Lost Luggage and British Airways

[KitSileya]

I flew from Dulles to Oslo via Heathrow before the weekend, and due to delays lost my connecting flight at Heathrow - I am still convinced that had they asked the passengers to remain seated and let me off the plane first, I would have made it to the original flight. But fair enough, they had rebooked me on their later flight, and even though that meant that I would lose my train, I managed to book a plane ticket from Oslo to my hometown.

When I arrived in Oslo on that later flight, hideously late again due to weather, I only got 1 of my 2 suitcases. I needed to go through customs before checking in for my onward flight, and so I had absolutely no time to stand in the long, long queue in front of BA’s service partner, Servisair. in Oslo. Nor could I call, as the batteries of my cell phone was nearly dead, and the recharger was…in the suitcase that was lost.

I got my parents to call, which they did, all evening and the next morning, when they finally got through. They did not get a file reference number of the sort you need to trace your lost luggage on BA and Servisair’s websites. WHen I have tried to call to give additional information about my suitcase, I have been put on hold, or even simply told to check the progress (for which you need the file reference/world tracer number!) on their website and disconnected. I have written emails to both British Airways and Servisair without response.

My worry is this, from all sources I have seen on the net, they have huge numbers of luggage lost, and not enough people to deal with it. They spend more effort to minimize their insurance payouts than they do in actually getting the luggage to its rightful owner. They must find it cheaper to just auction of the suitcases at RF Greasbys (greasbys.co.uk) than make sure we get our souvenirs, clothes, gifts etc back. If my hunch is correct, and I do not get my luggage back, I will never fly British Airways after this.

[nosillies]

1. You may have seen this already...

http://www.tripso.com/2007/07/umut.php

If you contact Chris directly, he may be able to assist.

[KitSileya]

2. After spending hideous amounts calling Servisair

I have finally gotten my suitcase back. At first I thought that things had been stolen, since everything was messed about, but it turns out it had just been inspected by the TSA (as had each and every other bag I checked in at an American airport this trip.) I wonder how many bags they select for physical inspection, what the odds are that they chose mine on two different flights (one domestic, one international) if indeed any odds were invovled at all. I realize that I am very lucky in that I got my bag back, but I cannot in good conscience say that all ill will towards the airline and ground service company is now gone. They had appalling customer service, and were very unavailable to disraught customers. I will certainly think more than twice before I use the same airline, and I will not fly through Heathrow unless I hear better things from satisfied customers. They are opening a fifth terminal soon, maybe that will help.