Help Requested - In Vienna Without My Luggage

[Steady]

We always now travel with a track dot

https://trakdot.com/en

The trackdot website doesn't link to a shop after the landing page for me

 

[Danger]

My missing bag was delivered to my hotel room about 30 hours after my flight landed.

 

[anat0l]

We always now travel with a track dot

https://trakdot.com/en

How have you found this device?

Have you tested it thoroughly through travels in various countries?

Has it ever become useful, i.e. your luggage has lost?

I would be interested to hear how airline luggage services would react if you had an idea (or better idea) where your luggage was before they might be able to successfully trace it, and whether they would be prepared to take your word for it.

Also wonder if the device might be susceptible to inspection "raids", i.e. removed due to suspicious device or malicious handlers.



I have to say that QR are pretty arrogant if they think they can just shirk off customer issues thinking they will go away. They seem to be five star when everything goes right, but like the other ME3 carriers like EK and EY, when things go wrong, all of the sudden everyone is deaf, blind and mute. I'm not sure whether it is fair or not that a carrier should be holistically rated on both how they do normal and abnormal operations, cf. the standard where only a normal set of operations is ever evaluated for a rating, but I suppose showing off how well you handle when things go wrong is never really fantastic or riveting marketing material.

 

[OzEire]

I have to say that QR are pretty arrogant if they think they can just shirk off customer issues thinking they will go away. They seem to be five star when everything goes right, but like the other ME3 carriers like EK and EY, when things go wrong, all of the sudden everyone is deaf, blind and mute. I'm not sure whether it is fair or not that a carrier should be holistically rated on both how they do normal and abnormal operations, cf. the standard where only a normal set of operations is ever evaluated for a rating.

I have to agree with anat0l, this is a trait of ME customer service. More than happy to accept praise in good conditions but shirk as soon as things get difficult. All reinforced by an attitude pervasive in the region that allows for an individual to adopt a "not my problem" attitude when they should be representing their employer.

An airline's reputation for recovery from failure is a major factor for me choosing a flight. Thanks to posters in this thread for updating/confirmation of my understanding of QR.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I have to say that QR are pretty arrogant if they think they can just shirk off customer issues thinking they will go away. They seem to be five star when everything goes right, but like the other ME3 carriers like EK and EY, when things go wrong, all of the sudden everyone is deaf, blind and mute.

I guess it's 50-50? For many passengers (myself included) it is much easier to deal with one airline rather than multiple if a bag goes missing. Saves chasing two or three carriers. IATA has a system in place - last carrier. Means only dealing locally and not spending money to foreign call centres or baggage offices.

 

[anat0l]

I guess it's 50-50? For many passengers (myself included) it is much easier to deal with one airline rather than multiple if a bag goes missing. Saves chasing two or three carriers. IATA has a system in place - last carrier. Means only dealing locally and not spending money to foreign call centres or baggage offices.

If IATA has a system in place, it seems to be very poorly understood. There are too many stories about this responsibility ping-pong that gets played out; you would think IATA policy should be 101 for any airline operation at any station in the world (provided they are signatories to IATA of course).

I agree it is easier to deal with a local; I wouldn't say that guarantees no calling foreign centres (contracted outstations can also be poorly equipped to deal with issues, forcing intervention from abroad to become necessary).

Is it a small oddity that we have not devised a more robust global baggage tracing system? (I realise there are pilot studies and what not...)

 

[MEL_Traveller]

If IATA has a system in place, it seems to be very poorly understood.

I'm not sure there is a misunderstanding? The OP was directed to the last airline, Air Berlin. If the passenger wishes to go beyond that, it's not a misunderstanding of the procedure.

It's understandable passengers may wish to have immediate answers, and may wish to follow things up independently, but in that might make things more complicated than need be.

 

[anat0l]

I'm not sure there is a misunderstanding? The OP was directed to the last airline, Air Berlin. If the passenger wishes to go beyond that, it's not a misunderstanding of the procedure.

It's understandable passengers may wish to have immediate answers, and may wish to follow things up independently, but in that might make things more complicated than need be.

My understanding of the OP's situation is that they had approached AB (as well) and got absolutely no movement out of them (cf. QR which simply told them to rack off).

 

[anat0l]

When packing, does anyone ever pack with a contingency plan as to what happens if their luggage doesn't arrive at their final destination?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

My understanding of the OP's situation is that they had approached AB (as well) and got absolutely no movement out of them (cf. QR which simply told them to rack off).

Depends. I read it that they filed the lost luggage with Air Berlin, although they were told at the time that AB had no record (likely due to the bags not being re-tagged from the original itinerary).

That doesn't mean AB refused to help, although it may explain the lengthy 36 hour delay if AB had to liaise with QR to sort it out.

The OP may have some more insight when they are next able to post.

 

[bam71]

How have you found this device?

Have you tested it thoroughly through travels in various countries?

Has it ever become useful, i.e. your luggage has lost?

I would be interested to hear how airline luggage services would react if you had an idea (or better idea) where your luggage was before they might be able to successfully trace it, and whether they would be prepared to take your word for it.

Also wonder if the device might be susceptible to inspection "raids", i.e. removed due to suspicious device or malicious handlers.



I have to say that QR are pretty arrogant if they think they can just shirk off customer issues thinking they will go away. They seem to be five star when everything goes right, but like the other ME3 carriers like EK and EY, when things go wrong, all of the sudden everyone is deaf, blind and mute. I'm not sure whether it is fair or not that a carrier should be holistically rated on both how they do normal and abnormal operations, cf. the standard where only a normal set of operations is ever evaluated for a rating, but I suppose showing off how well you handle when things go wrong is never really fantastic or riveting marketing material.

I actually found it on this forum... someone else mentioned it so I looked it up and ordered three. We've travelled to Europe via the ME ( and transited Sydney with it), as well as a few domestic flights. It emails you when it arrives at a airport

We've not lost our luggage with it in our cases, ( but the other half didn't take it on a 2 day trip to London two weeks ago and guess what...... they lost his luggage - lesson learned there!). Thankfully they found it and it arrived back in Australia the day after his return. He had to go and purchase new suit etc for his meetings.

We think at least if the luggage doesn't arrive where it is supposed to, we at least know where they can start looking for it if the carrier can't seem to find it......

 

[TheRealTMA]

When packing, does anyone ever pack with a contingency plan as to what happens if their luggage doesn't arrive at their final destination?

You are mad if you don't plan for such a contingency. Chargers, drugs, valuables must always be in hand luggage with minimum survival clothing in our travels.

Plus we use trackdots in each checked bag. They work very well except in Italy where they don't work at all. (Cell network issue?)

Btw in comment to multiple airline travel, technicality the last airline is responsible but it may not have been their fault because an earlier flight did not transfer luggage.

I thought that there's a worldwide alliance between airlines and a seperate company is actually responsible for tracking and returning lost luggage. In one case where my bag was lost by. A combination of QF, AF, CP and LH, it was these people via Brisbane airport who finally tracked it down.

 

[mrs.dr.ron]

I actually found it on this forum... someone else mentioned it so I looked it up and ordered three. We've travelled to Europe via the ME ( and transited Sydney with it), as well as a few domestic flights. It emails you when it arrives at a airport.....

I have just looked at the Trakdot Facebook page ( as the link above didnt work ) and there seems to be a lot more unhappy people who bought Trackdot than happy ! Bam71 you must be one of the few whose Trakdot actually worked !

I like the idea of the Trakdot - and having no luggage for 7 days in Amsterdam a couple of years ago - I would like to have a reliable tracking device in my luggage but is there a reliable device that works available ??

 

[moa999]

I would like to have a reliable tracking device in my luggage but is there a reliable device that works available ??

I would assume TrakDots main issues are the cost, both initial, and ongoing for a global roaming SIM, and that cell coverage may not be the best under four stories of concrete in the bowels of an airport when your bag goes the wrong way,

(This is my main concern with the QTag - it falls off and your bag is lost with no readily identifiable destination)

Most bags nowadays have at least 3/4 tags on them (the main one plus the small stickers).
After turning up somewhere and not being collected it will eventually be entered into a system.

 

[TheRealTMA]

I have just looked at the Trakdot Facebook page ( as the link above didnt work ) and there seems to be a lot more unhappy people who bought Trackdot than happy ! Bam71 you must be one of the few whose Trakdot actually worked !

I like the idea of the Trakdot - and having no luggage for 7 days in Amsterdam a couple of years ago - I would like to have a reliable tracking device in my luggage but is there a reliable device that works available ??

Our two work very well. Battery life is a limit (48 hrs max probably) but no other issues, apart from not working in Italy.

 

[bam71]

After turning up somewhere and not being collected it will eventually be entered into a system.

Actually - that just made me remember ....... around 5 or 6 years ago we spent a few weeks in Seattle for work. It was a few days into the stay that we realised we had a bag missing. After numerous calls to United and not getting anywhere, I decided to just go to SeaTac and try and find someone in baggage services. Imaging my surprise when I arrived and there is the bag, against the wall at the carousel that our bags had been delivered to three days earlier. Just sitting there unattended... I just grabbed it and left. Not sure if anyone was going to enter it into WorldTracer ..... nor was I challenged when I just took it..

Edit - It was our fault, in our tiredness we had just forgotten the bag until we realised three days later at the hotel...

 

[Sdtravel]

When packing, does anyone ever pack with a contingency plan as to what happens if their luggage doesn't arrive at their final destination?

Yes, Something i was raised to do. Always packed a spare set of underwear and socks in carry on. Now i do it also for the added convenience / ability of taking a shower in a lounge.
Unsurprisingly the same things you need to shower in a lounge (change of underwear, socks, deodorant, toothbrush) are likely the same thing you need if your luggage gets delayed.

 

[mrs.dr.ron]

After you have had lost luggage you never forget to pack in your carry on a complete set of change of everything !!! :shock:

 

[drron]

I would assume TrakDots main issues are the cost, both initial, and ongoing for a global roaming SIM, and that cell coverage may not be the best under four stories of concrete in the bowels of an airport when your bag goes the wrong way,

(This is my main concern with the QTag - it falls off and your bag is lost with no readily identifiable destination)

Most bags nowadays have at least 3/4 tags on them (the main one plus the small stickers).
After turning up somewhere and not being collected it will eventually be entered into a system.

Not necessarily.It didn't happen when we lost our bags in Amsterdam.Flew BA to Orly.Checked when we left the lounge in EWR as to whether our bags were loaded,just had a suspicion, and assured they were on checking our luggage tags.They weren't.Not great getting any sense at Orly but did get a tracking number-never gave us any information.We were driving to Amsterdam over 3 days then 4 nights there.Still nothing when ringing BA-told they had been put on a flight to AMS 2 days previously but nothing known since and by the way don't ring us again as there is nothing more we can do.
Fortunately a fantastic concierge at the Amsterdam Marriott wouldn't take no for an answer and tracked them down on our last day there-so do you think BA went across to the unclaimed baggage and delivered them to us-of course not.So we had to drive by Schipol the next morning and mrsdrron had to go in and get them.Told just as well someone had rung the day before as that day they were to be sent to Australia-we do have our address on tags.
So they didn't get on any system.

 

[JohnK]

When packing, does anyone ever pack with a contingency plan as to what happens if their luggage doesn't arrive at their final destination?

Not that smart. Hardly any identification other than airline paper bag tag for each bag. If bag gets lost hoping travel insurance covers my loss.