Lost luggage, British Air/Aer Lingus

Wow - I know losing luggage is generally rare, but you have just reinforced my 'carry on only' philosophy when going to a destination - we check a bag on the way home...because if they lose my dirty t-shirts and undies and toiletries, no probs...I can't imagine going a whole holiday without my stuff!

So sorry you had to endure this at a time of sorrow. Once again a case for carry on only.

The company that operates World Tracer System claims that the number of bags lost, stolen or damaged are about 0.7% of the total, but this is still 23.1 million in total.

Around 6 per cent are never re-united with their owners and end up in blind auctions.

Wow, this is really inexcusable! The airline should have have bent over backward to make things right during your stay (or as right as possible--sadly nothing could replace the photos). I'm so sorry--for your loss and for all the added stress you had to endure!

Nothing like getting hit when you're down! Losing your mother is bad enough without having to be treated so dismissively by an airline which so gladly accepted your money. I hope the pictures were salvageable.

Of all the airlines I've used to cross the Atlantic (American, Virgin, United, Open Skies, British Airways, Iberia), British Airways is my least favorite with the others in a tie for first.

This sad tale reconfirms the strategy which I read somewhere (here?) and adopted some years ago. For many reasons, I don't do carry-on only; however, all electronics including chargers, all meds, a change of underwear, sleepwear, and at least one change of clothes go in my carry-on bag. If I were going to a special event, I would include apprpriate clothes and shoes, as well.

I think a factor may be that you switched carriers in London, and that can be a problem, especially at a mega-airport like Heathrow. I was wondering why you did not just take the Aer Lingus connection in Dublin to Dulles, but perhaps on such short notice it was not available, at least for a decent price.

Sam - and others -

I didn't take Aer Lingus from Dublin for 2 reasons. 1) it was much more expensive and 2) living in a small village on the Ring of \kerry with one bus ( at 7:00 am) leaving from Cork or Dublin means a long journey and an overnight stay before the flight! So taking Britisih Air affiliates from Killarney means, yes, an overnight stay before the flight, but only a 55 mile journey to that Kerry Airport!

I did try to take WOW Airlines, which would have been much, much cheaper, but the nearest airport they fly into was 5+ hours from my destination in the usa, so I went with British Air.

Have any of you heard of the new phrase ABBA? Anybody but British Air..... ;-)

On another note, I heard from Ba that - get this - Twitter/Social media reps are on 24 hours; Customer Service and reservations are not!!! So if you want action, tweet tweet tweet!!

Susan
Waterville,

Susan,

This happened to me this summer. I was scheduled to fly into Dublin on AA from Chicago with a connection in Philadelphia. I had planned on taking carry on - but at the last minute decided to check luggage. This was a huge mistake! Our flight from Chicago had mechanical issues so all had to disembark and re-book flights. We got the last flight out from Chicago to Heathrow with a connection the following day into Dublin on British Airways. As I was running to the gate, I knew right then our luggage would not make the transfer. At Heathrow we landed the weekend of the British Airways IT meltdown. It was insane! We attempted to find our luggage in the madness, but to no avail. (I have never seen so many stranded suite cases in my life). However, good news, our flight to Dublin was not cancelled but delayed, then delayed again. We sat and waited 8 more hours (longer than the flight over the Atlantic) and finally the flight was cancelled. We were told to leave the airport but as we were AA passengers we were allowed to go into Terminal 3 and re-book. A long story, but we never made it to Dublin and ended up staying in England the entire time. During the week, we got some friendly phone calls from Dublin who now had our luggage. (it made it to its final destination). A very nice man at Dublin quickly sent the luggage back to Heathrow on Aer Lingus. We had the flight number and promised it would be sent out right away. Several days later, Heathrow informed us they had the luggage but we would need to fill out the customs forms for it to be released. (we promptly did this and emailed immediately back). Then no more news of the luggage for a few more days. By this time it was the end of our trip! I arrived back at Heathrow to get on my return flight to Chicago (10 days later). I had to go through all kinds of security to go to the AA baggage desk (its in the arrival lounge and we were obviously now in the departure lounge). I was told they didn't have the luggage but would send someone to look for it. Needless to say, I got on the plane and left without it. Heathrow finally called the follow day and told me it was somewhere in Missouri. A man drove to my house at 11:30 pm at night with my luggage. My friends never did get her luggage back. Lots of phone calls and paper-work later we did get some money back from American and thankfully our Travel Insurance (Travel Guard were wonderful). I will NEVER check luggage again after this craziness. I am so sorry you had to deal with this on your mother's funeral. It was more stressful than I thought it would be and was a cloud over the entire vacation. Buying clothes is not what you want to do on vacation and you just don't buy much in case it may show up the following day. BTW British Airways were the only company that did not give us compensation. Even a small token would have been nice.

Margaret

Susan - I'm so sorry you went through that -- stressful and annoying at any time, but a million times more so when you're traveling for your mother's funeral. It's inexcusable that BA hasn't taken better care of you.

I'm sorry for your loss.

Rotten luck or what sorry to read this. Hope you get compensated for the damaged items and arseing about you have had to endure

Well, there are certainly lots of nightmare stories out there! I have been interviewed for a business article as the case continues. Now they say they never got my receipts, etc. Though when I contacted them a few months ago, they never told me THEN that they didn't get the paperwork!!

Unfortunately I have to fly them again next month for my mom's burial! (Arlington Cemetery has quite the wait....). I just had to, no matter how much I can't stand them, because BA was 670, American was 2,100, and Aer Lingus was 900 euros respectively. So this time i'm carrying the GPS, american cell phone, and camera chargers with me! (not easy getting over a broken shoulder!). Now I know why my twin sister wears 3 shirts and 3 pairs of pants when she flies....but then, she lives in hawaii!!! :-)

Susan

I've never ever had a problem with BA. It seems all these complaints involved another carrier as well, but it is BA's fault. Not sure I understand that...except for the IT breakdown, but that is a different issue. Changing carriers likely requires more transfer time. Was the bag distinctive? Was it marked properly at check in? Two hours for bag to change airlines would seem bit tight, IMO, at an airport as huge as heathrow. Never put anything absolutely required on arrival in a checked bag; i.e., all electronics, meds, keys, etc and one change of clothes goes in the personal item brought onto the airplane. Maybe in my next 63 years, if my bag gets lost, I'll have another opinion...but for now, no. Sometimes what we fear the most comes true. I don't fear lost luggage... ;)

Baggage handlers at fault who are normally employed by a 3rd party not by the airline.