Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

BA are a huge bunch of tossers.

133 replies

TheSlowRush · 29/05/2023 18:03

Just been away for my siblings 50th birthday (they live abroad).

BA have lost my suitcase. I spent 4 days away, borrowing clothes from my sibling. The entire planes luggage got left in London, this was last Thurs.

This was not good for either of us as we are not the same size, and I had a lovely outfit for the party. Also had to keep washing the outfit I arrived in so I had something to wear. Had no make up, toiletries, medication, jewellery.m, clothes, underwear. This has caused me anxiety the entire trip and worrying about where all my things are, and spent a lot of time trying to get updates from BA which everyone I was with has got tired of.

I am now home and my suitcase is not. BA are doing fuck all other than directing me to their lost baggage tracker which has been updated twice, once when I reported it missing on Thursday and once today when my siblings address expired as the address for it to be couriered to.

AIBU to think this is not good enough, that’s my (and the whole planes) personal items and they should be doing their utmost to locate it, not just fobbing us on the the tracker?

Any Advice please?

OP posts:
Plasticplantpot · 29/05/2023 18:35

Used to work for them. Good luck getting your bag back! There used to be a huge warehouse full of unclaimed baggage (also known as baggage they’d lost) at Heathrow that eventually went to auction. Car seats, prams, golf clubs too! I’d claim on your insurance and ask them for compensation for the ruined trip. You don’t get to speak to a person ever, customer service is a joke as those at the top simply don’t care.

YABU to pack medication in your checked luggage - everyone knows that comes with you in person!

Missingmyusername · 29/05/2023 18:36

I lost mine once, took a few days to get it back but when I did everything was intact. I rang, A LOT! I would say keep badgering them.

JMSA · 29/05/2023 18:42

They have gone downhill for sure.

Hope you get your bag back.

Jules912 · 29/05/2023 18:42

Once they 'lost' mine when I made a tight connection but my luggage didn't, it was sent on the next flight ( fortunately it was on the return trip). I suspect the problem is with a whole planes worth they can't fit it on the next flight, although surely it should still be in London then.

CoffeeandStories · 29/05/2023 18:45

They lost my bag last July thankfully on the trip home (also cancelled return flight and I had to spend another 4 days in guernsey as every other flight was booked solid. Then moaned that the hotel was £325 per night when their limit is £250).

I got the bag back after 4 days but my friend on same flight waited 16 days. I only got mine so quick as I had tramadol in the bag so reported to guernsey police that I had a controlled drug which was last seen at guernsey Airport and BA couldn't even confirm the bag had left there so I was concerned.

I also took the well deserved telling off about having controlled drugs in hold luggage not in my hand (it was a strip with just 1 tablet left that I thought was in my hand luggage).

peacelemon · 29/05/2023 18:45

I don't even understand how they can lose it. It should go on the plane the passenger is on and then off again at the other end

SwedishDeathClearance · 29/05/2023 18:45

Travel insurance and BA also cover emergency costs
Spent £2000 when BA lost our cases for 4 days and got every penny back.

CantFindTheBeat · 29/05/2023 18:49

I'm so sorry for you, OP.

That must have really spoiled your trip. What a bloody disgrace from them,

I hope you get the maximum of any compensation possible. They should be bending over backwards to apologise 😡

SwedishDeathClearance · 29/05/2023 18:54

CantFindTheBeat · 29/05/2023 18:49

I'm so sorry for you, OP.

That must have really spoiled your trip. What a bloody disgrace from them,

I hope you get the maximum of any compensation possible. They should be bending over backwards to apologise 😡

You only get compensation if you spend money usually- unless it ends up fully lost-or your insurance has a flat delay compensation

functionoverform · 29/05/2023 18:57

It is shit OP. Log it with world tracer and leave it. They will update you when it is on the move, until then you are literally wasting your time.

Aside from that, under the Montreal convention you are entitled to buy replacements that are considered reasonable to get you through your trip. Bit late now though! Up to £1300 or so. So next time buy an outfit or two and expense it to BA. Obvs not super expensive as they won't pay out but whatever is your style and keep all receipts. The more people who do this, gives BA an incentive to sort out their shoddy systems.

Delatron · 29/05/2023 18:58

They seem to be losing baggage a lot more frequently these days. Our bags weren’t loaded on to the plane when we went skiing. They turned up about 4 days in to the trip. We did manage to claim quite a bit back. They are shit.

BigChesterDraws · 29/05/2023 19:00

Why was your medication in your checked bag? That’s crazy.

Lockheart · 29/05/2023 19:01

Now you're back is it feasible to go to the airport and speak to someone in person?

BlueThursday · 29/05/2023 19:02

If they weren’t the flag carrier I honestly think they’d be defunct by now

Original poster
TheSlowRush · 29/05/2023 19:03

I had a controlled drug in there. I didn’t know you weren’t supposed to.

Argh have spent the last 4 days so anxious 🙈

OP posts:
GasPanic · 29/05/2023 19:05

I can't remember what the exact stats are - I thought it was about 98% of luggage makes it's way successfully.

Of course if you are on a 747 that probably means 3 or 4 people will not get theirs. It's not an unusual situation, which is why they tend to be a bit blase about it.

I have my luggage delayed loads of times. Or often enough not to have anything expensive or 100% necessary in there and learn to deal with the fallout.

The good news is that it is not often they are lost - eventually you normally get them back and despite me having it delayed a fair few times no airline has ever lost it permanently. That's over a lot of flights.

If it does stress you out it only ends up ruining your trip, so best thing to do is just keep calm and carry on. Otherwise you end up with a ruined trip as well as delayed luggage.

Travel insurance normally has some re-embursment costs I think - depends on the policy so you have to check.

Only other tip I have is that it is worthwhile actually having a card inside the case with your name and address on.

You really shouldn't put expensive jewellery or valuables in checked bags as they are not secure.

DrSarcasmo · 29/05/2023 19:07

Can't say I've ever had a good experience with BA. Horrid carrier.

GasPanic · 29/05/2023 19:13

Oh yes - I have actually had the wrong case delivered back to me before.

I opened it up (it was almost identical) and bizarrely it was half full of clothes and the rest of the room taken up with shrink wrapped/sealed bacon.

I'm glad it was shrink wrapped because if it hadn't been the smell alone would have been enough for the owner to probably locate it.

CalloohCallayFrabjousDay · 29/05/2023 19:14

Between travel insurance and BA, you would've been able to buy "essentials" and got your money back for those as long as you have receipts for everything...
also, never put medications in checked luggage!

Lockheart · 29/05/2023 19:16

TheSlowRush · 29/05/2023 19:03

I had a controlled drug in there. I didn’t know you weren’t supposed to.

Argh have spent the last 4 days so anxious 🙈

Can you really not go to the airport if the tracker says it's still there? Go to the customer service desk, explain, show them the tracking, and say you'd like someone to fetch your bag for you now as it has controlled medication in.

Original poster
TheSlowRush · 30/05/2023 09:23

It doesn’t say where it is on the tracker, it says they are still searching for it. The anxiety this is causing me is unbelievable. No one packs their worst clothes for a holiday 🙈

OP posts:
user1471505494 · 30/05/2023 09:32

I never put my medication in hold luggage it always goes in my carry on along with a change of clothes

BodegaSushi · 30/05/2023 10:06

TheSlowRush · 29/05/2023 19:03

I had a controlled drug in there. I didn’t know you weren’t supposed to.

Argh have spent the last 4 days so anxious 🙈

Controlled drugs ESPECIALLY should be kept on your person, in the labelled box with your name on it.

HermioneWeasley · 30/05/2023 10:10

Ok OP, time to stop being anxious about it. Assume you aren’t going to see the case again and let it go.

in future always have medication and jewellery in your carry on along with a change of clothes. We also have air tags in our checked bags so we know where they are even if the airline don’t.

HermioneWeasley · 30/05/2023 10:10

Also, we spread our clothes across the cases - so everyone has something in each bag

Swipe left for the next trending thread