[Anonymous]

[JamesMoloney5]

I arrived from Bangkok on TG930 on December 21st. to find that my Aer Lingus flight to Dublin had been cancelled due to severe weather at Dublin airport. I paid €516 for a one-way business class flight to Dublin on AF5014 and I checked in my bag at the Business Class bag drop.

One week later, this organisation that pretends to call itself an airline has no idea where my bag is and has no idea how long it will take to find it.

I did not connect on a connecting flight, but checked my bag in at CDG and the only response I have received is “we don’t know where your bag is” and they refuse to connect me to a supervisor because “they know nothing more than we do”

What a bunch of inept, stupid, clueless, unsympathetic people they have running this airline. They apparently have a new GM, Mister Henri Hourcade, who is probably enjoying his Christmas holidays while my luggage, with my childrens’ Christmas gifts languishes in his airport, with absolutely zero information being provided…………typical of Air France from what I understand of fellow travelers.

I am now losing hope that my baggage will be found and would warn all of my fellow travelers to avoid flying with Air France, unless they are the airline of last resort, and even then try not to load any baggage in the hold……because you will probably never see it again………..

[TominScotland]

Frustrating story, James! However, do keep faith and do keep working at it and at AF. My baggage went AWOL at Schipol en route from Tallinn to Glasgow on December 17th but turned up on the 24th, having taken a side trip to Birmingham and chosen to complete the journey north by truck.

[VintageKrug]

What a frustrating situation.

Though I have had a few bags go missing for a few days, I have never actually “lost” any luggage permanently. So I hope you can take heart from that.

As baggage handlers and others return to work after the holidays, I have no doubt that the likelihood of your bags being found and returned to you will increase markedly.

Though it is an emotive situation, swearing off flying an airline doesn’t really have any effect, even when publicised on internet forums.

To minimise the chances of this happening again, could I suggest you have a look at this thread, which gives some handy hints for minimising the risk and hassle of losing bags, and should almost eliminate the possibility of losing anything permanently:

http://www.businesstraveller.com/discussion/topic/The-Ten-Commandments-for-Avoiding-and-Managing-Lost-Luggage

Good luck with your search; keep us posted!

[NTarrant]

Sorry to hear of your problems James. Sadly the French are not the best in the world for customer service. A colleague and I took advantage of the LHR-CDG_LHR flights on the A380 back in the summer. On the return flight at check-in, we used the self service machines, although for some reason my colleague was refered to a desk.

We found the business class check in area, there were staff at desks ready to await passengers. There was no a passenger in sight and we by passed the barriers and went straight to a desk. Whilst my colleague was being served a member of staff came up and said “next time sir, would you follow the correct line barrier lines” to which I replied “madam, there is not going to be a next time”

[LuganoPirate]

I also lost my bags twice flying AF via CDG. Once coincidentally to Dublin, the other to Zurich from Dubai. In fairness they gave me a “small” clothing allowance and an overnight bag from their First Class stock on each occasion, even though I was only in Y on the Dublin flight. Bags were returned after 1 and 3 days respectively.

In forty years of fairly extensive flying with often large amounts of baggage (eg 10 checked pieces weighing 180kgs) I, like VK, have never permanently lost any bags, and all have been delivered to my home with a maximum of 5 days waiting. So don’t give up hope James, I’m sure you and the bags will be reunited and your kids will have a nice after-Christmas surprise (otherwise keep quiet and you’ll have solved next year’s present dilemma!!!)

[lostantipod]

Be thankful you dont fly FInnair. At least you get a response from AF, even if it is “we dont know” !

I take it AF got you home for Christmas. Given the choice, would you have preferred to be stuck at CDG, or just your bags ?

[eirtraveller]

I feel your pain, especially at Christmas time.

I flew business through CDG to Canada recently, all ticketed through AF. The final leg was a codeshare. Of course, as is customary when travelling through CDG my bag was lost. I was offered this at my final destination: a t-shirt, toothbrush and a plastic bag. Compare this to BA (not sure if this has changed) who presented me with a VISA card with $200 dollars prepaid, the several times my bag was lost.

Having stayed away from AF for many years after horrendous flights/service, I was coming round to them as the flights themselves were actually very pleasant, and the food by far the best I’ve had in biz in a long time – beat BA by miles and miles – but at the end of the day that sort of service is so unacceptable that I will now resume my no-fly policy.

Incedentally, it took 5 days to “locate” the bag.

[JohnPhelanAustralia]

Sounds like the tag came off the bag …… would be the only reason for them not knowing where it is. No doubt they have a pile of “unknown” luggage at CDG so should be able to sort through it and find yours.

[JamesMoloney5]

Still no sign of the bag…….thanks for all the encouraging posts but I am not that hopeful now. They say there “tens of thousands” of bags mis-located and many thousands of people in the same situation as me…. which certainly does not offer any comfort.

I am a bit annoyed at myself for leaving valuable items in the bag. I fly 200,000 miles a year and should have known better than to leave such items in the bag but I had a lot of stuff….Christmas and all that….and just took a chance…..never again!

[George_Unwin]

John Phelan – a most insightful and profound contribution which vastly enhances the knowledge pool of this forum. Thank you.

[JamesMoloney5]

You won’t believe this………….I spoke to Air France today and they told me that they have not been bothering to update the World Tracer website for the last week “because that would use staff resources that are needed to search for the bags”…………..and every time I call them the recorded message says please go to the baggage tracking website for up to date information.

Whoever is running their baggage recovery operation needs to be sacked……..terminated…….out the door immediately……..

What a load of rubbish and what an inept, incompetent, arrogant bunch of tossers to be running an airline!!!

And the parting shot from the Customer Service Agent today was that all the bags bound for Dublin will be in Dublin by the end of the week i.e. by Saturday, but they still have no record of having found my bag………..

Will anybody give me 100/1 on e10 that i will not be getting a call to say my bag has been found?

Happy New Year to everyone…………

[tiktech]

I can recommend an insight into the French customer service – read ‘Talk to the Snail’ . All becomes clear.

[markupolo]

Air France?
Just used all my airmiles with the airline,no more…not even on a free first class flight forever would put me on their airplanes again.
Lost luggage: 3 times within a year and guess what…2 of the flights were in J Class and long halls;customer service is disgusting,arrogante staff(jsut reflecting the well known french reputation around the world); a shame Delta has became partner with them.
How much did I get from them? £389.90 after 6 months’ battle and they kept very important receipts,never got them back.
CDG has several/separated terminals and AF staff can’t keep track of all bags…
Just adding to that,never received a email from them saying “sorry “or “We apologise” etc.

[JamesMoloney5]

Now AF tells me that “it appears the bag is in Dublin” and the delivery company will call me to arrange delivery “within the next two to three days”. They won’t tell me who the delivery companies are (apparently they have appointed 3 companies to handle the backlog) and they cannot “confirm absolutely” that the bag is in Dublin……………!!

I return home to Thailand on January 10th……….still an absolute joke…………

[Author]

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