To the OP: my compliments for actually returning to this lynching to try to explain the situation a little more. Lot of good it did you but ^ nevertheless.

A typical 'problem' with Interwebbie fora is that people do not have a tendency to reevaluate their position. Few and very far between are the times that I read here 'well, if you put it like that..." or "maybe I was too hasty in my judgement...". It is just not going to happen.

I tried to put myself in your shoes. Arrive at the hotel, find out you have the wrong bag, feeling a bit silly about it... what would I do? Probably exactly what you did: call the airline and ask them if they can sort it out, maybe even at a price.

Regarding the inability to return the bag, it could very well be I have back to back appointments. A wedding. Important meetings. There are many reasons I could be prevented from taking 3 hours to travel to the airport and back. That is not even including the much ridiculed processes for collecting missing luggage...

If they gave me the advice to 'bring it in next time you travel' and I would respond 'but that isn't until the end of the week, are you sure?' I might even post my surprise to this reaction on FT...

Of course everyone else here would immediately have jumped on the HEX or - less familiar with London - in a taxi and spend the GBP 80 or so to get the bag to the airport. Every Single Person Here would have done so. Honestly. We promise.

Except me. I might have followed BA's advice too. Then again, I don't do hold luggage.

To the other posters: breathe. Think. Appreciate the OP's point of view and at least listen to him if he comes back (brave!) and explains.