Delayed baggage on return flight - replacing my makeup

[LilyWatermelon]

My baggage has gone missing on a flight home (yesterday) and no sign of it yet. Stupidly, for once I had put my makeup bag in the case instead of in my hand luggage so I need to buy new makeup before I return to work tomorrow.

I spoke to the airline and they confirmed I can do this as long as I keep and submit receipts but while I don’t wear a lot of makeup, the stuff I have is mostly decent quality. As such, I am wondering if they will reimburse the cost of my Dior eyeshadow quad, Chanel highlighter, Hourglass mascara etc?

I'm not planning to take the piss - I just want the stuff I usually use.

I’ve been reading that some airlines can be very tricky with delayed baggage on the home journey as they’ll say I would have stuff at home anyway but that’s not the case - I only have one makeup bag.

I called to check and they said to buy what I need and keep the receipts, but I wondered if anyone has any experience of this?

thanks

Did you ask them about the specifics of the sort of range you buy? We can’t really help, especially as you haven’t even named the airline.
Call them back and ask.

I mean, do you really 'need' that absolutely right now? If you dont want to risk being possibly out of pocket, why not just manage for a few days with cheaper brands. Make up isn't really a big deal to me so I wouldn't be rushing out to spend £££ but thats me.

I would give it a week or two to turn up. You don't need make up, let alone expensive stuff, just do without for a few days.
If it's truly lost then I guess your insurance will cover it.

I have no idea how much your makeup would cost, but perhaps they would just give you a percentage if your chosen brands are far more expensive than everyday brands? I only wear make up for special occasions, and then only from somewhere like Boots, so have no idea what your preferred items would cost.

I would just go to work with no make up? Is that impossible?

What airline is it? BA refunded me a suit, make up, toiletries, underwear and some basic jewellery when they lost my bag en route to an important business trip. They didn’t ask for any proof that a business meeting was actually the reason for travel. In your situation I’d probably make do though, since it was on the way home.

Our American flight lost our bags for a week, they were pretty good about replacing eg 7 pairs of underwear.
expensive makeup designed to last eg 3 months of daily wear, I’d only expect a contribution too tbh. I’d probably buy some travel sized bottles etc.

If this is stuff you would buy anyway if they don't reimburse you fully I guess you haven't lost money as such.

It depends if you want to risk it or just get some max factor for a few days and be fairly sure you'll get the ££ back. They should have been a bit more explicit on the phone emg. 'we pay up to £20 for replacement toiletries' could you call & ask or is that a PITA?

I'm the same though - I wouldn't want to go to work leading meetings and presenting without makeup on. I'd quite like to feel confident and groomed at work.

Makeup takes ages to go off, so won't you use it anyway when your current tubes run out? You're not spending extra, just spending it earlier than expected.

Thanks all. This wasn’t really intended to be a debate about wearing makeup but for what it’s worth, I have something very high profile for work in the next couple of days where it’s not unreasonable of me to want to look my best, particularly as I’ll be addressing a large audience.

Thanks for the comments. I was really just looking to find out if anyone else has been in a similar situation and what their experience was.

I have experience of this from TUI a few years ago and after being advised to submit receipts for items in a case that didn’t show on a homeward bound flight was later informed (after spending &) that actually they don’t reimburse for items lost on way home.

Oir case did in fact materialise after about 6 weeks however had been opened and the contents tampered with (I’m a very neat and particular packer so could tell immediately) including toiletry bags ripped out of the carrier bags I always place them in to guard against leaks. A bottle of DH very expensive aftershave was missing.

I did complain about the theft and they tried to fob me off with a voucher towards my next holiday with them 😳 and I refused and requested they pay me the cash instead which they did.

Isn't it a fixed amount of money for delayed baggage?

So it wouldn't matter what you bought they're supposed to give you a specific amount I thought, but maybe it depends on the airline

This happened to my auntie just recently with virgin. She was allowed a certain amount of money a day until her luggage arrived I think.

But she was away, not at home which is probably a crucial difference. Her bag turned up a day and a half later.

I got an electric toothbrush refunded by BA when my suitcase went missing. It was the one thing I really couldn't live without!

They may well find your bag! They usually do, has happened to me twice x

If you are in the Uk check your insurance policy. Most do not cover delayed baggage on the return flight. The airline may have the same stance

Id buy what you want, submit the receipts, and see what happens. Hopefully you have enough cash to fund this temporarily.
Worst case, they dont refund, and you have your next bottle available.
Best case, they pay it all and the case turns up.

Imagine if you buy the cheap stuff, they loose the case, and only repay the costs of the cheap replacements!

If it turns up and they don't reimburse, you'll just have extra make up, that you'll have bought anyway and use up in the next few months, so you're no worse off.

If it doesn't turn up and they don't reimburse because there's a limit to what they payout (presumably if you wear designer make up, your clothes are also expensive?) then will your travel or house insurance cover it? I'm sure I've read about celebrities with expensive possessions getting into arguments with airlines because there's a low, per kilo, limit on what they pay out and they don't seem to care whether you've a Primark bag with Primark clothes or designer bag full of designer clothes and accessories etc.

Thanks again everyone. I’m not talking about celebrity levels of high value items - just specific makeup items from Chanel/ Hourglass etc rather than Rimmel. and only for brilliant products, so expensive individual makeup items doesn’t mean I walk around wearing designer clobber 😂.

I’ve been told by the airline - Lufthansa - that they do reimburse essential items on the return journey (apparently the UK is one of three specific countries where this is the case under the Montreal Convention) so it’s just a case of whether they will reimburse on a like for like basis.

if the case doesn’t turn up later and I have to claim compensation, I don’t want to have bought cheap now only to have to fork out again later when I may not get the full total due.

i have good travel insurance but they look to the airline to cover this stuff in the first instance.

I’ll see how it goes!

I wish you luck with arguing that a Dior eyeshadow quad and Chanel highlighter are essential items.

I think they mean pants.

I had this with BA but on the way out to holiday and they refunded everything without a quibble - i spent about £100 in sephora on makeup, bought levis to wear etc and it wasnt a problem

I think you need to go back and ask them uf they'll reimburse you on a like for like basis. If not, and makeup is absolutely essential, just accept you need to buy something less expensive.

One thing I would say is you don't need makeup for important work functions. As long as you and your clothes are clean, no one is going to think any less of you if you're not wearing makeup.

In my experience with scheduled airlines, not Lufthansa but BA, Malaysia airlines, Finnair etc, lost luggage has always turned up very quickly, usually the next day. I wouldn't buy anything to replace the make-up until Sunday.

@LilyWatermelon not make up, but our bags were lost on the outgoing trip of our holiday last year. I asked a similar question about swimming costumes and suncream and got similar responses to yours! We bought them anyway and claimed. Ryanair reimbursed in full. No discussion at all. So although not as essential as underwear and toothpaste, they were important for our holiday. I drew the line at the hiking boots we also didn't have.

@LilyWatermelon worse case scenario they refuse the claim and you are better stocked for the future. For your job this does seem pretty essential. Keep those emails as proof of discussion and let us know how you get on.
If there are daily flights you might get it back tomorrow.