Missing baggage after connected Flight – what steps to take?

3/5/2014 12:22:30 AM

I was in a similar situation. I was flying from Melbourne, Australia to Kuala Lumpur by Malaysian Airlines and then KL to Singapore by Singapore Airlines. When I checked in at Melbourne, I was told that I will be able to collect my bags at Singapore directly. Well, this had never happened with me before, so I was a bit hesitant.

At KL airport, my restless mind couldn’t control it and I went to the baggage claim area. Obviously, I didn’t find my bags there, so I spoke with this officer there and explained the situation to him. He assured me that I will get my bags at Singapore. Lucky for me, he wrote it down on a paper and signed it.

At Singapore, I didn’t get my bags. Officials said that it wasn’t their responsibility. They can’t do anything about it. They asked me to speak with Malaysian Airlines. Malaysian Airlines said that they hold no responsibility as the bags were transferred to Singapore Airlines. So, after all this back and forth, I pulled out the letter and suddenly Singapore Airlines did a U-turn. They checked with Malaysian and confirmed that my bags will be delivered the next day.

So, all I can say is HARASS them. Contact Air France and get confirmation. Contact Air Canada and ask them for updates. This is a pretty sad situation, I know. But, you should get your bags in a day or two. Sometimes, airlines send the bags directly to the final destination. So, I’d say contact Air France first and see on which flight was it sent.

Good luck.

3/5/2014 12:39:18 AM

That’s unfortunate, and when it’s all sorted out, I’d suggest a letter to Air Canada / Air France asking for some points as compensation.

In the meanwhile, you can only do a few things:

  • wait. This will take time. All bags are tracked electronically in the system, so it’s a case of the right person finding the log for where it has been, and it should show up soon enough.
  • keep in contact with Air Canada. Ask them for updates, and ask them WHEN you can expect a new update, whether the bag is found or not. Don’t let it just languish.
  • contact Air France as well, they should know when it left their control / responsibility. If it was in Toronto, then at least you’ll know it should be there. And also they’ll have a record of whether it actually made it to Toronto, or whether it might even still be in Paris(!).
  • consider calling the airport in Toronto, and asking them to investigate. They might even liaise with Air Canada’s and Air France’s staff there to see what can happen. There’s usually a missing baggage helpline at most major airports. However it does say on their page that lost baggage is the responsibility of the airlines.

Air Canada’s page also has a process for you to follow when dealing with what they call ‘delayed baggage’. I’d recommend having a look through there and making sure you’ve done as much as you can.

Good luck, and I hope you’re reunited with your stuff soon!

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About me

Hello,My name is Aparna Patel,I’m a Travel Blogger and Photographer who travel the world full-time with my hubby.I like to share my travel experience.

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