Just had to 'firmly' offer QF a suggestion about how to solve their problem related to missing baggage.

Mrs VH-RMD and 16mo mini flew BNE-MEL J this afternoon, checked in 1 suitcase and 1 stroller bag (oversize baggage) - which also contains mini's port-a-cot.

Flight arrived on time at 1630. Mrs waited around, waited around, waited around - there was apparently some problem unloading the baggage. 45 mins later suitcase appears. Waited until no further baggage coming out, no stroller bag.

Over to baggage services (apparently rather busy this afternoon in MEL), wait a further 30 mins (16mo getting very restless and shirty by this stage).

Mrs told 'should be on next flight, can you wait another 30 mins to see?', which she did - rather wanting the stroller for mini.

Next flight arrives, no bag. Back to baggage services 'won't come down until the 2130 flight'. Fine, it will be sent out to me then? No, the driver knocks off at 2100.

I now get a call from Mrs in tears, with very restless 16mo.

I called the plat line - not really our problem - which is probably true, however I then wanted clarification of baggage reuniting policy.

Lots of dithering about, I suggested that they may wish to consider getting someone to put the bag into a taxi and get it out to my wife.

Mrs has just called to say she has had a call from QF saying 'on this occasion, they will courier it out to her, but it may take up to two hours post arrival.

Not your best day QF, to a J passenger, with her own Gold status wrestling with a small child.

Rant over.

That really sucks. I can imagine travel with such a small infant is difficult enough, without this stress.

QF does know that there are 24hour courier services. I find it amazing that any other airline that I fly on offers the courier service, even no frills airlines, but QF do not.

Having had QF misplace bags 4 times in the past 45 days - I have offered any number of firm suggestions.

Particularly o the three occasions where my bag has been in Sydney and I have been in Canberra - in every one of the three occasions it would have been quicker to put the bag on the bus from sydney to canberra, and infinitely more efficient to put the bag in a cab from Canberra Airport to my place.

Matt

Not to make things worse, but NZ does this stuff well in comparison.

Due to fly CHC-WLG on 22 Feb, but suffered the earthquake and was separated from checked luggage. On return to WLG via other means, I left it a few days before following up about the bag as there were plenty of folk more seriously disrupted than myself and family (and were got home quickly).

On making inquiry with CHC baggage - who must have had a week from baggage hell - I was simply asked to confirm the delivery address. The bag made it to me 4 hours later via courier. It was a 10kg rollaboard that we opted to check.

I didn't even have time to say that I would have been happy to zip out to WLG to uplift it

VH-RMD, I hope Mrs VH-RMD was reunited with both items, but I'll bet it was too late to use either for mini VH-RMD last night .

Having the same issue (a 21 month old), I am forever grateful that our stroller made it to us every time we flew on our recent European trip.

Even EgyptAir, handling agent for RJ in CAI managed to deliver my bags at 3AM!

QF stuck to their word and the bag was delivered to her at 2300 last night. Mini was so disrupted that she did not go to sleep until 0130 apparently, so she did get to use the cot.

Did you use the new-fangled epic-fail baggage system?

no, no. Old fashioned paper bar code tags - I have detailed my dismal results with that system in the past - I will not go there again.

About 2 months ago, l did ROK-BNE-SYD. The ROK flight was delayed, and was thus put onto the next SYD flight when I landed in BNE. The bags didn't make it (due to a very tight connection) and l received a SMS from QF when l landed in SYD to contact Baggage services.

I made my way to QF Baggage (T3) services and was told it would be on the next QF BNE-SYD flight and l should get my bag by 19:30 via courier. I waited till 22:00 before putting my mobile on silent as l had to be up at 04:30 for work. Needless to say, l had about 5 missed calls around midnight from the courier service (downstairs door bell is out of action at the moment...). Because of the job l was involved in the next day (i.e., on the danger side of life), getting a decent amount of shut-eye was very high on my list of things to do.

The courier service made an effort, but l feel that l got misled by QF with the times that it would be delivered and it also seems that QF Baggage staff close around 21:00, which is why l turned off my mobile @22:00.

I did get the bag the next day so all was not lost.