Delayed Luggage

[Harlequin]

Just back from a lovely trip to Caleta, excellent weather and bars etc. The problem was, my case didn`t arrive at the same time as us!

Usually the wife and I divide our stuff between 2 cases, just in case. This time however, I stupidly put all of my things into a single case and no need to guess which one didn`t arrive.

We arrived at the airport at about 19:30 and eventually got out at about 21:00 after reporting the missing case. When we got to the bar after dropping off the wife`s case, I noticed I had a missed call, which turned out to be from Gatwick airport, telling me they had my case, the tag had come off and to call them to verify my location. Excellent I thought, so I called them and told them where I was staying and they said they would send it on asap.

I thought that was a pretty good service at the time, but that was Saturday evening, my case eventually found its way to me on THURSDAY!

What a nightmare, I was phoning Gatwick twice a day and the location of opening at the lower end of the alimentary canal through which solid waste is eliminated from the body and elbow wasn`t very apparent.

I eventually discovered that they had labelled my case as “to be picked up from Gatwick” and once they realised their error, they finally sent the case on.

The biggest problem I had, was that I even more stupidly, had my contact lenses and glasses in the missing case too and I just had the pair of daily disposables in my eyes. Luckily the chemist was open and I managed to get saline and I managed to nurture them for the 5 days the case was missing.

Rant over..

The insurance company were good, in that they said buy what you need up to £250 and send the receipts, but does anyone know if there could be any recourse on Gatwick for their incompetence?

[Can the Man]

Just back from a lovely trip to Caleta, excellent weather and bars etc. The problem was, my case didn`t arrive at the same time as us!

Usually the wife and I divide our stuff between 2 cases, just in case. This time however, I stupidly put all of my things into a single case and no need to guess which one didn`t arrive.

We arrived at the airport at about 19:30 and eventually got out at about 21:00 after reporting the missing case. When we got to the bar after dropping off the wife`s case, I noticed I had a missed call, which turned out to be from Gatwick airport, telling me they had my case, the tag had come off and to call them to verify my location. Excellent I thought, so I called them and told them where I was staying and they said they would send it on asap.

I thought that was a pretty good service at the time, but that was Saturday evening, my case eventually found its way to me on THURSDAY!

What a nightmare, I was phoning Gatwick twice a day and the location of opening at the lower end of the alimentary canal through which solid waste is eliminated from the body and elbow wasn`t very apparent.

I eventually discovered that they had labelled my case as “to be picked up from Gatwick” and once they realised their error, they finally sent the case on.

The biggest problem I had, was that I even more stupidly, had my contact lenses and glasses in the missing case too and I just had the pair of daily disposables in my eyes. Luckily the chemist was open and I managed to get saline and I managed to nurture them for the 5 days the case was missing.

Rant over..

The insurance company were good, in that they said buy what you need up to £250 and send the receipts, but does anyone know if there could be any recourse on Gatwick for their incompetence?

Sorry to hear about your bad experience Harlequinn, but let this be a lesson and a warning to others, always carry your necessities with you in the cabin.
I am a diabetic and as a result have to carry my medication, testing kit, and injections with me when I travel, they always go in my hand luggage together with my glasses, and my iPod and ear phones.

I hope you managed to get some decent clobber when you were in Fuerte, and charge back to the insurance company.

[Harlequin]

It was sods law that I put everything in one case, I don't usually do that and paid the price.

I managed to get myself sorted out in Atlantico, I didn't need a lot, particularly with the calima warming things up!

I was fairly relaxed about it, but the thing that infuriated me, was Gatwick phoning me on the Saturday and then not delivering the case until Thursday.

[SheilaW]

The carrier/airport - whoever is responsible - will have a lengthy list available on their website of standard compensation. I believe they have to by law.

[Spike On Q]

Sadly there are not many flights from Gatwick so it would have had to wait for the next flight to Fuerte by the same carrier. Recourse  - you can get details of compensation from the Gatwick Airport web site but it looks like your claim is with the airline. i.e.

The Montreal Convention states that a passenger's baggage is termed as 'delayed' for a period of 21 days after it is reported as missing.
   
"Some airlines, for delayed baggage, offer travellers an immediate one-off payment at a set amount to cover emergency purchases like toiletries and underwear.

Others will pay a set amount of compensation per day up to a maximum number of days. Whilst others will not make cash payments at the time but will prefer to reimburse you on essential items on seeing receipts.

But the general principle is to cover essential costs resulting from the delay to delivery of the baggage.
   

When missing for after 21 days they are deemed as officially lost and you can then proceed to make arrangements with your airline or travel insurance company to claim compensation."