Lost Luggage

[Mike In Canada]

I left Toronto December 7 and flew to Washington DC to catch a first class Air China Flight to Beijing. I then got a connecting flight to Bangkok as I am stopping for 3 nights with the wife before we fly to Manila and head up North for 3 weeks to visit her family. When we arrived in Bangkok all 4 suitcases did not arrive with the flight. Now we are trying to track them down before we head to Manila instead of enjoying Bangkok. Of course we had to go shopping for essentials like toothpaste etc. and clothing this morning. what a pain in the ass this is.

[Jollygoodfellow]

Happened to me and another guy when arriving in Cebu years ago. Not a good feeling being the last standing there at the carousel and no more luggage coming out. We had to fill out a form and then do as you did, go shopping for what is needed but in my case the luggage arrived on a flight the next day and the airline called to say what time to pick it up. It came as priority so first out of the plane and then I had to go through customs with the other people from that flight. I dont know if the other guy got his things back. 

 

[intrepid]

Happened to my wife when she first arrived in the US.  Next day at 530 AM they had it delivered to my house at no charge more than an hour from the airport.  It was my turn to have one lost at Manila 4 years later.  Again, they delivered to my wifes house in San Pedero Laguna where we were staying.  This time it took two days.

[Jollygoodfellow]

21 minutes ago, intrepid said:

Happened to my wife when she first arrived in the US.  Next day at 530 AM they had it delivered to my house at no charge more than an hour from the airport.  It was my turn to have one lost at Manila 4 years later.  Again, they delivered to my wifes house in San Pedero Laguna where we were staying.  This time it took two days.

They would not deliver in my case as they said I had to take the bag through customs. 

[intrepid]

44 minutes ago, Jollygoodfellow said:

They would not deliver in my case as they said I had to take the bag through customs. 

That makes since.  Thinking back, my wife cleared customs & Immigration in Detroit before her final destination in Washington.  However, in my case in Manila, they didn't require me to return to the airport to retrieve the 50 lb luggage.  But, this was around 2012 if I remember.  It didn't appeared to be opened or searched either.

Edited December 9, 2017 by intrepid
additional info

[manofthecoldland]

I often do not bring checked luggage when I come here unless I need to bring some new clothes or higher quality bed sheets that might wife prefers and used to be hard to find locally. On my last two trips in on JAL I outran my luggage piece. First was when I was told that my KAL flight had problem associated with a major Asian summit and they would be put me on a JAL flight in SEA instead at the last moment, paging me and giving me an escort to the new gate that was already boarding. I kind of knew that my luggage would miss the emergency switch. This time my connections were so tight and swift, that I feared I would miss the connections myself and doubted that my luggage piece would keep up with me. Which is what happened. First time... the empty carousel routine, fill out the form at the desk nearby. This time a guy with my name on a sign meets me as I step off the escalator. I sort of expected it. Same paperwork. 

   In both cases my luggage arrived at our Mabini hotel within 24 hours via the luggage courier service that the airlines employ. First time I generously tipped since I was happy to see something like that work here. This time I expected it and forgot to tip..... until the young motorcycle fellow said, "Merry Christmas, Sir". My wife nudged me, and I remembered where I was and coughed up. It was 11pm, and I was still beat. 10 minutes later I thought to myself, "Man, that was cheap of me, just peeling off 3- P20 notes for the kid. I should have given him a 100 or 2 since this is MNL, not my home town in the province.", but he was already swallowed up in the night. Wish I had been more generous.

[Old55]

Air China haven’t the best history in this regard Mike. I’m sure the baggage will show up eventually.

Happened to me flying EVA. Arrived Cebu from Taipei no bags. I had to return the next afternoon to pick them up. The customs agent simplify checked my ID and ticket stubs and I was on my way.

 

[earthdome]

On 12/9/2017 at 4:51 AM, manofthecoldland said:

I kind of knew that my luggage would miss the emergency switch

Don't some airlines/airports have policies now that you can not board a flight unless your checked baggage is also on that flight? i.e They don't want your checked bags flying on a different flight than you to discourage airplane bombings?

[Jollygoodfellow]

1 hour ago, earthdome said:

Don't some airlines/airports have policies now that you can not board a flight unless your checked baggage is also on that flight? i.e They don't want your checked bags flying on a different flight than you to discourage airplane bombings?

Probably a case of the bag never was in the hands of the owner after it was checked in plus it's still going to the same destination so should not be a problem considering the airline stuffed it up. 

[Mike In Canada]

Well I got my bags the following day at 5:45pm and enjoyed the evening as well as yesterday in Bangkok. Me and the wife will fly today December 11 to Manila on Thai Airways and then take the 8 to 10 hour ride to Ilocos Sur. We rent a van and driver at the airport for 12,000 pesos so we can get on the road asap. Can't wait for the BBQ Fish, kilawin and a stiff drink or 10 when I arrive.