DD's suitcase lost at Greek airport - DEVASTATED!!

[Kiki105]

My 19 year old DD has just arrived in Zante with 2 friends for their first girly holiday. Her friends have collected their suitcases but DD's suitcase didn't show or maybe someone collected it by mistake. She's reported it to the TUI rep and is now on the coach travelling to the hotel. She's absolutely distraught and in tears. Does anyone have any experience of this happening to them and the likelihood of her case being found within a short time. She has got absolutely nothing else on her other than the leggings and hoodie she travelled in. I'm feeling so stressed and helpless right now.

She’s 19. Give her a break.

It's fine for the 19 year old to be upset. But the OP needs to calm her down and reassure her that in the grand scheme of things this isn't a massive deal and that it will more than likely turn up in the next 24 hours.

Can you check her insurance?

All those saying they have had worse, it’s all about life experiences. If that’s the worst thing that’s happened to her then she can well that way as it’s all she has to feel. No one can ever be upset as there is always someone worse in the world, even those posters saying “I had it worse” are talking bollocks as there is someone worse.

When a toddler looses their favourite toy, they react and are genuinely as devastated as family bereavement, as that’s the worst thing that’s happened to them at that point. It’s only through life experience that you temper that with what you go through.

people are harsh

Sorry, Gatwick.
That's useful to know. Thank you for your help

If she is insured it may cover purchase of essentials until it arrives. Make sure she keeps any receipts.

If she's in laganas there are plenty of shops on the strip to get a bikini and bits. If she can hire a car or something send her to the shop opposite lidl near the airport. Everything is sold in there. Its known as the Chinese shop. Her bag will probably arrive tomorrow on the next flight

I think there are a lot of unfair comments here, and I'd bet money it's because it's affecting a teenager. We see so many posters on Mumsnet that people could criticise for being dramatic etc but it rarely happens because nobody tends to say it directly to an adult. Now we're talking about a 19 year old it seems fair game. Nobody comments on the threads about university saying "well your DC didn't get the grades so they'll just have to stop moaning and go somewhere else" or "well they should have anticipated this and tried harder." People offer sympathy.

I don't think it's unreasonable for a 19 year old to feel upset, or devastated. She's probably saved for a long time, her first adult holiday, bought specific outfits or new make up, planned outfits with friends and generally made a big deal of the holiday. We all would at that age. Nobody is saying it's the end of the world but she's 19, she's allowed to feel this sort of thing is important to her.

This could happen to any of our kids at some point, I firmly believe the response of half these posters to their own kids would be "tough luck, should have packed two days of stuff in your hand luggage, bye."

My DHs suitcase went missing on a skiing trip he was really annoyed. But when we got to the resort he borrowed stuff from a rep and bought gloves & goggles kept receipts to claim back.

The suitcase was delivered next day but we still laugh now because the rep was at least 6'4 and DH is about 5'6 so he looked hilarious 😆

@Kiki105 TUI have another flight from Gatwick today, landing 1855 local time so hopefully it will be on there. I'd try and see if she can get onto the rep to see 1 - they know where the case is and 2 - if so they can get it on that flight.

These things are usually resolved very quickly. The case isn't where it should be, but it's in the system.

I had the same on the way home as a teen (which obviously mattered less) and it was delivered to my front door the next day.

She should just be glad she's with her friends, who should be able to lend her things between them. I'd been with my dad and brothers and remember thinking it was a good job if hadn't happened the other way around.

I'm not the one devasted, DD is understandably. I know there's worse things in life that can happen but if you have a teenage daughter you'll know this is one of the worse things that could happen in your life. People on here are always ready to have a go at the Op. Be nice! I just wanted advice not all this criticism.

You're being absolutely ridiculous, I'm not into clothes make up or hair but i can still empathise enough to understand that a teenage girl on her first holiday abroad might be really upset if all the clothes and toiletries are god knows where and she has no idea when they'll turn up. DH went away with work, his bag went elsewhere and didn't turn up again until he got home so it won't necessarily be there in 24 hours - and who wants to spend their first day worrying about it and having to deal with that anyway.

That's good to know, thank you.

This is quite common and the case will probably turn up within a day or so. Assuming that your daughter is reasonably sensible, she will have anything she cannot afford to lose, e.g. documents and essential medication, in her hand luggage. Please don't use words like 'devastated' to describe something that is a bit upsetting, it devalues the language.

Christ, this site and the bitter, nasty creatures that inhabit it get worse every day.

Aye, she’s devastated. OP could have said very upset and not gotten this many snarky, self indulgent replies.

Can the poor lass not be upset because other atrocities happen in the world? Can the poor lass also not feeling initially upset but also learn “vAlUaBLe LiFe LeSsOnS” after the initial upset has wore off?

God the policing of feelings on this site is vomit inducing.

I'm feeling so stressed and helpless right now.

You seriously need to calm down. How would you react if something bad really happened I wonder.

Important lesson about never sticking everything in one bag learned. At the very least you always want a change of clothes and your swimsuit in your carry on. But no doubt it’ll show up- I’ve had lost luggage a few times and it’s never taken more than 2 days. In the meantime borrow off a friend.

I am sorry for your losses and hope you are doing well, it sounds very tough but it doesn’t mean that nobody is allowed to be upset about anything that’s not at least as bad as that.
My H can be a bit like that, if DD is upset she can’t be because “it’s not like she’s got cancer”. She calls him an emotions fascist.

This lesson will hopefully last her lifetime, never ever travel without 1 change of clothes and shoes suitable for the holiday location in your hand luggage (and preferably a bikini too if going to the beach!).

OP I'm not sure what you want from this thread. For every person who got their case back quickly there will be another (like me) who didn't get it back for days. None of us had any control over how long it took for our luggage to be returned. I feel your DDs pain but it's not insurmountable - she's in Greece so can easily buy a few clothes and toiletries. Like everyone else on this thread who have lost cases she will never travel without a change of clothes in her hand luggage or mixing packing between travellers.

This happened to me once and the airline delivered it to the house later that evening.
I can imagine it would be horrible for a teenager, I’d have been pretty miserable at that age too.
Hopefully it’ll turn up soon. However, in the meantime I suggest she checks the Tui small print, and hopefully gets some sort of confirmation that they will cover costs of new stuff she has to buy.

Why is everyone assuming the op's daughter is the same size as her friends? Not to mention the fact she will have her own makeup, hair products, underwear etc, no one wants to share those things ideally. I'm in my 40s and would still be upset if this happened. Ignore the haters op, I hope the suitcase is returned to your dd asap. This did happen to a family member some years ago when we traveled to south Africa and it took several days before the case arrived, so she might be as well to get a few items of clothing to wear if she can just in case, plus other essentials, she needs to keep receipts to claim costs back.

Ask her for her insurance details so you can check what it says re delayed/ lost luggage. You're probably in a calmer frame of mind and she can get on with trying to enjoy her holiday.

It really is very likely to turn up but she does need to keep on at the Tui rep. It might not be a bad idea to turn up at the airport later when the next flight gets in.

On the bright side, this type of holiday is probably one of the best ones for this to happen as she won’t need much stuff if it’s hot.
I’m sure it will turn up and hopefully it won’t spoil her trip too much in the mean time

Was about to say exactly the same. No need for such snide posts to someone who's clearly upset.

@Kiki105 I've had the same happen, and we did get the case but it took a couple of days to get to us. If you can transfer her a bit of cash she should be able to buy a few essentials to tide her over.