for the Business Class lines. People’s Tourette’s sprang up again. “This is a SHIT service!” blustered the man in front of me. I hung my head, ashamed of my national airline and dog tired of airport gloom.

Somehow we shuffled forward one by one, then ran like athletes and made it onto the flight. We took off at 10pm Sunday night, Monday lasted 30 seconds as we crossed time zones heading west, and we landed at 6am Tuesday, stiff-legged and lugging our cases out into the crisp, early morning sunshine. Free again.

If you’ve been on a plane more than once, chances are your luggage has been ‘misplaced’ at some point.

In the grand scheme of things, lost luggage is not a tragedy. But after a butt-numbing 20 hours in a plane (New Zealand to the UK, for example), you’re desperate for a shower and change of clothes. Not to mention exiting Heathrow as quickly as possible, and not filling out Lost Luggage forms while weeping into your itinerary.

Luggage goes missing for a variety of reasons: the airline misplaces it, someone mistakes it for their bag, or it falls off a trolley or luggage belt. Generally you won’t have to wait too long to get it back.

Preventing Lost Luggage Stress

• Buy a distinctive suitcase. I have pink. No one touches it. My black one used to go walkabout all the time…
• Don’t over-pack or check in luggage that is broken or worn. Check for loose straps etc that could get snagged on things.
• Label your luggage. Clear contact details. Put stickers all over it.
• Avoid checking in luggage if possible. If it’s a short trip, consider a carry-on bag only. Skip the queues.
• Hold onto your checked luggage ID tag. It’s usually a sticker on your ticket/boarding pass.
• Have travel insurance.
• Don’t pack precious items. Carry them!
• When picking up your luggage, hover near the beginning of the carousel. Sometimes bags fall off. Sometimes people let them.

When Your Luggage is Lost…

• Don’t panic. Most luggage turns up within 24 hours. Report the loss to the airline at the baggage terminal immediately, before you leave the airport. Fill in the forms with clear contact details and a clear description of the lost bag and its contents.
• If your luggage is damaged, most airlines will compensate you. Follow the process above.

Related Reading

• Lost luggage airline stats. It’s really not too bad. But to prevent any kind of delay or damage, I still recommend my tips above.

But there are ways to pass the time more enjoyably.

• Get access to airport lounges via club memberships
• Find a great book. You’ll be so absorbed you’ll forget your surroundings
• Surf wi-fi via your laptop, watch movies on your PlayStation Portable, or play with your new iPhone
• Listen to the announcements – you never know what you might hear
• Browse the shops and find the silliest souvenir
• Read the paper and catch up on the day’s news
• Chat to the person waiting next to you, if they want to be chatted to
• Enjoy one of the rare times when it’s acceptable to do nothing. Reflect on the miracle of air travel

Don’t:

• Lose track of time or forget your passport and ticket
• Forget to label your luggage, especially if it’s black like everyone else’s
• Freak out when your flight’s delayed. Happens all the time. Be Zen about it

Related Sites:

Sleeping at airports – When your flight’s delayed and you gotta stay, be prepared

How to kill time at airports from eHow, with user comments below

Got kids? Use some fun airport activities

How do you make airport waits bearable?