LOST AND FOUND

  
  We have  two pieces  of  information associated  with baggage: one good  and  one bad. Let’s  start  with the  bad one: sometimes  luggage  gets  lost  en  route  for a variety  of reasons. Sometimes  the  passenger  has to  change  planes  several  times  whereupon  the  chances  of  losing baggage  increase. There is  no need to describe  everything  that a piece  of  luggage  has to  pass through;  suffice  it to note  that apart from technical circumstances  there is the human factor, so  you cannot possibly insure yourself against  all kinds of contingencies.

  Now  the good news: airports  operate a Lost & Found facility. If you  happen  to  lose your  luggage  your  search should  commence  from  there. The  Lost  & Found  service  at  the Zvartnots  international  airport performs  its  functions  outstandingly. A  link between  the passenger  and the carrier, the Lost & Found  carries out its obligations  in conformance  with prior  arrangements  between  the airport  and  the air  companies.

Passengers  must pay  attention  during  the check-in as to have the right tag numbers  stuck to their luggage to avoid further mix-up.

   Though it looks  simple from  the outside, this  service area in  fact  represents  a quite  complicated  mechanism  set  in motion  by  World-Tracer, a  luggage  tracing  program  reminiscent  of  an internet. It  enables exchange  of  information  on misplaced  baggage  among  the Lost  & Found  service  at all the airports of the world.

   It is worth pointing  out that unlike  other  airports, Zvartnots  is very  consistent  with regard  to the so-called “ baggage”,  which nearly  eliminates  any possibility  of  a passenger  walking  out  with  someone  else’s  luggage.

  What should  be done  if your  plane lands  and  your luggage does  not appear on the band?  Immediately contact the Lost & Found.

  The staff  will enter your data  including  your name,  your carrier,  your flight number and the  tag number of  your  item. Passengers must pay attention during  the  check-in  as  to have   the right tag  numbers  stuck  to their  luggage  to avoid  further  mix-up.  The Lost  &  Fund’s  staff  will show you photographs of travel  cases  to  identify  the   type  of  your  suitcase. The brand,  the  model, the size,  the color  and the types  of  the handles  and locks  are  registered  under  corresponding codes. After recording   all the  information, a  “ dossier”  of your  lost  item  is created  with  its identification  number  consisting  of ten  characters  ( five  letters  and five  digits). The first  three letters  are  constant, “evn”  meaning  Yerevan, the two  successive  numbers  stand  for  the carrier  and the selection  of the  further  digits is optional.  

  The process  becomes  more  complicated  when there is no tag number  on the luggage. In such instances  the passenger  is required  to  describe  in detail the contents  of the bag. It is important  to provide the most useful information,  for instance an exceptional item in the case  or something notable  in the pocket. Do not deliberate as to what  color your trousers or shirts  were because  such items could be found  in any other suitcase.

  Any  luggage item found within the territory of  the airport is  turned  over to the Lost & Found Office to be logged and placed on the World-TRACER  with its ten  digit identification number. If  the tag  is broken,   the staff  has to open the  suitcase  and  record  the contents.

   It is  also  possible  for suitcase  to get damaged during  the baggage  handling at  the airport. Large  suitcases  may fall on smaller  ones, the items may  fall  off the trolley and,  finally, porters  may not be careful in handling. Sometimes passengers  discover  that  some of their items  are missing. In such cases the appropriate  entity to turn to is the Lost & Found, where corresponding logging will be carried out for possible  reimbursement. The damaged  suitcases are  photographed and their  approximate value  is verified (therefore if you are  carrying a newly purchased  suitcase, you’d better keep the receipt).

   Zvartnots  airport’s responsibility  for luggage  tracing expires in five days, following which period the air carrier takes  full responsibility for locating  the lost items. All damages associated  with the luggage are borne by the carrier. Compensation criteria  may  vary depending upon which international air treaty  the given carrier company  is part of.

  Being  informed  means being “ armed”. Nonetheless, we are very hopeful that you never have your luggage never appears  in the Lost & Found stockroom.