Air France Lost Luggage..........

[jules77]

I have had a nightmare of a trip from Birmingham to New Orleans via Paris and Atlanta with Air France. Both outbound and inbound my luggage has been lost. It took two days to get it back when I got there, and having arrived home today, I am told my luggage is still in Paris. Problem I have is that I was told that I had to lodge luggage claim with final destination airport, which was New Orleans and that final leg of flight was with Delta (who are part of Air France), but now Air France wont consider claim as they say it was lodged with Delta in New Orleans, and I am stuck in the middle. Although if all else fails I will claim on my personal travel insurance for the damage both to the case and contents. I got the impression that Delta/Air France lose luggage regularly, anyone else had similar problem?

[237SJ]

Who told you the luggage is in Paris, Delta or Air France?

[jules77]

Air France did, but I have a Delta reference, it is all very confusing TBH.

[237SJ]

Delta isn`t part of Air France. They are separate airlines joined by the Sky Team alliance. Therefore they should have a cor-ordinated interline baggage system in that the right hand should know what the left hand`s doing (hopefully)! Was there any obvious reason why your baggage should be left in Paris? Was your flight into Paris from Birmingham late and your baggage couldn`t make it across to the New Orleans flight in time? (a common problem). At this stage I wouldn`t worry about it or start making claims. I would give it a few good days yet. I presume you have a lost baggage report reference no. Just keep hold of it and badger Delta again in a couple of days. Good luck

[buildersmate]

It merely missed the flight you were on. Most luggage where this happens arrives a couple of days later, courtesy of a little man in a little van, who delivers to your house.

[jules77]

Irrelevant of whether it arrives or not, I was without essentials and my personal belongings for two days. When the bag arrived it was ripped and smelt like it had been dumped in the canal, the clothes were wet and stained brown. No idea what it will be like when I get it back this time. I booked my flight with Air France, and Delta/Air France/KLM is on the side of their aircraft.

[237SJ]

If your baggage was lost inbound to the UK and you were without essentials your airline should be responsible for paying you an amount of money for said essentials. That is something airlines don`t tend to advertise for obvious reasons. If you don`t claim for them, the airline won`t offer. Certain Uk airlines (mentioning no names) pay an equivalent of about £75 for basics - washbag contents, underwear, etc. If you return home, they assume you don`t need those essentials because you are not on holiday and have everything you need to hand.. So therefore, you probably won`t be compensated for your hardship on your outbound sector as you didn`t claim at the time. Meantime, I wouldn`t make assumptions about the state of your suitcase when you get it back because hopefully the contents will be in pristine contition as you left them.

[jules77]

I cant even get them to compensate me for the outbound cock up, let alone the inbound one. Plus after missing a nights sleep, I am still sat up at 10pm awaiting a telephone call to let me know if luggage is being delivered tonight or not, and I feel that in itself deserves compensation for my inconvenience!!

[buildersmate]

There must be something really special in your luggage. When it has happened to me (and it has happened several times - always on the inbound flight) I just get on with my life until the luggage turns up - and it always has.

[thugulike]

Happened to me with Air France. I chose to fly from Newcastle to Boston via CDG because the turnaround was quicker. Wry smile. It is quicker if they don't load the luggage! I was only in Boston for 1 night and the luggage hadn't arrived before we set off for Cape Cod. Luggage eventually found us 36 hours later. Lessons to be learned: wear the shoes which are most difficult to replace and pack a clean T in hand luggage. Anything else can be washed overnight or picked up locally.

[jules77]

Buildersmate.......I travelled to America on my own, taking three flights and I was anxious before I started. My personal belongings were in my luggage and an outfit I had bought especially for my sons graduation, along with carefully chosen gifts. After travelling for nearly 24 hours, I was naturally exhausted and very upset not to have my own clothes.......but irrelevant, I paid good money for my flight and for the airline to take care of my baggage, and they didnt. I have never lost my luggage before, and not knowing if it would turn up, it ruined my holiday. To lose it again on returning home and to receive disgraceful customer service with no empathy was the icing on the cake.