Originally Posted by
Transpacificflyer
The responses to this family's crisis show a lack of empathy and an understanding of how disruptive Air Canada's baggage services are.
I too have suffered the AC baggage ineptness. Short or longhaul flights, it doesn't matter, because AC is a chronic bungler and is not held accountable due to the lack of passenger protections as there are in the USA and EU.
And what of people who cannot carry around the bag? It's great that you are physically fit to do so, but on any given flight a large number of the passengers may be unable to carry a heavy carry on. I did exactly as you have done on my last TPAC. However, I knew that coming back to YYZ, the hike from the E Gates to Immigration is long. I was not in any condition to carry that bag all that way. And why should I? I paid $5K+ for a ticket and the airline should certainly be able to take care of one small checked in bag.
I recognize that I came off like a donkey, and people are right, it's perfectly reasonable for an inexperienced flyer to expect their bags to be delivered along with them on the metal they arrive on.
I guess I'm a fairly cynical guy, but it seems to me that lost bags are a fate that hundreds of people suffer daily in this country and I don't see every one of those people contacting national media outlets hoping for their moment in the spotlight.
As far as physical strength goes, what kind of carry-on are we talking about here?! I'm not one of these people that has a bag 7 inches bigger than it should be and 4 random plastic bags. I have a compact roller that moves through the airport almost entirely effortlessly. I rather expect it's the same for you since you're a flyer with status.
Nothing can excuse the airlines for lost bags. They're all deplorable, and the payouts they give when it happens is laughable. Having said that, EVERYONE knows this yet continue to act surprised when it occurs.