logicalrealist

I have a missing bag and was wondering if you all can help me sort out with which airline I should be speaking.

I arrived AMS on Monday (routing DTW-ORD-LHR-AMS) and my bag did not show up. I went through the usual airport routine for missing baggage. All legs except LHR-AMS on AA, LHR-AMS on BA (AA codeshare). At AMS, BA's baggage operation is handled by Servisair.

At the airport, I filled out the form from Servisair to start the process of looking for a lost bag. Servisair printed me a form from BA saying that if my bag does not show up in 5 days, I should mail them a form, and that if I do not mail it to them within seven days, they have no liability.

After a day and a half of no baggage, I contacted Servisair to ask about the policy for getting reimbursed for things I need in the meantime. Servisair says to contact BA. No contact information is provided other than a mailing address, so I phone a general BA number. CSR says that they have no record of the bag, I started by journey on AA, it must be AA's fault, call AA. What about the form I'm supposed to mail? Doesn't apply, I'm told. My WorldTracer number is BA? "That must be something Servisair did. BA is not your contracting carrier."

I call AA's baggage number. They say that because the last leg was on BA, they aren't responsible. CSR, very proud of herself, says "at least I was able to find your ticket in the computer." Tells me to call BA.

So... yeah. I'm a bit confused and frustrated that neither airline is stepping up to say "here's what we're doing, here's what you need to do." If anyone has any advice on getting this sorted out, I'd appreciate it.

tom911

Have you entered your baggage tracking number on BA's web site? What does it show there?
http://www.worldtracer.aero/filedsp/ba.htm

amsNYC

My bags misconnected so many times LHR-AMS on BA that I now fly TATL to BRU and take the train to AMS - 1 hour longer but much less agita.

Others know more, but it is my understanding that it is the LAST carrier who is responsible for delivering you and your luggage - thus BA will have to track down your bag - even if it never left DTW.

Good luck!

jrhone

Per the IATA agreement, BA are responsible for finding your bag as they were the last carrier you flew on.

logicalrealist

Yep. It's shown as "continuing tracing" since Monday (so at least it's in the system). This is part of why I'm particularly confused by the BA rep's response on the phone.

KVS

In the first instance, you have to claim from the last carrier (in this case BA). The 7-day deadline (which you have already satisfied by filing a report at the airport) is for initially reporting the loss/damage/delay.

If you are not reunited with your baggage within 21 days, it becomes officially lost (whether or not BA admits to it or not) ...

yul2005

As others have said, it is definitely the carrier that you arrived on that is responsible. Although very occasionally a bag that misconnects at LHR is on the next flight, I find that gnerally it takes them about a day to locate the bag. Then it needs to get to you. Worldtracer never seems to be updated until the bag arrives at your final destination and is loaded onto a truck for delivery. It would be really comforting if they updated it when the bag was found in LHR.

Security checks may go faster at LHR since they instituted the one-carry-on-only rule, but baggage handling has definitely deteriorated.

AAaLot

There is nothing for you to do other than wait.

Last time that BA/AA lost my bags it took 4 days for them to re-appear.

Calling often does nothing for or against.

Sholey

I flew DFW-JFK-LHR and BA lost bags of both my companion & me. It took 4 days to find the bag and another until they delivered it to me!

Only check in a bag if you can afford to loose it!

CloudCoder

Last month I flew AA to England then BA to CPH. BA lost one of our bags. It came in on the very next flight.

A couple of years ago, a similar thing happened, except the bag did not arrive for 2 or 3 days. I had to buy some things in Europe to tide me over. When I got back to the USA, I sent a letter (along with copies of the receipts) to BA. BA eventually sent me a check in the exact amount I requested.

So ... hope your luggage comes in soon. Keep your receipts. Mail 'em in to BA after you get back home.

logicalrealist

Thanks all. Based on your comments, I gave BA another call just to straighten out which forms needed to be sent when. I was prepared to argue, but this time I got a rep who gave a much more thorough, helpful, and clear explanation of what I need to do. It seems BA has something of the same "if you don't like what you hear, call again..." situation as AA.

JDiver

Speaking of baggage tracer, I have heard rumors AA will being allowing us to trace baggage in early June on aa.com? If so, a big hoorah! :-:

RachelG

Experiences with lost luggage with AA: 1) came in on the very next flight and was delivered to our hotel in the middle of the night to our hotel room--I tripped over it going to the bathroom in the morning because all 4 of us were sleeping so soundly the hotel personnel actually put in our room without us waking up; 2) arrived after 2 days in Hawaii with no clothes--but at least it was warm there (we weren't naked, just didn't have any changes of clothes and I had to sleep in my underwear which was interesting given that my 2 teenage sons were sharing the room); 3)lost for 4 days but finally arrived--it was ok because this time we were at home.
All in all, I think AA does a pretty good job of tracking down luggage. But being able to track baggage on aa.com would be great.

jrhone

At least OneXMarine will know what city his bags are in now.

number_6

Except the OP flew AA codeshare on BA, thus AA is the carrier on the last segment, and solely responsible for the baggage. BA would have been responsible if it had been a BA flight (last carrier is responsible for lost baggage), but by booking the AA codeshare, it becomes an AA flight and it is entirely an AA responsibility. Unfortunately AA has no office at AMS, making dealing with them difficult. Servisair followed the correct procedure if it had been a BA flight, but not correct for AA codeshare (no doubt BA's systems rejected the form when it hit BA).

So, very important to immediately call AA and initiate the lost baggage process. BA may or may not have forwarded it to AA. This is one of the side effects of booking codeshares, and something to keep in mind in the future. When arriving at airports without a presence by the codeshared airline, it can be a major hassle. Personally I would have made sure to book the BA code instead of AA precisely because of this factor.

As for compensation while waiting for lost bags, the norm is after 24 hours you get a set amount based on the class of your ticket. On BA is is approx. USD 50 for Y, USD 250 for J and USD 500 for F; you must have receipts for clothes, etc. to match these amounts. If the bag is found, you get this money. If the bag is never found, this amount is deducted from the compensation limit for your bag. I don't know what AA's limits are, but they will be similar.