Be warned!

[RhondaPerr]

Hi,

 

If you saw my saga, we returned from our Med. cruise 2 weeks ago and my luggage did not follow me. I have easily spent 20 hours in phone calls and emails. The airline had said they found one of my bags, an exact match at Rome untagged, and it was supposed to have been sent to Newark on the 4th of Aug... Well that never happened, and finally today I drove 3 hours round trip to talk to someone face to face.

 

An airline baggage claim person told me that in Rome, there are many unhappy workers, and that they are pulling tags off of bags just to cause trouble, and right now there are anywhere between 3000 and 4000 bags "lost" there. Another person chimed in about London that its even worse there with over 6000 bags lost.

 

I guess the odds caught up with me after 19 cruises and only losing my luggage once and that was for a day...But I have to say if you can up your baggage insurance if you buy travel insurance I wouldn't think twice. What they will give me won't even pay for one suitcase much less two... and how do they put a price on irreplaceable items...a purse from my mom who is gone now, the only comfortable pairs of shoes I have after suffering a nerve problem in my foot, and so much more.

 

I have been given no choice but to put a claim in after 21 days, although they say that they may still find my bags... Its a terrible feeling everytime I go to reach for something and realize I don't have it anymore. So cruisers beware, especially if you are going through Heathrow or Rome...Gatewick apparently is not having as big a problem.

 

Please say a prayer for me to the luggage fairy!

 

Rhonda

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

I really hope you do recover all of your luggage in good condition. I just saw on CNN yesterday that London is losing one out of every ten bags sent through that airport! Italy is listed as the almost as bad. Of course, it does you no good to hear that now after your luggage has disappeared.

[PhoenixCruiser]

Tomorrow will be exactly 12 weeks since American Airlines lost my luggage. Now they have to review and approve or deny my claim. I hope you have better luck than I did :)

 

###

[cb at sea]

Look at it this way--at least you had your things for the cruise! I'd rather lose my stuff coming home, than going on vacation! I know, anyway, it sucks, but your cruise wasn't ruined, at least!

Hope you do get your luggage back intact! Good luck!

[cot427]

I hope you get your bags back. I know if I was in your position, I would be really mad. Good luck!

[shipknotshore]

Hi,

 

An airline baggage claim person told me that in Rome, there are many unhappy workers, and that they are pulling tags off of bags just to cause trouble, and right now there are anywhere between 3000 and 4000 bags "lost" there. Another person chimed in about London that its even worse there with over 6000 bags lost.

Rhonda

 

Geez...what a mean and nasty thing to do.

 

I read on a thread just the other day that someone actually writes their info. with a permanent marker on the outside of their luggage. Let them try to take the "tag" off that one!! I know I always put our info. inside the bag, in an outside pocket, and of course on the luggage tag. What more are we really supposed to do?!?!?

 

I sure hope you, and everyone else that this has happened to, gets their luggage back.

[hylasgirl]

OH CRAP!!! Good luck! I have been wondering about you. That just sucks! Thank you for keeping us all posted though. Education is the only thing we can gain from this it seems! Yeah... how do they replace the stuff that is priceless?? I'm sorry for your loss. I know about those things, and nothing makes it better:(

[winncove]

Really bad situations. We also put name & ship ect outgoing & name & home address incoming inside our bags..but still no guarantee. May start spray painting the bags! Wishing all of you good luck in retrieving the lost pieces! Makes me glad we don't have a TA booked now.

[ShareViews]

Thanks for your warning, RhondaPerr and I hope the matter will be resolved without too much bother. Nasty!!! We travellers are certainly taking a beating - and in so many ways.

 

Yes, your story confirms what an Italian friend quite recently told my wife about suitcases being "lost" at Rome Airport. The airport authorities discovered that the culprits toss the suitcases over to the fence to their partners in crime. And you would think this is happening only in the so-called Third World countries.

 

Ah, human nature!

[BPWJR]

British Airways is having terrible problems as BA put a new baggage system in at Heathrow Airport and the security issues since last summer's liquid bomb threat (why we all to have small bottles these days).

 

Based on published stats most of the major European airlines are losing more bags that US airlines this year.

 

There are actually services you can find on line to ship your luggage (yes, you pay extra) that for now, especially if packing for a week or two might be better options if you want some security

[0ldog]

We place a note in every suitcase that contains our Name & Flight information, itinerary, home, cell phone and RCI contact number.

[swigso]

The sad thing is that there are huge stockpiles of baggage at Heathrow and these are being opened and the contents sold off as they do not have the staff to forward them on to the owners.

It stinks but BAA is being pressured to get its act together.

Another problem is that the staff are mostly poorly educated and don't really care about the job they do.

[whyrlygig]

I am so sorry that you have had to deal with this mess! I have always worried about this type of thing. So much so, that I have learned to be a very light packer and only take carry-ons. No matter how long the trip I avoid checking bags. If it won't fit or if I can't buy it when I get there, I can do without it until I get home.

[wolfcathorse]

With so many bags lost, and if all the owners filed a claim, I wonder if it wouldn't be cheaper for the airline to fly you back to Rome to get your bag yourself!

[GMoney]

Some credit cards still offer lost luggage insurance if you purchased the ticket with their card. It's a long shot, but it might be worth exploring as an option...

[raina*faith]

So sorry about your bags being lost. Hope they come to some conclusion about your reinbursement. :)

[SBDriver]

Whyrlygig,

 

I would love to travel carry on only!. We go everywhere with just a carry on, but this is our first cruise, and I can't figure out how to pack my husbands suit in a carryon. Any tips?

[tomko2]

On Air Canada's website they have a form to print out and put in your particulars then place inside your suitcase. We did this and added the hotels we would be staying at pre and post cruise along with dates and phone numbers, our ship, sailing date and cabin number and a listing of our flights inbound and outbound and finally our home address and phone number. Did a mini version of this on each of our luggage tags.

Since we have done every practical thing (other than carry-on but 19 days on vacation is not going into carry-on for us).

So now I am going to think spiritually, so I am going to the store to buy decals with butterflies on them to place on our luggage. We associate butterflies with my Mom (deceased); we have flown butterfly kites at El Morro in San Juan in memory of Mom and maybe the decals will bring our luggage safely along on the journey. :)

[FlyingPhotog]

Another problem is that the staff are mostly poorly educated and don't really care about the job they do.

 

That is such an ignorant assumption for you to make! :mad: Shame on you.

[karena1]

We place a note in every suitcase that contains our Name & Flight information, itinerary, home, cell phone and RCI contact number.

 

That is a very good idea. Never thought of that before, but think I will put tags inside our bag also from now on. Good advice.

[Barbiegator]

In June Royal Caribbean was great helping us find a bag lost between ship and airport.They have special people hired to help with lost bags. Some disagree with me but we learned the hard way a couple of years ago when we cruised from Venice and our luggage was lost- put your ship tags on bags when leaving home.Hotel names and ship schedule helps also.

[teddybl]

My wife never got her luggage on our cruise on the Brilliance 2 years ago. It was a 12 night Med cruise. British Air however did reimburse us 2900.00 after a battle. My luggage arrived 4 days late. Sure wish they had lost mine than her's.

[fifty]

I have cruise insurance but where do you get baggage insurance for flights?

 

I've never really thought if this before but in light of the OP information, I may do this.

 

Thanks for any info. :confused:

[FlyingPhotog]

I have cruise insurance but where do you get baggage insurance for flights?

 

I've never really thought if this before but in light of the OP information, I may do this.

 

Thanks for any info. :confused:

 

Airlines all give you baggage insurance, it's included in the cost of your fare. The coverage amount is usually up to a couple thousand dollars. You can read the airline's Contract of Carriage for exact amounts and claim policies.

[lurkernomore]

Was at BWI this weekend, and we had to walk from the train to Southwest, which is pretty far down the concourse. My husband and I were amazed at how many unclaimed bags there were. It was scary!