Stolen Luggage - Worst airports?

[Kendall Roy]

Howdy all,

Out of curiosity, I though I'd initiate this thread to gauge everyone's experiences on stolen luggage - my definition being when the bag is returned, but several items are no longer visible

Where has this happened to you?
---------------
LAX
Recently travelled YYZ-LAX-SYD(stopover)-CBR on a AA/QF combo. Original itinerary was YYZ-DFW-SYD, however the recent severe weather in the mid-West put a stop to this.

Anyway, my bags did not make it onto my LAX-SYD flight (which I almost expected) and QF advised that they're held up at LAX and will be on the next flight back in 24hrs. No worries I thought, at least they're across the whereabouts!

Earlier today, said bags were delivered to my home. Missing were:

- Suit/clothes purchased O/S around $800 in value
- TomTom GPS
- External DVD drive
- Book (on cricket) - believe it or not

This is pretty much the first time I've had something pinched in this fashion, so naturally the reaction involved the use of explicit language!

Now for the travel insurance claims and paperwork galore! :-|

 

[NM]

Only ever happened to me once. Airport was KBP and the missing items had a combined value or less than $20, but were gifts our hosts. Things like clip-on koalas, chocolates and shampoo!

 

[SamR]

Somewhere between LGA and LAX late last year. Had a few bottles of whiskey in my suitcase, but they only took the bottle of Ardbeg Uigeadail. Apparently the US luggage thieves know their single malts.

 

[Sprucegoose]

JNB say no more........

 

[Kendall Roy]

JNB say no more........

Pretty much the benchmark airport I'd say!

 

[Sprucegoose]

Pretty much the benchmark airport I'd say!

Yes after speaking with the Feds who rang me when some of my documents and files ended up in Syd in someone else's bag! I was flying to PER out of JNB, he did mention that JNB and LAX were the main and serial offenders here.

 

[Bolthead]

MCO - DFW - LAX - SYD

I was homeward bound and I had a heap of clothes from the outlets...... had to buy an extra bag to cope and half of the clothes where stolen. Inside one bag was a note from the authorities stating we check your bag randomly. They forget to leave another note to say and 'by the way thanks for the tip'. Most where presents for the kids.:evil:

Not happy Jan!!

 

[shearsense]

Only ever happened to me once. Airport was KBP and the missing items had a combined value or less than $20, but were gifts our hosts. Things like clip-on koalas, chocolates and shampoo!

Ditto. But I understand this airport has recently improved in this area....

 

[BAM1748]

JNB say no more........

Ah yes, always good to include a couple of sacrificial items when travelling through some places.

 

[Moopere]

Ah yes, always good to include a couple of sacrificial items when travelling through some places.

Oh no! Baggage Tax Sort of like slipping in a note with your passport in some dodgy areas of the world.

Only place I've ever lost items in luggage was LAX.

 

[Robmn]

Lucky only baggage missing in Australia. Due to bad weather unloading and transfer on the home leg - just slack on the part of QANTAS baggage handlers. Received it next day. with contents intact.

Missing a pair of shoes Hilo-HNL Hawaiian Air.

The TSA locking system is a joke everone has keys. as well if zips are locked they only have to split the zip - access the bag then rejoin the zip by dragging over it again.

Which brings up another point of considerable rough baggage handling by Hawaiian Air

Had friends who's bagage went missing either middle east or Manilla.

I think the worst problem the insurance does not cover the losses. The airline only allow a certain percentage in accordance with your fare class. Even in business it will not cover losses. Replacement costs are always considerably more.

Its a no win situation. The airlines should take more responsibility.

r

 

[Tassey69]

Without a doubt LAX worst in world if your bag is in transit at airport for more than 2 hrs. I Traveled globally for nearly 10 years and LAX was only problem area. I have a Samsonite Shell which is the easiest to open and close and lost some gifts several years ago during a 4hr transit stop, I now have a strap with combination lock which appears to work, another tip is to use cable ties to secure the zippers to the handle, OK they can be cut but it does give a warning that the bag has been opened.

 

[Miriam]

My story is one of theft. Travelling on Singapore Airlines from Taiwan, I had my bumbag stolen from under my seat. I am not sure at which stage of the flight this occured and did not realise it was missing until we disembarked at Singapore airport for our transit flight to Melbourne. Due to intense fatigue, I cannot remember attaching the bag to my waist before leaving the plane and only noticed it missing from my person when I went to pay for a purchase in one of the stores at Singapore airport.
Attendants at the Singapore desk did little to assist me and when I insisted they fill in an insurance claim form, they were reluctant to do so. When I asked for a copy of the form they supposedly filled out, they refused me request, telling me I could pick it up from their Melbourne office at Melbourne airport. At Melbourne airport, they told I should have received the copy at Singapore as they had no knowledge of it.
Five hundred dollars and my gold visa care was gone. I immediately phoned Visa to cancel my card before embarking on my next flight. I never store my passport in a bag and also on my person in a pocket.
Getting compensation from my travel insurer took 5mths. due to lack of co-operation from Singapore staff. That was 3 years ago. I refuse to travel on their airlines now, regardless of cheap offers.
So be aware. Never leave items under your own seat where you cannot see it, especially if the seat is in the back row in the middle near the toilets. Very easy for some-one to hook it out with their foot and steal it.
I was very sad to lose that bag as it had travelled around the world with me in the last twenty years. Singapore airlines has lost a valued customer forever.

 

[hughstep]

Johannesburg - must be organized on high. Their security system is for finding valuable electronics not explosive devices. Never ever leave anything valuable in your suitcase if you can possibly avoid it!

 

[busissi]

Coincidentally my husband has just been reunited with his luggage after 3 days at LHR. Some idiot grabbed the wrong case, obviously didn't check and waltzed off. My FF husband always travels light in hand luggage so he was not happy.

I feel somewhat vindicated as I like to carry a"spare" of essential items, it's just that our ideas of "spare" differ - or they did!

 

[ethernet]

Is the luggage always stolen?
I read of one high speed luggage 'system' designed to route bags throughout the airport. But bags were also plunging great heights off conveyor belts, piggy backing off a rucksack, then exploding open on impact with a guide bars., complete with baggage freeway pile ups. There was no incentive for management to admit a mistake, no incentive for the airport to pony up money to fix it , and the cleaners got a share in the 'spoils' at the end of each day. Good for morale.

Plus the airport makes money selling your luggage to places like this: Unclaimed Baggage Center (I understand no legal requirement to act on address tags found inside).

The future is more interesting with gadgets. Devices you can ring and get gps co-ords sms'ed back to you, and apps that iPads can 'call home' after being lost. And there are -g shock recorders to measure how roughly your bag/package was handled.

Some tie a distinct ribbon or cloth around their suitcase handle. I tie an unsavory , unwashed looking sock around the handle, and so far been lucky. When it did go awol, it was always in the baggage hall, as any suitcases without labels may get moved to behind the desk. Your ability to get it back depends on your ability. Green suitcase in last 1/2 hour did not work in Vietnam, but smelly sock around the handle did work.

Also what happened to Heathrow? 20 years ago it was known as ThievesRow.

 

[EmilyHoward]

Three years ago I travelled from SYD to LHR just before Christmas. I had one suitcase checked in. On the leg from SIN to LHR I got upgraded to First so that was great particularly as it was a freebie. However, once in London my suitcase did not arrive. I was only wearing a short sleeved T shirt on top in the plane and had no jacket with me.

I got 60 UK pounds to buy some clothes but at 5.30 am on a Sunday morning in London there really wasn't much choice. I had to wear my Qantas First Class pyjama top on the train all the way down to Wales.

Qantas did a great job though, they found my suitcase and it was delivered to where we were staying in Wales 3 days later. It hadn't been opened and nothing had been stolen.

However, now I practically never travel with check in baggage. I get everything into my hand luggage.

It is so good just being able to walk past those lines of suitcases!

 

[apj01]

Nothing stolen from luggage, but did have DF booze confiscated in LAX - apparently I was bootlegging - whatever that means.
Travelling from LON (where DF was bought) to LAX for 2 night stopover, then on to OZ. Despite having receipts etc, I was breaking some law (which they had just made up, I think) - So no more DF. More annoyed at the pettiness when it was one bottle.

 

[morgs]

Timely thread!
Just arrived in Madrid two days ago from Jakarta flying with BA, connecting through Heathrow. One of our checked bags didn't show up (apparently one bag missed the connection in Heathrow, and one made it), so we reported it and were told it would be delivered to the hotel that night. Well it did arrive at the hotel, but minus an expensive digital SLR camera and a TomTom GPS - which would have been useful for our driving holiday in Spain.
When I called BA they said they don't cover electronic items - here's hoping that the insurance company are more accommodating.
This is the first time I've experienced this - lost bags, yes I can understand. But things stolen from a locked bag? That's a new one.....

 

[mannej]

Timely thread!
Just arrived in Madrid two days ago from Jakarta flying with BA, connecting through Heathrow. One of our checked bags didn't show up (apparently one bag missed the connection in Heathrow, and one made it), so we reported it and were told it would be delivered to the hotel that night. Well it did arrive at the hotel, but minus an expensive digital SLR camera and a TomTom GPS - which would have been useful for our driving holiday in Spain.
When I called BA they said they don't cover electronic items - here's hoping that the insurance company are more accommodating.
This is the first time I've experienced this - lost bags, yes I can understand. But things stolen from a locked bag? That's a new one.....

I would imagine this is one to put down to experience. Where ever possible I would not check in a GPS or an expensive camera. Too risky