Airline chaos - losing golf bags

[markTHEblake]

I have been in Ireland for about 6 days, not only did my golf clubs not arrive with me, another 10 of our group of 70 also no clubs/clothes. 2 of us have reveived their gear later.

Dublin airport must have had >1000 bags laying around baggage claim area uncollected.

One guy flying Scotland to Belfast went to take his golf bag to the oversize section at checkin, and had to put it on a mountain of golf bags of 200+, 5 days later his bag still in that pile.

The vibe seems to be that those who had bags checked to final destination with different airlines, are the ones impacted.

General feeling airlines are too overwhelmed to care.

If anyone thinking of flying soon... good luck. I have travelled overseas a lot with my sticks, but until stuff goes wrong, dont really think about consequences. What i have learned is...
- travel insurance wont pay for any emergency purchases <12 hours after landing, so have plenty stuff in the carry on
- covermore insurance has a golf option, which would cover hire club cost... which over here is a lot, €45 a round so far
- use a luggage tracker, one of us has one, but whilst she knows her bags are in LHR, the airline doesnt care.

- ultimately compensation from airlines and insurers is likely to be stuff all in comparison to what it will really cost me.

[Captain Nemo]

Did you not see that pick doing the rounds on social media of the bags heaped up after the Open?

[WBennett]

Did you not see that pick doing the rounds on social media of the bags heaped up after the Open? That happened after he left.International travel and bags is pot luck at the moment

[markTHEblake]

Did you not see that pick doing the rounds on social media of the bags heaped up after the Open? Yes.. am fairly sure that was the same pile one of my co-travelers put his own bag in at Edinborough. ( and hasnt got yet) My bag was lost after it arrived in DOHA on the Friday of the Open

[jimandr]

Thanks Blakey, but its not the news I wanted to hear.

I'm travelling in exactly one month, so I'm hoping things are better by then. I'm not taking my clubs, though.

I had a good look through the fine print on my travel insurance, so there are no surprises in what you have told us regarding that.

Best of luck.

[Halfer5]

I leave next week & have shelved the plans to take my clubs as I have no faith in seeing them again

[Toxic]

What's the best app / gadget for tracking luggage locations

[pt73]

What's the best app / gadget for tracking luggage locations
From what I’ve read AirTags or similar.

I’m headed to Singapore in September on Singapore Airlines, I hope they are better at this stuff than others.

https://www.fbcnews.com.fj/business/qantas-admits-its-absolutely-not-delivering-expected-service/

[markTHEblake]

What's the best app / gadget for tracking luggage locations I wont travel without one ever again. Once bitten ... I have since found out my bag was onboard my flight into Dublin, yet baggage services still havent located it. Possibly someone nicked it (but who would) as our flights bags were already on the carousel before i got there.

Another thing, there was a girl i travelled with all the way, same missed flight and rerouted with me. On arrival in Dublin she got an email saying her bags didnt make the flight yet I didnt. The baggage services lady said that meant nothing, as airlines are in chaos. Well the lack of notification meant something, it meant my bag was on my flight!

[TS]

What is the best baggage locater for Android phones?

[pt73]

Have a look here:

https://www.howtogeek.com/724198/the-best-airtag-alternative-for-android/

https://www.zdnet.com/article/best-bluetooth-tracker/

This one looks good:

https://nuttag.com.au/products/nuttag-focus-tag?variant=39476627865718

[TS]

Please excuse my ignorance. How does a Blue Tooth tracker help with locating my golf bag. The range for Blue Tooth is probably only 30m. Once a golf bag is checked in, I will lose contact with it. I wouldn't have any idea that it was left behind or been flown to a different countries

[Ron Burgundy]

Please excuse my ignorance. How does a Blue Tooth tracker help with locating my golf bag. The range for Blue Tooth is probably only 30m. Once a golf bag is checked in, I will lose contact with it. I wouldn't have any idea that it was left behind or been flown to a different countries They need to be within Bluetooth range of any device, not just your device. For example the Apple air tag pings a signal out periodically and just needs anyone with an iPhone and Bluetooth activated to be within range and then uploads the location to the cloud using that phones location and you find it using the ‘find my’ app.

[goughy]

Yeah, the apple tags a good because pretty much anyone with an iPhone nearby will pick it up, hence coverage is good. This is because it's baked into the iOS.The solutions for Android aren't quite as good. Looking at Tile trackers, only people who have the Tile app on their phone (I'm guessing Android or Apple) can detect the tracker, hence you have to be a lot luckier! They're still good if you lose something at home, or have a rough idea where it might be, as I believe some of them have up to 100mtrs range.As a non apple user, even I've considered hiding an apple airtag somewhere on my bikes in case one gets stolen.

[markTHEblake]

Yes- Tile works but its not so popular in Australia, in USA it is. One of our group in Ireland knows her luggage is still in Heathrow as she has the Apple tag. its not doing her much good though, as the luggage is just not moving.
But obviously the big advantage of the tags are, that you will know if your bag has landed with you or not.

[jimandr]

Thanks Blakey, but its not the news I wanted to hear.

I'm travelling in exactly one month, so I'm hoping things are better by then. I'm not taking my clubs, though.

I had a good look through the fine print on my travel insurance, so there are no surprises in what you have told us regarding that.

Best of luck.

An update.

I went on my journey, and it was a disaster in terms of travel efficiency. Sell your Qantas shares, folks.

But, the on-topic part is that no airline lost my bags. Indeed, I never had to wait more than 15 minutes at the baggage carousel anywhere, despite a very complicated travel itinerary. So maybe that part of the travel experience has reached the required standard.

[Johnny Canuck]

I got back from the Gold Coast late Sunday night.

My clubs have not yet materialised.

[markTHEblake]

I got my gear back after 62 days. Not a peep from Dubline Swissport ( the baggage handlers ) who dont respond to calls or emails, until about day 56 when they rang at midnight telling me she found it and where i want it sent.


And the fancy Worldtracer system thats used to make lost bag tracing more efficient, still says my stuff is not found.

[goughy]

My mate and his wife, who returned from Austria a few weeks ago was finally able to pick up his luggage on Saturday. He and his wife put in their itemised claim a week ago, and a day later the luggage was found..... Maybe the 15k replacement cost got them working

[goughy]

What is the best baggage locater for Android phones? I'd still use an apple airtag! I have nothing apple myself, but my wife and daughter do.

[markTHEblake]

Maybe the 15k replacement cost got them working If they didnt get their bags back within 21 days they are owed about AUD2500 compensation under article 17 of the Montreal Convention. I have submitted my claim for this a month ago but no response yet.