Have your luggage ever been lost on a long haul flight ?

1. 69

   itakinsposted 12 years ago

   Have your luggage ever been lost on a long haul flight ?
   
   How did you cope, and how helpful was the airline to you.?

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2. 58

   tarajeyaramposted 12 years ago

   I lost my luggage with continental airlines twice.  However, they found it for me after couple of days.  You need to file a case with them - at least that is what I remember.  After that experience, I try not to put valuable items in the luggage.  I carry all my valuable items in the carry on.  This way if the luggage is lost, I won't have to worry as much as would otherwise.  I am curious to see what others have to say about their experience.  It is difficult to deal with the airline staffs.

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3. 61

   Carly Wyattposted 12 years ago

   Twice.  The first time a laptop bag didn't make it from Baku to London.  I know, who checks a laptop bag right?  That would be my first response upon reading that first sentence.  Let's just say men with rifles standing behind the airline clerk telling me I can't take the bag into the cabi, are intimidating, and convincing.  Just to add salt to the wound - I was flying business class.
   
   The second time, a bag filled with Christmas gifts for my niece and nephew went missing when transferring at LAX to an international flight.
   
   Neither time did the bag containing my underwear go missing.
   
   Both airlines took details of the lost luggage then gave me the run around over compensation for the loss.  My recommendation - be persistent, but don't expect to get you compensation quickly.

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4. 69

   larcaustin46posted 12 years ago

   My luggage has never been lost, but twice I've traveled with someone who had this happen.  The first time, it was a member of the high school choir I was touring with--his suitcase with all his clothes and concert costumes didn't make it to Europe with the rest of us, and so none of us wore our costumes the first half of the trip--and they took up a lot of room!  The Belgian airline Sabena took a week and a half to get the luggage to our group--partly because they couldn't find it, then they couldn't find us--we were touring!
   
   The second time, my husband's luggage didn't arrive in Hawaii with us for a sales conference, but American found it quickly and brought it to the hotel within 24 hours.

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5. 93

   puter_drposted 12 years ago

   I don't know if this is considered long haul or not, but on a flight from Orlando to San Jose, I arrived and went to baggage claim, and no bags, Talked to the counter folks, and their attitude was "Well, if it isn't here, it isn't here" I got to where I was staying and called the airline, and they told me that they were searching the system for my bags and keep checking in. About 2 days later, my bags were found halfway across the country and returned to me. After that experience, I always have what I truly need in my carry-on.

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6. 61

   Lukymanposted 12 years ago

   I have had my luggage lost on several occasions.  Some going to a destination, (fortunately my bags were delivered to my hotel within 24 hours), and once on the way from Kodiak Alaska to Philadelphia.  In that case, I had checked in at the airport in Kodiak, with a duffel bag, fishing rod tube, and two 70 Lb boxes of fish (this was before airlines imposed stringent baggage restrictions).  The plane was a turbo prop model and was filled.  When I got to the Anchorage airport at midnight, low and behold only the fish made it on the plane.
   I always carry on a basic kit with all my medicines, and an emergency travel kit (for longer or connecting flights).  This kit consists of the basics, deodorant, hair brush and a change of underclothes.  In this case I had a seven hour lay over, and been living on a fishing boat for the past week.  With hotels expensive and rooms scarce, I chose the cheapest available "Wee'll leave the light on for ya" hotel that would pick me up at the airport at midnight, and take me back to the airport at six thirty.
   Alaskan Air eventually got my bags back to me (took almost two weeks), and I had to drive to the airport to get them.  Oh by the way Anchorage airport has a cold storage locker in the airport, so the fish remained frozen.

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7. 80

   Judah's Daughterposted 12 years ago

   I was married at 18 and had my first baby.  My husband was stationed overseas during my pregnancy and I had to have our baby without him.  Just four weeks later I was approved to join him in Incirlik, Turkey.  I'd never been on a plane before so this was quite an adventure.  Sure enough, I got to my first landing inTurkey where they said my luggage had been lost.  I wansn't going to stay behind in this foreign place so young with an infant, so I proceeded to Adana.  A couple of weeks later, my husband, the baby and I, along with some friends went to the airport in Adana to have a nice dinner.  We were walking down some stairs, and just at the base of the stairs was a luggage belt...and guess what?  My luggage was coming through at just that moment!!  God is so good!

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