Lost baggage donated to charity

Discuss topics relating to airlines.

Moderators: sky's the limit, sepia, Sulako, North Shore

Post Reply
Eric Janson
Rank (9)
Rank (9)
Posts: 1243
Joined: Thu Feb 08, 2007 10:44 am

Lost baggage donated to charity

Post by Eric Janson »

Surprised that this isn't getting more coverage

https://simpleflying.com/air-canada-pas ... o-charity/

That's theft in my book - hopefully a big lawsuit coming to put a stop to this nonsense.

From personal experience Air Canada baggage services is the worst I've ever dealt with.

To begin with it is impossible to speak to a human being - the whole system is web based requiring a file number to start anything. I did not have this and I had to hold 45min to get through to a call centre in Pune, India (I asked) to finally get this.

Secondly I was given incorrect information by the agent in Dallas. I was told their office would be open until 2130 and when I showed up at 2100 it was closed and nobody was around. I could see my suitcase sitting there through the glass.

Took me 12 days to get my suitcase back from Dallas - the only communication from Air Canada was who to call in Amsterdam. The agent in Amsterdam was not responding to e-mails (except to send me a customs form). I did some digging to get the Station Managers contact details - all he did was forward the e-mail to baggage services! The toll free number told me they were unavailable - never changed in the week I was calling them. I could't go collect my suitcase in person as I could not get airside without a boarding pass and Amsterdam wasn't my point of origin.

Still waiting for Air Canada to reply to my complaint as I'm typing this.

This is an unacceptable level of customer service imho - the people behind this need to be fired and the entire system overhauled.
---------- ADS -----------
 
Always fly a stable approach - it's the only stability you'll find in this business
digits_
Top Poster
Top Poster
Posts: 5931
Joined: Mon Feb 14, 2011 2:26 am

Re: Lost baggage donated to charity

Post by digits_ »

And then they wonder why people don't want to check their giant carry on bags...
---------- ADS -----------
 
As an AvCanada discussion grows longer:
-the probability of 'entitlement' being mentioned, approaches 1
-one will be accused of using bad airmanship
godsrcrazy
Rank 8
Rank 8
Posts: 840
Joined: Mon Jan 31, 2005 4:12 pm

Re: Lost baggage donated to charity

Post by godsrcrazy »

Eric Janson wrote: Mon Jan 30, 2023 5:15 am Surprised that this isn't getting more coverage

https://simpleflying.com/air-canada-pas ... o-charity/

That's theft in my book - hopefully a big lawsuit coming to put a stop to this nonsense.

From personal experience Air Canada baggage services is the worst I've ever dealt with.

To begin with it is impossible to speak to a human being - the whole system is web based requiring a file number to start anything. I did not have this and I had to hold 45min to get through to a call centre in Pune, India (I asked) to finally get this.

Secondly I was given incorrect information by the agent in Dallas. I was told their office would be open until 2130 and when I showed up at 2100 it was closed and nobody was around. I could see my suitcase sitting there through the glass.

Took me 12 days to get my suitcase back from Dallas - the only communication from Air Canada was who to call in Amsterdam. The agent in Amsterdam was not responding to e-mails (except to send me a customs form). I did some digging to get the Station Managers contact details - all he did was forward the e-mail to baggage services! The toll free number told me they were unavailable - never changed in the week I was calling them. I could't go collect my suitcase in person as I could not get airside without a boarding pass and Amsterdam wasn't my point of origin.

Still waiting for Air Canada to reply to my complaint as I'm typing this.

This is an unacceptable level of customer service imho - the people behind this need to be fired and the entire system overhauled.
Not sure if you have dealt with WestJet baggage claim. They are no better. Even when you have an AirTag and tell the agent your bag is across the airport and not close to the airplane. They just shrug their shoulders. Got the bags at our destination after 5 days. This was after they sent them back to point of departure not sure why they did that.
---------- ADS -----------
 
photofly
Top Poster
Top Poster
Posts: 11306
Joined: Tue Jan 18, 2011 4:47 pm
Location: Hangry and crankypated

Re: Lost baggage donated to charity

Post by photofly »

godsrcrazy wrote: Mon Jan 30, 2023 8:03 am
Not sure if you have dealt with WestJet baggage claim. They are no better. Even when you have an AirTag and tell the agent your bag is across the airport and not close to the airplane. They just shrug their shoulders. Got the bags at our destination after 5 days. This was after they sent them back to point of departure not sure why they did that.
The solution is to prevent customers from using airtags to track their baggage. Then you can't argue with the airline!
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/11/trav ... ggage.html
---------- ADS -----------
 
DId you hear the one about the jurisprudence fetishist? He got off on a technicality.
Loon-A-Tic
Rank 5
Rank 5
Posts: 367
Joined: Sun Mar 29, 2020 12:51 pm

Re: Lost baggage donated to charity

Post by Loon-A-Tic »

photofly wrote: Mon Jan 30, 2023 8:21 am
godsrcrazy wrote: Mon Jan 30, 2023 8:03 am
Not sure if you have dealt with WestJet baggage claim. They are no better. Even when you have an AirTag and tell the agent your bag is across the airport and not close to the airplane. They just shrug their shoulders. Got the bags at our destination after 5 days. This was after they sent them back to point of departure not sure why they did that.
The solution is to prevent customers from using airtags to track their baggage. Then you can't argue with the airline!
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/11/trav ... ggage.html
Wow, thanks you've link an article that I can only view if I purchase a subscription to the NYtimes
---------- ADS -----------
 
photofly
Top Poster
Top Poster
Posts: 11306
Joined: Tue Jan 18, 2011 4:47 pm
Location: Hangry and crankypated

Re: Lost baggage donated to charity

Post by photofly »

Loon-A-Tic wrote: Mon Jan 30, 2023 10:27 am
photofly wrote: Mon Jan 30, 2023 8:21 am
godsrcrazy wrote: Mon Jan 30, 2023 8:03 am
Not sure if you have dealt with WestJet baggage claim. They are no better. Even when you have an AirTag and tell the agent your bag is across the airport and not close to the airplane. They just shrug their shoulders. Got the bags at our destination after 5 days. This was after they sent them back to point of departure not sure why they did that.
The solution is to prevent customers from using airtags to track their baggage. Then you can't argue with the airline!
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/11/trav ... ggage.html
Wow, thanks you've link an article that I can only view if I purchase a subscription to the NYtimes
I read it under my one free article per month allowance. Obviously you spend more time reading the NYT than I do, if that facility wasn't available to you. Hopefully one of these will work for you, and you can share the joke:
https://www.google.com/search?q=lufthansa+bans+airtags
---------- ADS -----------
 
DId you hear the one about the jurisprudence fetishist? He got off on a technicality.
photofly
Top Poster
Top Poster
Posts: 11306
Joined: Tue Jan 18, 2011 4:47 pm
Location: Hangry and crankypated

Re: Lost baggage donated to charity

Post by photofly »

double post
---------- ADS -----------
 
DId you hear the one about the jurisprudence fetishist? He got off on a technicality.
TalkingPie
Rank 3
Rank 3
Posts: 116
Joined: Wed Nov 27, 2019 11:39 am
Location: YUL

Re: Lost baggage donated to charity

Post by TalkingPie »

Unless I'm mistaken on what entails a "lithium metal cell," technically Air Canada's baggage policy already prohibits Air Tags in checked baggage, since lithium cell batteries (such as button cell batteries as found in watches and Air Tags) are to be carried in carry-on baggage, only.
https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/hom ... ems.html#/
Untitled.jpg
Untitled.jpg (81.73 KiB) Viewed 759 times
Even though they shouldn't, people already check laptops, which have lithium ion batteries that most definitely could cause a dangerous fire in the belly. By comparison, can we expect customers to worry about a few little watch batteries down there given how often baggage is lost?
---------- ADS -----------
 
godsrcrazy
Rank 8
Rank 8
Posts: 840
Joined: Mon Jan 31, 2005 4:12 pm

Re: Lost baggage donated to charity

Post by godsrcrazy »

TalkingPie wrote: Mon Jan 30, 2023 2:31 pm Unless I'm mistaken on what entails a "lithium metal cell," technically Air Canada's baggage policy already prohibits Air Tags in checked baggage, since lithium cell batteries (such as button cell batteries as found in watches and Air Tags) are to be carried in carry-on baggage, only.
https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/hom ... ems.html#/

Untitled.jpg

Even though they shouldn't, people already check laptops, which have lithium ion batteries that most definitely could cause a dangerous fire in the belly. By comparison, can we expect customers to worry about a few little watch batteries down there given how often baggage is lost?
What a joke. Why just AirTags. Only one reason as said earlier the airlines don't want people arguing about your bag not being on the flight. It's only safe for your baggage to travel without you when the airlines screw up.

What about all the other rechargeable batteries in your suit case. Electric razors come to mind. Just about ever male passenger has one.
---------- ADS -----------
 
TalkingPie
Rank 3
Rank 3
Posts: 116
Joined: Wed Nov 27, 2019 11:39 am
Location: YUL

Re: Lost baggage donated to charity

Post by TalkingPie »

godsrcrazy wrote: Mon Jan 30, 2023 3:19 pm
TalkingPie wrote: Mon Jan 30, 2023 2:31 pm Unless I'm mistaken on what entails a "lithium metal cell," technically Air Canada's baggage policy already prohibits Air Tags in checked baggage, since lithium cell batteries (such as button cell batteries as found in watches and Air Tags) are to be carried in carry-on baggage, only.
https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/hom ... ems.html#/

Untitled.jpg

Even though they shouldn't, people already check laptops, which have lithium ion batteries that most definitely could cause a dangerous fire in the belly. By comparison, can we expect customers to worry about a few little watch batteries down there given how often baggage is lost?
What a joke. Why just AirTags. Only one reason as said earlier the airlines don't want people arguing about your bag not being on the flight. It's only safe for your baggage to travel without you when the airlines screw up.

What about all the other rechargeable batteries in your suit case. Electric razors come to mind. Just about ever male passenger has one.
I'm not sure what joke you're referring to. Air Canada's policy, according to the link I posted, doesn't single out or even mention Air Tags - just says that lithium metal cells can't be in checked baggage. Air Tags use lithium metal cells, therefore fall under the umbrella of "you can't check lithium metal cells." Lithium metal cells generally aren't rechargeable, by the way.

If you're referring to lithium ion batteries, those are also prohibited in checked baggage, and for good reason.
---------- ADS -----------
 
photofly
Top Poster
Top Poster
Posts: 11306
Joined: Tue Jan 18, 2011 4:47 pm
Location: Hangry and crankypated

Re: Lost baggage donated to charity

Post by photofly »

TalkingPie wrote: Mon Jan 30, 2023 3:42 pm I'm not sure what joke you're referring to.
The joke that AirTags are so good at enabling passengers to tell when airlines are lying to them about where their bags really are (compared to where the airline claims they are) that airlines are banning people from using them.
---------- ADS -----------
 
DId you hear the one about the jurisprudence fetishist? He got off on a technicality.
co-joe
Rank 11
Rank 11
Posts: 4562
Joined: Mon Feb 16, 2004 2:33 am
Location: YYC 230 degree radial at about 10 DME

Re: Lost baggage donated to charity

Post by co-joe »

photofly wrote: Mon Jan 30, 2023 8:21 am
The solution is to prevent customers from using airtags to track their baggage. Then you can't argue with the airline!
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/11/trav ... ggage.html
That's A solution, not sure it's THE solution. I could just as easily say that the airlines should be required by law to insert their own air tag into every passengers bag so that they can keep track of them and not have to donate them to charity after they still can't find it 21 days later.
---------- ADS -----------
 
Post Reply

Return to “General Airline Industry Comments”