BOSTON -- Planning a trip this summer that involves air travel?

RESOURCES FAA: Travel Tips More About Lost Luggage

NewsCenter 5's Consumer Reporter Susan Wornick said Thursday that federal laws have changed, giving you more passenger power.

The airlines are mishandling more luggage than ever before. In March there were more than 300,000 reports, compared to a little more than 200,000 the year before.

Here are five things to know.

First, get a receipt for your bags. Second, if your bags are lost you have rights of reimbursement. As of last October, the payment per passenger has changed up to $2,800. Payback is only $1,000 per person on international flights.

Third, you should report missing bags immediately. Fourth, get everything in writing -- even the names of employees. Finally, call the airline regularly -- don't wait for its representatives to call you.

The rules are different if an airline simply misplaces your luggage for a period of time.

It won't pay for everything in it, but it may give you money for necessities. You have to ask.

The top three luggage losers in March were some of the most popular airlines.

Delta had nearly 65,000 lost luggage reports, US Airways had 47,000 and American Airlines had about 37,000.