Travel Delays Germany
My luggage has been delayed at the airport by 18 hours.?
I arrived in Germany yesterday for a meeting today and my luggage has not arrived yet. Today I must go to a meeting but now I have to dash out and buy a suit, tie, shirt and shoes as what I travelled in, jeans and polo shirt are not appropriate. Can I claim for these items as they are in my cases?
That is what (good) travel insurance is for !
and then they can worry about claiming from the airline on your behalf to recoup their losses.
It is frustrating.. but don't get distracted by the event...
I have arrived on a 'day' trip without my things before... on a 3hrs delay (to keep it under the claim time)
for now..
- focus on the work/what is to be presented rather than the clothes..
- be confident that the business (if no one else) will pay out if it can genuinely be justified.
and be realistic..
everyone in business has travelled and lost things at one time or another so it would be understood if you were less than perfectly presented.. Even a plain Tee shirt might not be so unacceptable if it were fastest to find (can you find one with a tie already printed on it 
).
Consider also
if it was so business critical, then your business would happily pay for those items (forget/cheaper than the cost of your time in claiming)
So ultimately/more simply, your business should /will pay as a business essential, part of the losses that happen (and small percentage compared to the rest of the trip costs !). If they wont.. then clearly your clothes were not that important to the presentation at the meeting....nor the meeting ?
Doing it yourself/your time...
----------------------------------------
There are international claim minimums (esp in the EU)
The airline will always (as a business) try to fob you off with none/a minimum sum.
But I have never known anyone be refused payment against reciepts (and even without sometimes) for 'reasonable' losses. You had a need, provided you took reasonable steps (did not hire/buy top quality where OK would do etc) you can expect a polite but firm letter of complaint to work wonders.
In theory, if they do pay out, you should be asked to hand over the 'temporary need' items, that the airline has paid for, as you should not be profiting from the incident (be paid for, and keep the now extra items), again another reason for not buying excessively.
You do have to get a claim No before you leave the airport baggage area
so I hope you got that...
being very last approach...
Can the airline get you bags to you at the meeting place ?
that you could change there in time .... but yep a risk....
In the Future (painful lesson learnt)
- always have a clean minimum of acceptable clothes (and shaver) in your hand baggage !
- ensure you have/know where the trip insurance is comming from
Airline compensation is a backup not the primary support.
so perhaps..
- think insurance (and business insurance 'expense'/payout)
Good luck with your meeting..
Snow sparks travel chaos in Europe