Air New Zealand passengers arriving in Rarotonga with missing checked bags are advised to inform the airline’s team as soon as possible.

Air NZ country manager Adrienne Hosking-Tinirau made the plea following reports of some visitors and returning Cook Islanders having missing luggage upon arrival to Rarotonga

“If a customer’s checked bag doesn’t arrive, it is important they report it to our team as quickly as possible so we can begin the process to track it down,” Hosking-Tinirau said.

“If baggage has been mishandled, our team will work hard behind the scenes to reunite customers with their bags as quickly as possible.”

Hosking-Tinirau noted that in 2023, Air New Zealand launched a baggage tracking feature in the app. This allows customers to follow their bag’s last recorded status throughout its journey, from airport processing to aircraft loading and final arrival at its destination.

She emphasised that the feature gives customers both peace of mind knowing their baggage is on the journey and the ability to report it missing in the rare event it takes a detour.

“We recommend customers download our app to track their baggage when flying with us,” Hosking-Tinirau said.

“We also work closely with airport authorities to ensure security measures are in place to protect customers’ items once delivered to the baggage carousel.

“We encourage passengers to remain vigilant and keep a close eye out for their baggage on arrival.”

Air New Zealand says it’s important to note that if a customer’s bag has made it to the airport on the baggage belt and then goes missing, the customer will need to contact the relevant airport company to resolve the issue.

“We’d also like to remind customers that it is their responsibility to ensure they are collecting the correct bag from the baggage carousel,” Hosking-Tinirau said.

Airport Authority Cook Islands chief executive officer Nikau Tangaroa said that the airline is responsible for any missing baggage from the aircraft

“We (AACI) provide the infrastructure to support the airline operations. We also have security cameras installed around the airport which operate 24/7 recording every movement,” Tangaroa said.

“Suggestion is for the passengers to engage with the airline or ground handlers for the airlines first. We (AACI) do offer support to airlines to investigate missing items.”