BA lost luggage - who's responsibility?
Aug 31, 17, 9:43 am
#16
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Finally, again, people should note that when you get an airline to through check a bag on successive itineraries, you should always approach an agent at the transfer counter of airport where your second itinerary starts to ask them to scan your luggage tag receipt, otherwise your luggage will almost never arrive with you. That is because even though the bag has technically been through checked, the system of the second airline does not know to expect the bag on your flight.
BA did go through our boarding passes and pointed out that as the ETicket was different between the Qatar and BA flights, that our bags were probably rejected by BA in Rome.
Aug 31, 17, 9:43 am
#17
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Yes, I am really interested in who is responsible for our bags, is it Qatar or is it BA? Surely it seems a bit unfair for BA, who have to now find, administer and deliver our bags - and, presumably, if I decide to submit any claims, have to settle the claims too?
As it turns out, my wife's bag has been found, but as of yet, mine has not. We were away on a 4.5 week trip and I literally have very little clothes at home - would it be unreasonable to claim for some basic clothes?
As it turns out, my wife's bag has been found, but as of yet, mine has not. We were away on a 4.5 week trip and I literally have very little clothes at home - would it be unreasonable to claim for some basic clothes?
Its BA
It does not matter how unfair it seems.
Aug 31, 17, 9:55 am
#18
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Aug 31, 17, 10:13 am
#19
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As others have said, the last airline will always be the passenger's point of contact.
The question of responsibility is different, and BA will liaise with QR to ascribe responsibilities.
Finally, again, people should note that when you get an airline to through check a bag on successive itineraries, you should always approach an agent at the transfer counter of airport where your second itinerary starts to ask them to scan your luggage tag receipt, otherwise your luggage will almost never arrive with you. That is because even though the bag has technically been through checked, the system of the second airline does not know to expect the bag on your flight.
The question of responsibility is different, and BA will liaise with QR to ascribe responsibilities.
Finally, again, people should note that when you get an airline to through check a bag on successive itineraries, you should always approach an agent at the transfer counter of airport where your second itinerary starts to ask them to scan your luggage tag receipt, otherwise your luggage will almost never arrive with you. That is because even though the bag has technically been through checked, the system of the second airline does not know to expect the bag on your flight.
Aug 31, 17, 10:25 am
#20
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Yes, I am really interested in who is responsible for our bags, is it Qatar or is it BA? Surely it seems a bit unfair for BA, who have to now find, administer and deliver our bags - and, presumably, if I decide to submit any claims, have to settle the claims too?
As it turns out, my wife's bag has been found, but as of yet, mine has not. We were away on a 4.5 week trip and I literally have very little clothes at home - would it be unreasonable to claim for some basic clothes?
As it turns out, my wife's bag has been found, but as of yet, mine has not. We were away on a 4.5 week trip and I literally have very little clothes at home - would it be unreasonable to claim for some basic clothes?
It isn't really up to the traveller to determine the fairness of the situation. Partly because you don't really know who is responsible for the loss, and partly because the airlines have their own mechanism for apportioning responsibility.
As for claiming, yes, you can do that. I suspect in your case if you are returning home you may be challenged a bit more around what constitutes 'essentials', as there is a reasonable expectation that at your home you will at least have access to basic requirements to cover you for a few days. The alternative of course is to speak to your travel insurer.
These are always frustrating circumstances but realistically all you can do is keep World Tracer updated and await final delivery.
Aug 31, 17, 10:48 am
#21
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Pop round and knock on the door of the T8191 residence. He'll sort you out with a Hawaiian shirt or two until your bag turns up.
Aug 31, 17, 11:25 am
#22
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And once you do it, your luggage will 'almost always' arrive with you (just as it would on a straightforward itinerary).
Aug 31, 17, 12:05 pm
#24
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As others have said, the last airline will always be the passenger's point of contact.
The question of responsibility is different, and BA will liaise with QR to ascribe responsibilities.
Finally, again, people should note that when you get an airline to through check a bag on successive itineraries, you should always approach an agent at the transfer counter of airport where your second itinerary starts to ask them to scan your luggage tag receipt, otherwise your luggage will almost never arrive with you. That is because even though the bag has technically been through checked, the system of the second airline does not know to expect the bag on your flight.
The question of responsibility is different, and BA will liaise with QR to ascribe responsibilities.
Finally, again, people should note that when you get an airline to through check a bag on successive itineraries, you should always approach an agent at the transfer counter of airport where your second itinerary starts to ask them to scan your luggage tag receipt, otherwise your luggage will almost never arrive with you. That is because even though the bag has technically been through checked, the system of the second airline does not know to expect the bag on your flight.
Aug 31, 17, 12:26 pm
#25
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No, that's why I mentioned the 'transfer counter' which is always airside. In virtually all medium and large airports, there are transfer counters airside where all airlines have some representation. It's enough to approach that without going landside.
Aug 31, 17, 12:39 pm
#26
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Excellent. Thanks for the tip. ^
Aug 31, 17, 12:46 pm
#27
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BA is responsible for reuniting the OP with the bags. Whether it is at fault or not does not matter. There is an agreement between the two airlines and whichever's fault it is will end up paying anyway. I would not be surprised that since the practice stopped the agreement was changed to state that even if it is BA's fault since it was QR that tagged the bag through against the policy the latter has to pay. But we'll not know that.
Both QR and BA fly into KBP but neither has its own transfer desk. I believe that the common transfer desk operates limited hours. I remember seeing unmanned transfer desk at BCN two weeks ago. I would be wary of doing it anywhere else but a hub. And anyway many people correctly pointed out that it is a rather unknown (and counter-intuitive) thing to do. :-)
Last edited by Andriyko; Aug 31, 17 at 1:25 pm
Aug 31, 17, 12:55 pm
#28
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So the tricky one below happened to me a couple of years ago, when I used to have the benefit of staff travel as a BA employee.
I was travelling MCO-JFK on AA, connecting to LHR on BA. I was using the staff travel so we are talking about standby tickets here.
After boarding on my AA flight to JFK, having checked bags, we are told by the captain that "there is a hole in the cockpit window" and therefore we cannot take-off until an engineer comes to fix it, so we are de-boarded.
After 5h of waiting in the terminal, we are told that the other AA flight to JFK of the day is also having technical issues, so even if our flight finally departs, we won't be able to board again as they will give our seats to other fully paid passengers.
We then decided to cancel the JFK-LHR segment and buy a standby ticket MCO-LGW with Virgin Atlantic, as the flight was showing some space. AA would not, by any means, return our bags that still on the flight we previously boarded, even if we don't have allocated seats anymore. Our bags will definetely fly to JFK but get the promise from AA that they would "add a note in the system" so our bags will "100%" be sent to London after arriving in JFK. Of course I didn't´t believe a word but there was no other choice as at this time was imposible for us to get to JFK that day or the day after.
When we arrived to LGW, we were advised that the baggage claim should be raised with Virgin, even if they were never supposed to touch our bags. I found this incredibly shocking, but was promised this was the right way to do it.
Surprisingly, after a week or so, Virgin found our bags and sent them to our address in London. So the responsibility for looking and retrieving the bags is definitely with the last carrier involved, even if by no means they are responsible for the loss.
I was travelling MCO-JFK on AA, connecting to LHR on BA. I was using the staff travel so we are talking about standby tickets here.
After boarding on my AA flight to JFK, having checked bags, we are told by the captain that "there is a hole in the cockpit window" and therefore we cannot take-off until an engineer comes to fix it, so we are de-boarded.
After 5h of waiting in the terminal, we are told that the other AA flight to JFK of the day is also having technical issues, so even if our flight finally departs, we won't be able to board again as they will give our seats to other fully paid passengers.
We then decided to cancel the JFK-LHR segment and buy a standby ticket MCO-LGW with Virgin Atlantic, as the flight was showing some space. AA would not, by any means, return our bags that still on the flight we previously boarded, even if we don't have allocated seats anymore. Our bags will definetely fly to JFK but get the promise from AA that they would "add a note in the system" so our bags will "100%" be sent to London after arriving in JFK. Of course I didn't´t believe a word but there was no other choice as at this time was imposible for us to get to JFK that day or the day after.
When we arrived to LGW, we were advised that the baggage claim should be raised with Virgin, even if they were never supposed to touch our bags. I found this incredibly shocking, but was promised this was the right way to do it.
Surprisingly, after a week or so, Virgin found our bags and sent them to our address in London. So the responsibility for looking and retrieving the bags is definitely with the last carrier involved, even if by no means they are responsible for the loss.
Aug 31, 17, 1:37 pm
#30
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So the tricky one below happened to me a couple of years ago, when I used to have the benefit of staff travel as a BA employee.
I was travelling MCO-JFK on AA, connecting to LHR on BA. I was using the staff travel so we are talking about standby tickets here.
After boarding on my AA flight to JFK, having checked bags, we are told by the captain that "there is a hole in the cockpit window" and therefore we cannot take-off until an engineer comes to fix it, so we are de-boarded.
After 5h of waiting in the terminal, we are told that the other AA flight to JFK of the day is also having technical issues, so even if our flight finally departs, we won't be able to board again as they will give our seats to other fully paid passengers.
We then decided to cancel the JFK-LHR segment and buy a standby ticket MCO-LGW with Virgin Atlantic, as the flight was showing some space. AA would not, by any means, return our bags that still on the flight we previously boarded, even if we don't have allocated seats anymore. Our bags will definetely fly to JFK but get the promise from AA that they would "add a note in the system" so our bags will "100%" be sent to London after arriving in JFK. Of course I didn't´t believe a word but there was no other choice as at this time was imposible for us to get to JFK that day or the day after.
When we arrived to LGW, we were advised that the baggage claim should be raised with Virgin, even if they were never supposed to touch our bags. I found this incredibly shocking, but was promised this was the right way to do it.
Surprisingly, after a week or so, Virgin found our bags and sent them to our address in London. So the responsibility for looking and retrieving the bags is definitely with the last carrier involved, even if by no means they are responsible for the loss.
I was travelling MCO-JFK on AA, connecting to LHR on BA. I was using the staff travel so we are talking about standby tickets here.
After boarding on my AA flight to JFK, having checked bags, we are told by the captain that "there is a hole in the cockpit window" and therefore we cannot take-off until an engineer comes to fix it, so we are de-boarded.
After 5h of waiting in the terminal, we are told that the other AA flight to JFK of the day is also having technical issues, so even if our flight finally departs, we won't be able to board again as they will give our seats to other fully paid passengers.
We then decided to cancel the JFK-LHR segment and buy a standby ticket MCO-LGW with Virgin Atlantic, as the flight was showing some space. AA would not, by any means, return our bags that still on the flight we previously boarded, even if we don't have allocated seats anymore. Our bags will definetely fly to JFK but get the promise from AA that they would "add a note in the system" so our bags will "100%" be sent to London after arriving in JFK. Of course I didn't´t believe a word but there was no other choice as at this time was imposible for us to get to JFK that day or the day after.
When we arrived to LGW, we were advised that the baggage claim should be raised with Virgin, even if they were never supposed to touch our bags. I found this incredibly shocking, but was promised this was the right way to do it.
Surprisingly, after a week or so, Virgin found our bags and sent them to our address in London. So the responsibility for looking and retrieving the bags is definitely with the last carrier involved, even if by no means they are responsible for the loss.
In your case, BA of course has operations at LGW and could have handled a claim, but OP's situation is the reason for the rule. OP can spend a lot of time looking for the QR counter at JER and QR is not ideally situated to arrange for local delivery of bags from JER.
This is nothing new. It has been this way for 60+ years and over that time, I suspect that everything evens out. If a carrier doesn't want to accept interlined bags, it is free to end its interline agreement.
