Page 6 | Just arrived in Iceland and have no clothes. Thread updated- suitcase has now arrived! *edited by MNHQ

Pourtea · 04/08/2025 18:35

I hope things improve for you op. It seems such a shame that you rarely go away, and now that you have, all this has happened. I totally get you just wanting to go home but hopefully you'll feel better in a couple of days.

Maybe this will make you smile a little (it definitely didn't make me smile at the time!).

Many years ago, dh and I flew to my parents' apartment in Florida. We had 14 month old ds with us, and I was 7 months pregnant with Dd. Our suitcase never showed up so lots of hassle ensued trying to find replacement clothing for ds and dh.

I was luckier - or maybe not - because my parents had friends who lived in the same apartment block. The wife was a larger lady so some of the clothes she kindly lent me actually fitted around my huge stomach. However, she was nearly 80 and not much interested in fashion so you can imagine what I looked like. I spent the holiday either dressed in her clothes, or in those slip petticoat things that my dm had there. There are not many photos of me from that holiday ...

I don't know what happened to our case but I did think that, if anyone nicked it, they wouldn't have been right pleased with their haul. The case contained baby clothes suitable for a 14 month old, late-stage maternity clothes, and dh's clothes. Dh was 6' 6", well built - and not known for his dress sense :).

Learnergranny · 04/08/2025 18:36

This would be my worst holiday nightmare. Are you in Reykjavik? They have a few charity shops that might provide you with some clothing. I recommend the golden tour, you see some fabulous sights without a lot of walking.
Good luck.

BySassyGreenPanda · 04/08/2025 18:38

Anonymousemouses · 03/08/2025 12:57

DH and DD's luggage arrived, but mine didn't. I bought new hiking boots, new swimsuits (never leave the house usually and this confirms I was right). Also contained all the toiletries, towels, some medication that's liquid so I didn't want to risk it, along with jewellery

I know "travel insurance" , but it doesn't help when you arrive in a cold country with nothing.

It was Easyjet and I wasn't the only one on the flight who had luggage missing - but they dont fly here for another 3-4 days, so not a lot of hope.

Oh OP, that's shit ❤

My advice (as someone who's lost luggage before) is never, ever, have 'yours and mine' when it comes to packing.

Split all clothes equally across your bags. If one disappears then no one is left completely without.

Hankunamatata · 04/08/2025 18:40

I can't be the only one who thought - what she's gone to iceland (the shop) and someone has no clothes

Octoberdreaming · 04/08/2025 18:47

It’s always a good idea to mix the luggage a bit so you don’t just have individual cases.

Putneydad7 · 04/08/2025 18:48

I always pay for my flights with Amex, they do great missing luggage shopping sprees

canyouseemyhousefromhere · 04/08/2025 18:55

Mumof1andacat · 03/08/2025 12:59

Not much help but I always muddle the cases for this reason. So we'd all get a little bit of something should a case go missing. I would think you have a claim but you might have to go out and get a few bits and claim from the airline

Same here. Takes ages to pack but worth it.

StillChangingForTheBetter · 04/08/2025 19:02

There is absolutely no reason for this to ruin your trip!

This is also why you always mix clothes between all the people travelling in each case, and buy an AirTag! They're £29

nonumbersinthisname · 04/08/2025 19:03

No help now, but we’ve got a set of Apple AirTags and tuck one inside each case. It’s extremely reassuring to be able to look in the app and see the exact location of your luggage. in the event one didn’t make the plane or got lost, at least we’d be able to see where it was.

i got them after one trip where my kindle got left behind at the airport security screening - it was chaotic and I overlooked it. Fortunately it was in a very distinctive case and we retrieved it from lost and found at the airport on the way back. That room was full of really expensive laptops, iPads, phones etc and they told me that it all gets donated to charity after a certain date if they can’t identify the owner. So now the AirTags get slipped inside cases of anything critical.

Nopenopenopeagain · 04/08/2025 19:06

TheNinkyNonkyIsATardis · 03/08/2025 13:52

There are a couple of thrift/vintage stores in Reykjavik, somewhere near the penis museum as I recall, but they're still pricey.

Definitely opt for mixed cases in future!

(Also for hard to replace items - I have ridiculous sized boobs so I've never trusted my bras to hold luggage)

😅🤣 I read that as your bra is so big but you wouldn't trust it to hold luggage! That was after laughing at the reference to the penis museum. It's been a long day...🤣😂

Sidebeforeself · 04/08/2025 19:13

Ljs7 · 03/08/2025 14:58

I have no practical advice that’s immediately useful, unless any of your dh’s clothes will roughly fit you

But this kind of baggage issue is so commonplace now (and so shocking giving the security in place at airports) that I would say next time to wear the hiking boots/coat on the plane so you don’t have to pack them, get a cabin bag and then squash everything up small to fit in. Various ways of compressing stuff, I personally put it in freezer bags and sit on it before zip locking the air out. I hate checking luggage in.

I agree. DH and I have sworn to take hand luggage only. Pack v carefully, clothes that dont crease easily, wear the bulkiest stuff etc. We have done two weeks a few times both in summer and winter. It’s not just the fear of the bags nor arriving though,there are other benefits too. We dont have to wait at the carousel, public transport is so much easier, no panic realising you packed something in your case by accident, etc etc.

Sharptonguedwoman · 04/08/2025 19:15

Blue Lagoon rents swimsuits, I think?

Neurodiversitydoctor · 04/08/2025 19:15

Anonymousemouses · 03/08/2025 13:02

You can claim £25 per day for a maximum of three days (so £75), which you have to keep receipts. Not great for 7 days though.

Are you sure ? BA bought me a new pair of ski boots in 2020 when our luggage went missing.

Nopenopenopeagain · 04/08/2025 19:16

TroysMammy · 04/08/2025 12:28

I know it doesn't relate to the OP but how can you mix up your packing if you are a solo traveller?

Half in cabin bag. Half in the hold.

Candlesandmatches · 04/08/2025 19:17

I would kick up a huge fuss. On X as well. That’s so bad. But hopefully the travel insurance can help.

TheErrantDaughter · 04/08/2025 19:19

Sounds crazy but there is a brilliant Facebook group called Host A Sister with women from all over the world. You could post there for some loan of clothes?

cigarsmokingwoman · 04/08/2025 19:27

there's lot s of shopping centres in reykjavik and some clothes shops in laugaver (main shopping area in reykjavik). Vintage market in the conference centre that includes clothes. There's even some clothes shops in the airport.

As for it being chilly - lol - its iceland. The weather changes in an instant, even in summer. I've been 12 times in 10 years, Know the whole island just about.

dont' fly easyjet - fly icelandair next time.

JustMeAndTheFish · 04/08/2025 19:27

Did you have an air tag in your bag? Then at least you could see where it is.

pinksky78 · 04/08/2025 19:37

TheNinkyNonkyIsATardis · 03/08/2025 14:30

It's hard enough buying j/k cups in the UK, let alone finding them in foreign sizes (some countries use different letter systems) - usually online ordering - much harder to find a specific store. You can't just nip in anywhere, and in a shop you're usually taking £35 plus minimum.

I can't just nip into an H&M and pick up a 2 pack of 34Ds for £20.

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Yep my J cup bras always go in my hand luggage!!! lol

OP do you have enough cash to buy yourself clothes for the next few days? Everyone is assuming you do, but do you?

naffusername · 04/08/2025 19:43

Did you buy travel insurance? It's usually pretty decent on paying out.

KLM lost our luggage last summer. Had to do a ten day cruise with the bare minimum. KLM kept promising to deliver the cases to our next port, never happened. They shipped husband's case to our departure airport and mine went to Scotland, Canada, back to Holland, Scotland and spent most of July in Paris. Barstewards didn't give that case one flying blue mile.

They made it impossible to actually claim from them and we wound up going through our travel insurance. Even our travel agent said KLM's claim process was nuts.

It's not that cold in Iceland. Buy a nice Loppi sweater. But I do feel your pain on the bathing suit issue.

Clearinguptheclutter · 04/08/2025 19:48

Sounds utterly shit and the fact that there js a clothes rental shop clearly points to the fact that this is a common occurrence!

next time get an AirTag and put it in your luggage. So at least you know where it is.

Horsie · 04/08/2025 19:49

Mumof1andacat · 03/08/2025 12:59

Not much help but I always muddle the cases for this reason. So we'd all get a little bit of something should a case go missing. I would think you have a claim but you might have to go out and get a few bits and claim from the airline

That's such an amazing idea!

UninterestedBeing12 · 04/08/2025 19:51

Anonymousemouses · 04/08/2025 06:33

Still no sign of the suitcase.

Keflavik Airport seem to take no accountability for it, they just opened a report for EasyJet, and it seems do not bother to look for things their own handlers may misplaced.

EasyJet themselves are bloody useless!!! They refer to this portal that shows the status of the lost luggage and it just says "searching for luggage". I don't believe for one second that anyonea anywhere isaware of any missing luggage.

Ive rung EasyJet four times, their agents are absolutelybloody USELESS!!! They first two times i was cut off after holding for ages, the second the agent could speak nor understand English. After explaining the problem he informed our return flight was next Sunday! I eventually got him to understand me, thought i had the number for someone higher up, but was given Keflavik Airport's number.What bloody useless is that if they opened a report on behalf of EasyJet, therefore shirking any responsibility.

Second agent had trouble understanding me, but was sympathetic. She told me Google customer service at Luton - impossible.

I dud an online webchat with EasyJet. I was given numbers for KEF and LTN but they cut off.

Honestly I want to come home. DH and I are at breaking point. I have been awake since 4am crying, woken by DH's snoring in another room. I wear ear plugs and yep! They were in the suitcase! Of course I should have put them in hand luggage, but i didn't! Ive never had to worry that my suitcase wouldn't arrive. Dh can't sleep in the bed as his side is against the wall on a tiny bed. His snoring is so loud that I can hear it through shut doors.

The rental clothing is definitely not something I would have chosen. The knickers are too small, the trousers are proper hiking ones, but as I'm on a crutch I would have been fine with my ordinary ones. I've got a pair of leggings (that I was wearing) and these waterproof hiking trousers. The socks are thin, I packed 9 pairs of thermal socks as my feet get cold.

I have no bras apart from the one I was wearing and frankly have no desire to go hunting for any. I hate shopping for bras, but i have five pairs that are comfortable, now ive ine - nope none at home either.

I dont want to go shopping for a swimsuits either. We have tours booked and paid for, are not particularly near Reykjavik and everything we've booked is even further. Ive literally no interest now. None.

I was excited, but after losing everything, then waiting for three hours to pick up our rental car, I'm exhausted.

Ive emailed the baggage handlers at both airports and few times. We all had matching suitcases, so realised that a photo of an identical one, including the green material tied on it, would be better than descriptions., especislly if the label dell off.

Ive told them what's in it. Annoyingly we dont have a name tag on it. I did , however, tell them of prescription medicine, with my name on, in the case.

Still haven't looked at travel insurance, as I'm tired and have a migraine since last night.

Ultimately I want to go home. Not sure travel insurance would cover just wanting to go home, but i do. I really can't see myself enjoying a holiday wearing g clothes that I dont like/are not comfortable or that I cannot wash (its not like I can wash them and put them outside on the line - i can was in the sink, but its raining, and there is nowhere to dry anything like a jumper or even leggings).

I dont want to spend time looking for clothes, I hate clothes shopping, it's inconvenient when we have things booked and its too bloody expensive. Then I've got to transport it home and if my suitcase arrives, then I'll be over the limit. That's another thing - no suitcase. I dont really want to buy one (I dont want to buy anything its too bloody expensive) and if my original arrives then one would be discarded.

Overall this is the most expensive holiday we've ever been on, and I've ruined it DH and DD. Im just interested in anything and wsnt to come home. I dont want compensation, I want my case, or even someone to look for it.

Im shocked at just how many cases go missing here, seems Jeflavik have an incredible number of cases that somehow don't make it.

Honestly I want to come home. DH and I are at breaking point. I have been awake since 4am crying

Come on now. Breaking point and up from 4am crying over some lost clothes. If you can afford a holiday in one of the most expensive countries on earth than you are not doing at all badly. Breaking point is a bit strong.

Your luggage will turn up

Get yourself to the 66° North discount outlet shop in Reykjavik they do swimsuits and everything.

cyvguhb · 04/08/2025 19:56

StillChangingForTheBetter · 04/08/2025 19:02

There is absolutely no reason for this to ruin your trip!

This is also why you always mix clothes between all the people travelling in each case, and buy an AirTag! They're £29

I know someone who is very unlucky with lost luggage and has air tags but of course they don't prevent the loss they just give her something to obsess over while waiting for them to arrive 😁

cyvguhb · 04/08/2025 19:57

Horsie · 04/08/2025 19:49

That's such an amazing idea!

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Isn't that packing 101 😂?