Beat the bag blues. Some items should be kept with you on board the aircraft and never stored in the cargo hold. These include cash, credit cards, jewellery, cameras, medicine, personal papers, sentimental items, fragile items or anything difficult to replace.

Carry with you a 24-hour emergency kit that includes toiletries and a change of clothes.

Arrive at check-in early. If the airline has plenty of time to ensure your bags are on the correct flight, obviously there is less chance of it sending them elsewhere.

Label all luggage clearly and ensure contact details are up to date. Buy proper luggage tags rather than relying on airline-supplied tags. Label the inside of baggage as well. When buying a suitcase, choose one with a business card-sized slide-in window.

Keep a copy of your itinerary inside your bag - this will help the airline decide if it should be returned to your home address or a future destination.

Ensure locks and zips are not worn or broken.

Have a list of the contents to assist airlines if the luggage gets lost.

Identify your luggage with stickers or ribbons to prevent a mix-up with other bags.

Watch the check-in staff. Has the correct destination label been attached to your bag?

Make sure you receive baggage stubs for each item and keep them with you. The barcodes might prove crucial in locating lost luggage.

If your luggage does not appear at the baggage claim area, find an airline representative immediately. Check it has not been placed on another flight arriving at a different time because of weight restrictions on your plane.

Never leave the airport without first completing the relevant paperwork. Give as much detail as possible and make sure you have contact details for the airline's luggage officer. Make sure it has your contact details.

Contact the airline every day until the luggage is found. Call the airline's office back home to see if it can help - are there language problems?

Ask about a daily allowance from the airline to purchase essential items. Find out about its liability and reimbursement policy on the conditions of carriage before you check in.

Keep all receipts for items bought.

Ensure your travel insurance properly covers lost luggage. Be familiar with your policy and contact the insurer as soon as possible to see if it can help.