We’ve given recommendation relating to delayed baggage and proceed to obtain messages from readers about what they need to do on the vacation spot when there isn’t any concept when they are going to see their checked baggage once more. Airways normally give none, little or no, flawed, or downright incorrect recommendation on what they’re obliged to compensate in case of delayed baggage (preserve these receipts!)
I’ve by no means had my baggage utterly misplaced, but it surely as soon as took Air Canada six weeks to reunite them with me once I was on an around-the-world journey. I wrote final 12 months a few compensation expertise with one other delayed Air France baggage case that they managed to ship to Marseille once I flew to Barcelona and continued to Mexico Metropolis (learn extra right here).
My Recommendation What To Do When Baggage Is Delayed & Misplaced:
My Recommendation Concerning Delayed & Misplaced Baggage
Air France Helsinki – Paris – Tokyo Baggage
I’m not certain what’s going on with Air France, Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, and delayed baggage, as mine was left behind the opposite week once I was flying from Helsinki to Tokyo Haneda with them.
I wrote about my expertise of redeeming 4 completely different awards from completely different packages for this journey:
Award Success: 4 Enterprise Awards On Air France, ANA, Cathay Pacific & Gulf Air
The flight from Helsinki to Paris was barely delayed, and the connection would have been tight if the CDG-HND flight had been on time. The flight to Tokyo, nevertheless, was delayed, and the connecting time was greater than two hours.
Upon arriving at Haneda and making my strategy to the bags corridor, the Apple AirTags indicated that my baggage had been nonetheless in Paris.
There have been Swissport staff by the belt, and I requested if my baggage was on the flight and noticed my title on their record, which means they obtained advance discover of luggage left in Paris however made no bulletins upon arrival.
They claimed that solely one of many baggage can be in Paris, however they realized this was not the case once they had been each fortunately pinging six thousand miles away.
I used to be then requested to fill out a kind they might later kind into the luggage system and e-mail me.
I stated no and demanded that we do the Property Irregularity Report (PIR) on the airport in order that I might be sure that the knowledge was appropriate.
The shape that they gave was for baggage harm and pilferage.
A couple of different passengers had been fortunately filling out these kinds, however we finally made our strategy to the Swissport’s arrival baggage desk, the place the agent took my data and made the correct report.
Keep in mind to concentrate that the baggage tag numbers and your data are appropriate. You later want to make use of the file quantity to replace and observe your bag’s whereabouts on WorldTracer.
There was no level making an attempt to get re-united with the luggage in Tokyo, as I’d be there only for 36 hours. I requested that Air France delivers the luggage to the Regent Hong Kong, the place I’d be for 4 nights.
The agent made a mistake and enter the Regent Hong Kong as my everlasting tackle and never because the supply one, which I didn’t catch on the time and certain delayed the supply by a few days.
I obtained an e-mail from Air France that there had been a baggage meltdown in CDG, and plenty of baggage had been delayed.
There was quickly a notice on the file that the luggage had been placed on a flight two days later and would arrive in Tokyo on Friday, once I would already be in Hong Kong.
Later, they despatched a message by way of the Air France app.
Hong Kong
I visited the baggage desk on the Hong Kong Airport’s arrivals corridor and spoke with Air France’s brokers in regards to the baggage supply, they usually famous the knowledge.
This was on Friday, and I believed I’d get the luggage on Saturday, because the Air France flight lands so late in Haneda that there aren’t any speedy same-day connections.
The AirTags indicated on Saturday that the luggage had arrived at Haneda, however there was no replace from Swissport about what flight they might put them on to get them to Hong Kong.
Sebastian sprung to motion and emailed the Air France and Swissports Tokyo/Haneda station managers to seek out out the luggage’ standing, they usually ensured that they might quickly be placed on a flight to Hong Kong.
This was late Sunday, and I believed that these baggage can be unlikely to be re-united with me whereas I used to be in Hong Kong, so I made a decision to replace the WorldTracer file with the supply addresses in Bangkok, the place I used to be headed subsequent.
On Monday, Sebastian despatched one other e-mail to Air France & Swissport to inquire in regards to the baggage’ standing as a result of, per the AirTags, they hadn’t moved in any respect since arriving in Japan. The luggage’ standing was up to date each couple of minutes, in order that they weren’t in a distant place.
Swissport then replied that they might be on a flight to Bangkok on Tuesday, solely to observe up and ask for a screenshot the place Apple indicated the luggage had been. It was apparent that they’d no concept of the luggage’ location.
I took one other screenshot, and it was despatched to Swissport Haneda.
Bangkok
Within the meantime, upon arrival, I visited the bags service desk in Suvarnabhumi’s Arrivals Corridor, and plainly the BFS (Bangkok Flight Companies) handles Air France’s delayed baggage in Bangkok. They’d a have a look at the case, and I used to be quickly on my means.
Swissport replied just a few hours later that the luggage can be on their strategy to Bangkok on Wednesday, every week later than I ought to have obtained them within the first place.
The luggage arrived in Bangkok round 5 AM.
The luggage arrived in Bangkok very early Wednesday, but it surely took till the afternoon earlier than their supply service obtained them to the Grand Hyatt Erawan.
Nothing was lacking.
My earlier Compensation Clinic-series case with Air France and delayed baggage:
Compensation Clinic: Air France Delayed Baggage
Conclusion
Plainly Air France and Charles de Gaulle are black holes relating to checked baggage. At the very least three different individuals had been on the identical flight from Helsinki to Haneda with a connection in Paris that had been lacking their baggage.
The Swissport’s agent in Haneda ought to have put Regent Hong Kong because the supply and never the everlasting tackle, after which there may need been a slight probability that Air France would have observed this and despatched the luggage to Hong Kong as an alternative of Haneda. That being stated, Swissport’s operations at Haneda are chaotic. Often, Japanese companies and operations run very easily, however that’s not the case with this ground-handling firm.
It was fairly telling that they requested for the screenshot from Apple to see the place the luggage on the airport had been. These Airtags are nice for monitoring your baggage’ whereabouts, and in case they’re delayed, you may get an concept of the earliest time you get re-united with them. I believed that, realistically, it might be two to a few days earlier than I get the luggage, however every week?
We regularly get messages from readers who ask what they need to do in case of delayed baggage. I at all times inform them to go on with their enterprise, purchase no matter they fairly want, and later declare these bills from the airline and/or journey insurance coverage.
Final time my declare with Air France was roughly 1,200 Euros that they paid with out saying a phrase. This time the bills are extra, however I can even declare 800 Euros from the journey insurance coverage supplied by Amex if AF doesn’t reimburse every thing.
However that shall be a Compensation Clinic case as soon as settled and cost has been obtained.
