Missing Suitcase Air Canada

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Eric Janson
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Missing Suitcase Air Canada

Post by Eric Janson »

Short summary

Positioned Europe - US via Montreal on Air Canada.

Due to a delay rebooked Montreal - Toronto - US. Very tight connection and the bags did not get transferred. Last info I had is the suitcase remained in Montreal.

I am leaving US tonight (22 May) back to Europe - unclear if my suitcase will get to the US in time. Missing bag report filed at destination. System shows suitcase is marked as a rush delivery to destination.

Back home a few days after arriving in Europe.

I tried the toll - free number but gave up after 30 minutes on hold with no indication how long it would be.

In case I end up in a situation where my suitcase chases me around the World - does anyone have a direct number for Air Canada Baggage services I can call if I need to sort all this out from home next week?

Appreciate any help/suggestions.
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BingBong
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Re: Missing Suitcase Air Canada

Post by BingBong »

Sent you a PM
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Eric Janson
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Re: Missing Suitcase Air Canada

Post by Eric Janson »

@ BingBong - thanks for the PM.

Update

Tried the toll free number 2x. Gave up after 30 minutes on hold each time with no indication of how long it would be.

Went to the Air Canada Baggage Office at DFW - missing bag report filed.

Nothing more heard.

No file number received.

I was given a phone number but that didn’t work when I tried it.

Just before the return flight I went by the Air Canada baggage office at 2100 local. I had been told they were open until 2130. They were closed and nobody around.

I could see my suitcase through the glass - no way to retrieve it.

I need my suitcase returned to my home address in the Netherlands.

All suggestions are welcome - I will try the toll free number again and wait some more.

- If anyone has a number for the Dallas office in Terminal E that would really help.
- If anyone has the name and phone number of anyone that I can talk to directly that would be appreciated.
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EPR
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Re: Missing Suitcase Air Canada

Post by EPR »

Living the dream! :rolleyes:
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godsrcrazy
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Re: Missing Suitcase Air Canada

Post by godsrcrazy »

Always amazes me how your suitcase can travel without you when the airline loses it. So much for the only way your bag travels is if your on the same plane unless the airline puts it on the wrong plane.
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mmm..bacon
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Re: Missing Suitcase Air Canada

Post by mmm..bacon »

Eric Janson wrote: Tue May 24, 2022 5:35 am


I could see my suitcase through the glass - no way to retrieve it.

In case of emergency, break glass? it'd probably be cheaper at this point for AC to replace a pane of glass, rather than pay for the suitcase to chase you around! :smt040

Best of luck!
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WANP
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Re: Missing Suitcase Air Canada

Post by WANP »

Nothing that air Canada does surprises me anymore.

In general, some of the worst run businesses are airlines.
With rules like a passenger has to fly with their luggage, no bags should ever get lost. They also shouldn't be destroyed, but they trash luggage regularly.

Makes me wonder how they interview prospective employees.

So question one, are you abusive? Yes, I treat everyone and everything like crap. Oh good, lets continue then, are you completely incompetent? Yes, utterly useless. Well you seem perfect, can you begin working immediately here at ( ___________________ ) insert airlines name.
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Cavalier44
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Re: Missing Suitcase Air Canada

Post by Cavalier44 »

WANP wrote: Wed May 25, 2022 10:37 am Makes me wonder how they interview prospective employees.

So question one, are you abusive? Yes, I treat everyone and everything like crap. Oh good, lets continue then, are you completely incompetent? Yes, utterly useless. Well you seem perfect, can you begin working immediately here at ( ___________________ ) insert airlines name.
In my experience, having traveled the globe fairly extensively, this seems to be exclusively a North American problem. Customer service here is absolutely pitiful, and for some reason, we have decided as a culture that that's an acceptable way to treat people. It's bizarre.
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Eric Janson
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Re: Missing Suitcase Air Canada

Post by Eric Janson »

Update

Since nothing else was working I called the toll free number.

Took 45 minutes to get a person on the line. Then some additional time to get all the information.

Bottom line - my suitcase is supposed to arrive tomorrow am on the flight from Toronto.

I will be contacted tomorrow afternoon to confirm delivery. I have the agents number at the airport so I will call to confirm all of this.

After 4 days I just also received a text with a file number - would have been nice 4 days ago. If I understand correctly this is a Global Baggage tracing system used by a number of Airlines.

One other interesting detail - the toll free number routes to Pune India. I recognised the accent so I asked him where he was located.
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Re: Missing Suitcase Air Canada

Post by rigpiggy »

WANP wrote: Wed May 25, 2022 10:37 am Nothing that air Canada does surprises me anymore.

Makes me wonder how they interview prospective employees.

So question one, are you abusive? Yes, I treat everyone and everything like crap. Oh good, lets continue then, are you completely incompetent? Yes, utterly useless. Well you seem perfect, can you begin working immediately here at ( ___________________ ) insert airlines name.
I used to get grieved because when i arrived to the gate in am at -25 i would start the gpu's nope start em up, and go straight to full power. Well it keeps the boys in vehicle maintenance employed .
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Eric Janson
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Re: Missing Suitcase Air Canada

Post by Eric Janson »

Finally got my suitcase returned to me Friday evening (June 03).

Suitcase was sitting at Schiphol Airport for a week - impossible to get a hold of anyone at the handling agent. Call were transferred then a recording informed you that nobody was available and to try again later.

I finally found the station managers e-mail online - all he did was forward my e-mail to baggage services.

I got a second phone number from their operations department - nobody picked up.

I did get sent a customs form a few days after my suitcase arrived. I had to point that out to the agent who called me Friday. Once she found the form I'd sent them everything fell into place.

A lot of the above is beyond the capabilities of the average passenger - not sure how they would get their bags back.

I normally leave home on day one and return on day 20 - losing my suitcase is a disaster!

Just be aware airports are facing severe staff shortages - probably for the rest of the year.

The only travel I'm doing at the moment doing is work related.

Thanks again to everyone who helped.

Just found this - a good indication of how extreme things have become:-

https://simpleflying.com/klm-suspends-a ... -schiphol/
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crj_705
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Re: Missing Suitcase Air Canada

Post by crj_705 »

FYI…I purchased Apple AirTags™️ on Amazon for $32.00ea (4pack $129.00)…put them in every bag I own! Now, I will know where my bag is WITHOUT the usual AC baggage services runaround! Slick operation those AirTags!
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Eric Janson
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Re: Missing Suitcase Air Canada

Post by Eric Janson »

crj_705 wrote: Sun Jun 12, 2022 6:59 am FYI…I purchased Apple AirTags™️ on Amazon for $32.00ea (4pack $129.00)…put them in every bag I own! Now, I will know where my bag is WITHOUT the usual AC baggage services runaround! Slick operation those AirTags!
Y - bought myself a few of these.

I knew where my suitcase was - the issue was getting hold of an actual human being to organise things.

Air Canada has only acknowledged my missing suitcase notification with an automatically generated response. The only human I've talked to was at a call centre in Pune.

I took a train recently instead of a flight to avoid the chaos at the airport - trains being cancelled also due to a shortage of staff!
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complexintentions
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Re: Missing Suitcase Air Canada

Post by complexintentions »

I have Airtags, they're great but have their limitations, as pointed out they may show where your bag is, but that doesn't necessarily mean you can do anything about it.

My last couple transits across the pond I knew my bag had been left behind before we took off. Saved some time at destination, instead of waiting at the carousel for my bag to never arrive I could head straight to Lost Luggage and get them to do an immediate SITA trace on the tag number, but that was about the limit of their benefit.

If I could get away with carryon only I would but the length of time away prevents it.

I hate paxing now. It is quite incredible how poorly the industry is reacting to the resurgence of demand. It's not just an Air Canada thing.
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Eric Janson
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Re: Missing Suitcase Air Canada

Post by Eric Janson »

complexintentions wrote: Thu Jun 16, 2022 9:22 pm
If I could get away with carryon only I would but the length of time away prevents it.

I hate paxing now. It is quite incredible how poorly the industry is reacting to the resurgence of demand. It's not just an Air Canada thing.
I'm in the same position - need clothes for 20 days on the road and have to be prepared for multiple climates.

Flying as a passenger is a nightmare at the moment - I only do it as part of my job.

Trains are no better.
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