When it's in the bag but not with you

By SIMON CALDER

From the bridesmaid's dress diverted 320 kilometres from its wedding to the Christmas presents languishing in Manchester rather than being opened in the Alps, lost luggage is no laughing matter.

The net result is heartache and hours of airport rage before the wayward bags are all too often declared irretrievable, whether it is because of a mix-up between connecting airlines or light-fingered terminal workers.

Such was the experience of Tony Benn, the veteran former Labour MP, and his daughter Melissa when they were grounded in Cincinatti because of overbooking on their Delta Airways flight to Britain.

The pair were returning from a remembrance ceremony for Mr Benn's late wife. They were diverted on to another flight via Paris while their bags were making their way to Orlando, Florida.

Airline staff said the luggage would arrive the next day. Only Mr Benn's suitcase turned up. The rest, including irreplaceable photographs, was declared "not yet traceable."

A similarly flip explanation was offered to David Capper from Belfast, who achieved the unusual distinction of having his bags lost twice by three airlines on a trip to Florida, via Heathrow.

The baggage, which was transported by British Midland, British Airways and US Air, arrived 24 hours after he touched down in Tampa, Florida, via Miami.

On his return to Northern Ireland, his luggage went astray again before being delivered to his home six hours later. A British Midland staff member said: "These things happen."

There was to be no such salvation for Mark Prouse from Dublin, after he flew with his wife and 6-year-old daughter to Glasgow's Prestwick airport to attend his sister's wedding.

After three hours waiting for their luggage to turn up, the family had to rush to hire a replacement for Mr Prouse's suit and buy a new bridesmaid's dress for his daughter. The family was awarded £1000 ($3373) damages, in addition to the maximum £270 available for luggage.

A final thought for the Beard family from Ilkley, West Yorkshire, who arrived at Lyons airport in the south of France to find their Christmas presents had not made the journey from Manchester.

Caroline Beard, who was en route to Meribel for a festive skiing holiday, spent a week on the phone to BA trying to find the bag. It was never found. She said: "It does seem odd that from a total of 11 pieces of luggage, the only one to go missing was the one that just happened to be filled with Christmas presents."

- INDEPENDENT

* If you have a luggage horror story, Travel would like to hear about it. Send your tale to travel@nzherald.co.nz