Lost Luggage - suggestions on daily allowance?

[simongr]

Just putting together my two claims for Finnair and AA for the two separate problems.

I am nothopful regarding the Finnair claim. It is pretty huge as I effectively had to buy clothes in London for two weeks of business - so two suits, shoes, three shirts and some casual shoes - all about A$4500 at this point!!!!

I am faxing a copy of all receipts today and will wait to hear....

 

[Dave Noble]

I would be preparing for disappointment with that claim

Dave

 

[simongr]

I will thankfully be relying on my Boss for any shortfall. He has agreed ot cover any difference between compensation and the amount incurred.

 

[NM]

I don't even own two suits, let alone travel with two of them. Last ATW trip I didn't even take a tie with me .

 

[JohnK]

Woo Hoo - call this morning - BGI customs have released my bags - on their way to JFK and then on their way to me soon!!!!

Are your bags going to follow the same flight path as you?

 

[simongr]

I don't even own two suits, let alone travel with two of them. Last ATW trip I didn't even take a tie with me .

Well I had criticisms in the office that my tie and shirt combnation wasn't adequate!

For a two week+ trip I travel with two suits (and sometimes with two pairs of trousers for one of the suits). In the luggage now is in fact 4 suits! The two I took with me and the two I bought.

Actually planning to buy a couple of tailor made suits in Hong Kong next time I am there - so I will be travelling with four suits again...

@JohnK As long as the bags get here by mid next week I will be happy - just wondering if I should register them in the AA program.... they could be Platinum by the end of this trip

 

[Reggie]

I don't even own two suits, let alone travel with two of them. Last ATW trip I didn't even take a tie with me .

I have a nice selection of ties that look very nice on the hanger in my wardrobe and thats the only place they look good. I also don't travel with suits or ties.

 

[NM]

I have a nice selection of ties that look very nice on the hanger in my wardrobe and thats the only place they look good. I also don't travel with suits or ties.

Yep, I have a good selection in my wardrobe as well. They would come in very handy for a group of people attending an '80s theme party.

 

[simongr]

One bag delivered at midnight last night...

 

[Reggie]

Yep, I have a good selection in my wardrobe as well. They would come in very handy for a group of people attending an '80s theme party.

I was still wearing short pants in the 80's

 

[simongr]

Second bag being delivered tonight!!!!!!!!!

 

[Shano]

Second bag being delivered tonight!!!!!!!!!

Hopefully before midnight??? Although I guess you will just be relieved to get it.

 

[simongr]

Tonight they confirmed a 6PM - 9PM window.... last night it was 8PM - 11PM...

 

[NM]

Tonight they confirmed a 6PM - 9PM window.... last night it was 8PM - 11PM...

Ah, so delivery expected around 10pm tonight.

 

[simongr]

Yeah - that is my forecast - I just can't wait to finally and fully unpack - and start the pre-planning exercise on how I can pack for hand luggage only on the next trip...

 

[Dave Noble]

Yeah - that is my forecast - I just can't wait to finally and fully unpack - and start the pre-planning exercise on how I can pack for hand luggage only on the next trip...

If you take direct routings with reasonable connection times, then the risk of luggage going astray is reduced ; would seem easier than trying to pack everything into hand luggage

Dave

 

[waltervp]

I went on a big bicycle expedition recently and after transiting through Heathrow to get on a BA flight to Amsterdam our luggage got lost. We were also filming a documentary, and all four of us had no luggage. One of us got luggage after a couple of days but three of us did not. Our luggage appeared back in Australia 6 weeks later!!!

This meant that lots of camera/IT equipment and all our camping/riding gear did not arrive. At what point do you buy new gear? We allowed 3 nights in Amsterdam and 3 nights in Paris staying in 4/5 star hotels to make sure BA had no excuse in not locating us. We hesitantly bought gear to get going on our way. We had beautiful Patagonia gear in our luggage (sponsored) and we ended up in cheap tents that died on us, cheap rain gear that was inadequate... you can imagine. And our credit cards were maxed out resulting in having to get West.Union money transfers from home.

Fortunately the absolute minimum essentials were in our hand luggage! So we will have a film - but do not expect Patagonia to help fund the post-production, we did not wear the gear... We were lucky to have the bicycles sponsored by Batavus and we picked them up in Holland!

For those that have had similar happen, and I have heard of many first hand BA/LHR disasters, will know that BA luggage service is lousy.

I just had to vent a bit... If anyone has any great tips, feel free to reply!


Walter-----
The Great COFE for Cystic Fibrosis

 

[NM]

waltervp, what is the daily allowance covered by your travel insurance policy? That is where I suggest you pursue for compensation. The airline will normally only reimburse for actual expenses incurred based on the supply of reasonable receipts, usually limited to things like clothes, toiletries etc. Their actual legal responsibility is generally very limited.

What has you travel insurance provided said in response to any claims you have made of them so far?

 

[waltervp]

I just put in a claim with BA for emergency replacement gear worth €2650 which sounds excessive, but it was really the bare minimum to get me back on track and replace what I had in my luggage for the team - not to mention the cameraman and the support driver/mechanic who all had additional expenses to re-stock what they were responsible for.

The Amex Plat. card claim is in process for the fixed $$ amount that they offer. But really, our documentary will be more like a Blairwitch Project with bad sound. I guess we will narrate the documentary instead. Maybe it will work better, who knows! We did buy a new tripod, reflectors and other stuff, but it is all specialised equipment you cannot easily find - especially in foreign countries when cycling 100km each day!! We were filming in 1080i on SD chips...

Walter----

 

[NM]

Hmm, I am not sure I would be relying on a CC travel insurance policy for such a trip. They tend to have quite strict limitations on what is covered and for maximum financial compensation. With such expensive equipment and the importance of that equipment to the purpose of the trip, the costs incurred when things go pear-shaped can quickly exceed the limits imposed by some travel insurance policies that are not designed for such travel experiences.

Good luck with the claim from BA and please report back on the out come.