HELP!!!! UAL ruining my wife's birthday!
Sep 15, 2017, 7:04 am
#16
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If I understand correctly, you had ATL-EWR-CDG on UA.
You landed in CDG on the correct day, but in afternoon rather than early morning.
Your bags did not make it and it sounds that you have no firm information on where they are.
On such a complicated and fast-moving trip, it is a high risk to check luggage. We all learned the lesson.
The second lesson is that bags can be almost anywhere and might not reach you soon. You might have lost a few hours but you should have continued your trip as planned, possibly buying stuff when needed.
You landed in CDG on the correct day, but in afternoon rather than early morning.
Your bags did not make it and it sounds that you have no firm information on where they are.
On such a complicated and fast-moving trip, it is a high risk to check luggage. We all learned the lesson.
The second lesson is that bags can be almost anywhere and might not reach you soon. You might have lost a few hours but you should have continued your trip as planned, possibly buying stuff when needed.
Sep 15, 2017, 10:58 am
#17
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: DXB / KUO
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Posts: 858
If it makes the OP feel any better, my bag went missing twice on my last 10-day long Euro trip in July.
The second time the bag went missing for 6 days and was eventually delivered straight back to Singapore. Turboprop flight (no connections), so no option but to spend some money buying new gear. I was not entirely happy about it - but would say that buying what you need is less stressful than dealing with an airline or their ground handling agent. Good luck!
The second time the bag went missing for 6 days and was eventually delivered straight back to Singapore. Turboprop flight (no connections), so no option but to spend some money buying new gear. I was not entirely happy about it - but would say that buying what you need is less stressful than dealing with an airline or their ground handling agent. Good luck!
Sep 15, 2017, 11:18 am
#18
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 610
I'd just buy what you need and submit receipts to someone (credit card/UA/AF).
No need to miss the rest of the trip, just try to get the best out of where you are right now.
On the other hand, if it makes you feel any better, you might be eligible for EU261 compensation for your delays and denied boarding (but that's something to look at once you're back!).
I had a very good experience with DL recently with purchase reimbursements, especially for giving them the receipts at one of their airport baggage service counters. They issued a check on the spot, and I received the check 2 weeks later. Maybe that could work for UA/AF too, to get the check processed more quickly.
Good luck and enjoy your trip!
No need to miss the rest of the trip, just try to get the best out of where you are right now.
On the other hand, if it makes you feel any better, you might be eligible for EU261 compensation for your delays and denied boarding (but that's something to look at once you're back!).
I had a very good experience with DL recently with purchase reimbursements, especially for giving them the receipts at one of their airport baggage service counters. They issued a check on the spot, and I received the check 2 weeks later. Maybe that could work for UA/AF too, to get the check processed more quickly.
Good luck and enjoy your trip!
Sep 18, 2017, 8:09 am
#19
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Heraklion, Greece
Posts: 7,566
OP starts the thread by saying that the whole mess was originally due/started with an Irma-related delay. That's Irma, like in one of the worse bad weather cases even. Do you really believe that (s)he stands a chance with EU261?
Sep 18, 2017, 8:25 am
#20
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I am lying here in bed naked posting this tonight from a crap hotel by the airport in hope that someone can offer some advise and or help. We have already missed a major part of the birthday trip searching for the bags, and I am now out two nights upscale hotel fees as well as 3 train ticket pairs which went unused because UAL was too damn stubborn to pick up the bags at LHR and route them appropriately.
Sep 18, 2017, 8:40 am
#21
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Don't believe anything AF says (or any information you can find online) about where your bag is or when it will be delivered to you, and especially don't go to the airport in hope of picking up the bag yourself if AF tells you that it's there. Instead, just generously buy stuff right away assuming that you won't see the bag for about five days and make AF pay for the stuff. If you can avoid contact with AF about the issue until you actually see the bag that would be even better for you.
Sep 18, 2017, 8:55 am
#22
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There is a lot of wrong advice in this thread.
1. OP's claim was with UA. That is the last ticketed carrier. It doesn't matter that OP knows that the bags made it to LHR or that OP was rerouted onto AF. It's been this way for 60+ years. The key is to make certain that UA has the details of your bag and that you have a WorldTracer number. You can check that online. UA also needs to know where the bags go and when. You can check to make certain that the information is accurate and don't have to waste your time on endless holds with people who simply look in WorldTracer themselves.
2. OP has no claim under EC 261/2004. He was not denied boarding by AF. OP himself stated that he was placed on standby for the flight and did not make it. The fact that OP erroneously used the term "bump" (which does not mean IDB), does not change the fact that OP never had confirmed space.
3. If you have travel insurance, that may well provide you with a daily allowance which may be quite generous. Use that and forget air carrier claims. The latter take forever and generally provide fair market value, not replacement cost for other than small items.
4. If you do need to rely on a carrier claim, only purchase what you need and what you would purchase if it is coming out of your pocket. You have no guarantee until you have a bank deposit that UA will own up to this.
Although passengers should not have to, here are a few things to consider for the sake of others:
1. At LHR, make sure with the gate that it has your original tag numbers and can confirm that it has the bags. In OP's case, this was AF. AF won't hold its flight, but it will make a request for the bags and, at worst, they come on the next flight. This is especially true with a reroute. Make certain that the agent handling the ticket reissue handles the bag tag changes too and then confirm at the gate.
2. I get that people overpack, but given generous carry-on allowance, 4 pieces between a couple, at least the first 3-4 days of clothing ought to be easy. Given that the vast majority of bags, especially ones that have made it through the first leg, will make it onwards quickly, having everything but a few items which can't go in a 3-1-1 baggie with you lets you sit back and relax.
1. OP's claim was with UA. That is the last ticketed carrier. It doesn't matter that OP knows that the bags made it to LHR or that OP was rerouted onto AF. It's been this way for 60+ years. The key is to make certain that UA has the details of your bag and that you have a WorldTracer number. You can check that online. UA also needs to know where the bags go and when. You can check to make certain that the information is accurate and don't have to waste your time on endless holds with people who simply look in WorldTracer themselves.
2. OP has no claim under EC 261/2004. He was not denied boarding by AF. OP himself stated that he was placed on standby for the flight and did not make it. The fact that OP erroneously used the term "bump" (which does not mean IDB), does not change the fact that OP never had confirmed space.
3. If you have travel insurance, that may well provide you with a daily allowance which may be quite generous. Use that and forget air carrier claims. The latter take forever and generally provide fair market value, not replacement cost for other than small items.
4. If you do need to rely on a carrier claim, only purchase what you need and what you would purchase if it is coming out of your pocket. You have no guarantee until you have a bank deposit that UA will own up to this.
Although passengers should not have to, here are a few things to consider for the sake of others:
1. At LHR, make sure with the gate that it has your original tag numbers and can confirm that it has the bags. In OP's case, this was AF. AF won't hold its flight, but it will make a request for the bags and, at worst, they come on the next flight. This is especially true with a reroute. Make certain that the agent handling the ticket reissue handles the bag tag changes too and then confirm at the gate.
2. I get that people overpack, but given generous carry-on allowance, 4 pieces between a couple, at least the first 3-4 days of clothing ought to be easy. Given that the vast majority of bags, especially ones that have made it through the first leg, will make it onwards quickly, having everything but a few items which can't go in a 3-1-1 baggie with you lets you sit back and relax.