'Luggage, the trials and tribulation of'

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ian16th
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'Luggage, the trials and tribulation of'

#1 Post by ian16th » Tue Jul 02, 2019 1:13 pm

A thread about the happenings of luggage and the handling thereof by Airlines and such.
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Re: 'Luggage, the trials and tribulation of'

#2 Post by Woody » Tue Jul 02, 2019 2:27 pm

I’m going back to Perry Oaks International T3 baggage system on Friday after 3 months off sick :ymdevil:
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Re: 'Luggage, the trials and tribulation of'

#3 Post by llondel » Tue Jul 02, 2019 4:23 pm

The one time ours failed to arrive I learned a lot about how the system works. You file a claim, they enter the bag details into the system. Meanwhile, if a bag shows up somewhere and is not claimed, they enter its details into the system. Until then, they don't actually know where it is. Hopefully at some point the two will match up and they make an effort to get your bag to you. Our three missing bags all turned up overnight on three different flights.

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Re: 'Luggage, the trials and tribulation of'

#4 Post by Pontius Navigator » Tue Jul 02, 2019 10:02 pm

Our missing luggage actually missed the connecting flight ex-wife Copenhagen to Humberside via Amsterdam. It was chauffeured home the next day.

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Re: 'Luggage, the trials and tribulation of'

#5 Post by Undried Plum » Tue Jul 02, 2019 10:25 pm

One of the many times I've lost baggage en route was on a flight from from Thiefrow via Fiumicino to Palermo.

Never see that again, I thought.

One day, about a week later, when I was aboard a ship some two or three dozen miles off the Egadi isles, a wee bumboat came alongside and a swarthy Sicilian bellowed our my name. He had my luggage and did I want to throw him a heaving line?!

Another time, a similar thing happened. This time a flight from Thiefrow to Bombay. I was on a ship thirty or forty miles off the coast of Maharashtra and a similar bumboat came asking for me. They wanted a Rupee for each of the two pieces. I gave 'em ten Rupees.

Another occasion was in Nigeria. I was in the Port Harcourt office of an Anglo Dutch company when someone arrived with my lost baggage from almost a month previously. I was so delighted that I gave the bugger a couple of dozen Naira which was probably a month's pay for him in those days. I shouldn't have bothered. I found that my suitcase contained three housebricks wrapped in some of my own clothes, and nothing else.

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Re: 'Luggage, the trials and tribulation of'

#6 Post by bob2s » Wed Jul 03, 2019 6:02 am

Heading home to Sydney for Christmas from the Solomon Islands,only way out was through Fiji.aircraft late into Fiji meaning I missed the connecting flt. to Sydney.Airline books me into hotel for the night,on arrival at hotel greeted with a message,would I like to go to Sydney on a maintenance flight returning to Sydney in an hour. Yep sez I, enjoyed a pleasant and boozy flight with the cabin crew as I was the only Pax on board.Was paged going thru customs with the unbelievable news that they had left my bloody bag behind!
Ah don't you love Aviation

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Re: 'Luggage, the trials and tribulation of'

#7 Post by ian16th » Wed Jul 03, 2019 9:54 am

Many years ago I invested in good quality Samsonite luggage. I have seen too many soft sided zip-up bags split open on carousels.

One 'rule' that I have fallen victim of are the different rates of compensation paid, for the different classes of ticket.

While travelling on a business class ticket, BA being the carrier of the LIN to LHR leg of a JHB - NCE - LIN - LHR - JHB itinerary, we had to wait an inordinate time for our luggage to arrive on the carousel. When I retrieved my case I saw that there was severe damage around one of the locks. So I promptly present case and self to the BA desk.
The damage to the lock prevented me opening it with the key, so I couldn't say if anything was stolen from the case. After filling in the appropriate paperwork, I departed to my hotel, where I borrowed a screwdriver and got my case open. The good news, the thieves hadn't got into my case and all was well.
But I now couldn't keep my case closed, never mind lock it.
I managed to get said case to BA's approved fixer, in Saville Row, where I had both locks replaced at BA's cost.

Some years later, in retirement, travelling on my penny! Returning from Spain with Iberia, one of my Samsonite cases was thumped so hard it dented and split. The approved Joburg case fixer said it was beyond economical repair and phoned Iberia who authorised a replacement, but because I was on a Cattle Class ticket, I couldn't replace it with a Samsonite, I had to settle for a Frog made Delsey.
Couldn't moan too much as the Samsonite had given me 20 years or so good service. Iberia I suppose were unlucky to be caught with the parcel when the music stopped.
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Re: 'Luggage, the trials and tribulation of'

#8 Post by Pontius Navigator » Wed Jul 03, 2019 7:54 pm

Ian, once passing through an underpass in Brussels, I can't remember if it was the railway or airport was a Samsonite store offering free repairs. Popped in, new locks, popped out. Years later, in Chennai, big cross roads, Samsonite store - free repairs. Bingo, new divider and clips.

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Re: 'Luggage, the trials and tribulation of'

#9 Post by ian16th » Wed Jul 03, 2019 8:21 pm

Pontius Navigator wrote:
Wed Jul 03, 2019 7:54 pm
Ian, once passing through an underpass in Brussels, I can't remember if it was the railway or airport was a Samsonite store offering free repairs. Popped in, new locks, popped out. Years later, in Chennai, big cross roads, Samsonite store - free repairs. Bingo, new divider and clips.
I know the European Samsonite plant was in Belgium, and it was cheaper to buy there than in the UK.
Having the free fixing service is nice, but not too handy if one is in Joburg or London!
I still have one of my Samsonite cases, it is 37 years old, but hasn't been by air for quite a while.

The only SA agent that I know of the honours international free lifetime warranty's are the Cross Pen people.
I have a Cross Ballpoint and Pencil set that I was presented with in 1969.
Like Tigger's Broom, every part of each of them has been replaced.
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Re: 'Luggage, the trials and tribulation of'

#10 Post by Capetonian » Thu Jul 04, 2019 2:18 pm

Many years ago my sister and I went to visit our parents in England. We found out that we were both leaving on the same day at the same time, so we agreed to share a taxi.

It was only on the way to the airport in the taxi that we discovered we were on the same LHR-AMS flight, from where I was going to ALC and she to CAI. We got to the KLM checkin counter to find that one of the bookings had been cancelled as a dupe, since we had the same surname and first initial, and the same telephone contacts (our parents' landline number), despite having different destinations and me being Mr and she Miss.

The booking was reinstated and off we went. I got to ALC minus one piece of baggage, which they told me had been checked in to CAI. Needless to say when I got it back it was minus contents. Effing gippos.

More recently, I flew MAD-BUE on shIteBeria and arrived with no luggage. They told me that the aircraft had gone on to ASU and my Samsonite suitcase had remained on board. When I got it back two days later it looked as if it had been dragged down the runway, and then immersed in crude oil.

Another time I flew JNB ROM and my new suitcase arrived 24 hours after me, looking as if it had been through a cement mixer. I went to AZ town office to complain, they did everything they could to block me from complaining, in fact they were quite threatening. I demanded to see a manager, one was produced, he shrugged his shoulders ..... so I told him I worked in the travel industry in ZA and wrote for the press and would give AZ maximum bad publicity.

He asked if I knew his friend 'X' who was DSM Southern Africa, when I said yes his attitude changed utterly, and he took me by the hand to an expensive luggage shop, pointed round and said :

"Is for you, you take what you like. We pay. No problem."

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Re: 'Luggage, the trials and tribulation of'

#11 Post by Pontius Navigator » Thu Jul 04, 2019 2:51 pm

Not quite the same, nor airline. Our one and only cruise from Dover, and never again, you drop your luggage off at the terminal with at least one pax then go park the car. Only when you return to the terminal on a shuttle is your pax relieved of the luggage.

On return they shuttle driver, pax and luggage back to cars. We got split and I went on alone. Wife plus luggage followed in next minibus with 4 other pax plus luggage.

First off were the other 4 who proceeded to unload ALL luggage plus MY laptop bag. A tustle ensured which only ended when Helen said "well why has your laptop got my husband's name on it?

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Re: 'Luggage, the trials and tribulation of'

#12 Post by Pontius Navigator » Thu Jul 04, 2019 3:00 pm

How about carousells?

The line bag going round and round from some long ago arrival?

The surge as the belt creaks in to life.

The expectant men pushing forward over the white line.

We have a routine. One of us, me or my brother in law gets as near the entrance as possible. Wife stands in free area few yards behind. I ID bsg, heave and slide to Mrs. She collects. Meanwhile other party act as catchers before the exit. Oddly we rarely miss the first pass.

One time, HUGE bag appears. Young female thug pushes forward. Elderly gentleman eases forward to lift bag off conveyor for her. I was shocked when she barged me aside. 😐

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Re: 'Luggage, the trials and tribulation of'

#13 Post by llondel » Thu Jul 04, 2019 3:06 pm

When we travel with multiple bags we tag team too. I position myself where I've got a good view of what's coming, then as a bag comes past I grab it and dump it behind me where another party member is waiting to take it and put it on the cart, then I'm ready for the next one. I've retrieved bags with a close spacing like that before, never missed one. It was way more interesting to do that when 70lb bags were allowed and more common, especially as we used to go out light and come home heavy.

I did once get congratulated at check-in for my packing skills when I checked in two bags at 49.7lb and 49.5lb

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Re: 'Luggage, the trials and tribulation of'

#14 Post by ian16th » Thu Jul 04, 2019 3:26 pm

Carousel Story.

Me and another guy from the office, travelling BHX - LHR - HAM on a Sunday evening.

We check in together, hold baggage checked through.

At HAM, my familiar Samsonite is the 1st bag off the a/c and on the carousel.
Mates bag comes off nearly last.

It is still the only time my case has been the 1st one, and there was no advantage. :((
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Re: 'Luggage, the trials and tribulation of'

#15 Post by Pontius Navigator » Thu Jul 04, 2019 3:59 pm

Llondel, we had broken our journey at DXB and not rewighed our baggage. Mine was way over. "You have your laptop in your case"" Yes? " "That's OK then."

Then we got upgraded.

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Re: 'Luggage, the trials and tribulation of'

#16 Post by 1DC » Fri Jul 05, 2019 3:55 pm

Last year coming back from SIN with SWISS we were late leaving and missed our Manchester connection in Zurich. We went to the desk and they gave us tickets to MAN via FRA with Lufthansa, they told us the gate was just around the corner but we had better run because we only had ten minutes. Sure enough it was almost get on board close the doors and go.Arriving in MAN i said to Mrs 1DC that i didn't expect the bags to make it but the first three bags on the carousel were ours. Nice example of Swiss/German precision!

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Re: 'Luggage, the trials and tribulation of'

#17 Post by Ex-Ascot » Wed Jul 10, 2019 2:45 pm

In our experience in the travel industry folk take too much luggage. What do you really need? We always travel hand baggage only. We had one American with three large suitcases here. You just need two shirts and two pairs of shorts. Our bags coming out here for three months were just 8 kgs.and I have hardly used anything in the bag.
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Re: 'Luggage, the trials and tribulation of'

#18 Post by Pontius Navigator » Wed Jul 10, 2019 3:31 pm

Ex-A, first, experience. Secondly climate seasons. Third experience.

We went out to Maderia for some winter sun. At the airport we decided to hang on to our winter coats as it was pissing sleet.

In Madeira it was cold. Our room had shutters but no glass. The owners went out and bought electric radiators (we hadn't asked). We slept with our coats on the bed.

The change season is always difficult and you might need everything from winter woolies to shorts and T.

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Re: 'Luggage, the trials and tribulation of'

#19 Post by ExSp33db1rd » Wed Jul 10, 2019 8:34 pm

Carousels ... why do the first arrivals always stand toes to the belt ? Those behind can't see their bag coming, and when it does can't get to it ? I have perfected a lunge and Boadecia type swing, usually works and bruises a few ankles as well. Tough.

Early BOAC crew were encouraged to buy identical blue Globetrotter suitcases, sold at a small discount by uniform stores, each one complete with key No. 3.!!

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Re: 'Luggage, the trials and tribulation of'

#20 Post by Woody » Wed Jul 10, 2019 10:15 pm

First baggage meltdown of the summer this evening in T3, all handlers affected, always entertaining to watch the management running around in circles. Ended up loading 300+ bags onto the CPT in about 40 minutes, I’m bloody good you know :D
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