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How do I get my luggage back from airBerlin?

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How do I get my luggage back from airBerlin?

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Old Oct 15, 2012, 10:52 pm
  #1  
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How do I get my luggage back from airBerlin?

I arrived in Berlin TXL from MIA Sunday morning. My luggage did not arrive with me (not surprised because of the incredibly tight AA to AB connection). Filled out the lost bag form at TXL and the guy said it would probably show up over night. They gave me no compensation.

Monday morning. No bag. Got the hotel staff to call the phone number and they were told "there is no information". What??

Tuesday morning. Still no bag. Going to get the hotel staff to call again later this morning when the line opens at 8am.

I am here for a conference that ends on Thursday and I am speaking every day. This is ridiculous. I fly home (via BA thank goodness) Friday morning. But I wonder if my bag will arrive at all at this point.

My wife has tried calling the US number and they are no help either. Posting on their facebook page I see I'm not the only one with this problem.

Quite frankly, after this experience I am never flying airBerlin again. Not sure how this airline got accepted into the oneWorld alliance. I've never seen service this bad in almost 30 years of flying.

Last edited by JDiver; Aug 11, 2013 at 10:25 pm Reason: restore original post title
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Old Oct 16, 2012, 1:24 am
  #2  
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Did you check with AA given that they checked you from MIA and since you knew of the incredibly tight connection, why was it booked that way?
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Old Oct 16, 2012, 1:47 am
  #3  
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AA confirmed the bag was delivered to airberlin.

As for why the tight connection was booked that way... according to my assistant that was all that was available as the ticket was last minute (I am standing in for a speaker that could not attend due to a last minute conflict). Though I don't see how this has anything to do with not having my bag 3 days later.
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Old Oct 16, 2012, 4:13 am
  #4  
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I assume you included your Berlin hotel and other contact information inside the bag.....

You arrived Sunday morning. Today is Tuesday. That means your bag is 2 days late, not 3.

Booking an "incredibly tight connection" is asking for trouble.

It is quite common for a bag to show up without any information about the bag being available before then.

You should use the following website to follow up:
https://wtrweb.worldtracer.aero/Worl...2-C85C0E4C5E83

Last edited by Austinrunner; Oct 16, 2012 at 4:19 am
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Old Oct 16, 2012, 4:43 am
  #5  
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Originally Posted by Austinrunner
I assume you included your Berlin hotel and other contact information inside the bag.....

You arrived Sunday morning. Today is Tuesday. That means your bag is 2 days late, not 3.

Booking an "incredibly tight connection" is asking for trouble.

It is quite common for a bag to show up without any information about the bag being available before then.

You should use the following website to follow up:
https://wtrweb.worldtracer.aero/Worl...2-C85C0E4C5E83
Well excuse me for having my assistant book a last minute business trip that included a tight connection.


Regardless of a tight connection or not the bag should not be more than one day late. I've had my bag fall behind me once before on a trip to Italy and it arrived at the hotel that evening.
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Old Oct 16, 2012, 3:35 pm
  #6  
 
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Originally Posted by aspex
Well excuse me for having my assistant book a last minute business trip that included a tight connection.


Regardless of a tight connection or not the bag should not be more than one day late. I've had my bag fall behind me once before on a trip to Italy and it arrived at the hotel that evening.
I sincerely hope you have a good travel insurance. I have a really bad experience with them with regards to the bag and their post flight customer service. I filled a claim with them in February and you know which date is today. Beside the email that they assigned a claim number - no reply from them until now.

No matter that you were on short connection - neither MIA or BER are in the end of the world, so your bag should reach you in two days.
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Old Oct 16, 2012, 11:03 pm
  #7  
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One of my colleagues had his bag 10 days later after posting lots of facts on their facebook page. He says they simply didnt care and I am surprised at OP not having good insurance especially as experienced as he/she is at travelling with tight connections and obviously knowing the risks
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Old Oct 18, 2012, 12:48 am
  #8  
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Originally Posted by aspex
Well excuse me for having my assistant book a last minute business trip that included a tight connection.
Regardless of who booked it or when, you had a choice. Sometimes when you mess with the bull, you get the horns.
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Old Oct 18, 2012, 2:44 pm
  #9  
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And let je and one aspect: AA alleged that they delivered the bag to AB and they got rid of an angry customer that way. Given the number of connections AA has and given the number of connections in MIA it is by far more likely thst this bag disappeared in Miami. AA took your bag, they issued the baggage slip, they are responsible.....
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