do people lose their humanity when they go on holidays or what?

experiMental

When I landed in the airport, I had to collect my luggage. While in the baggage collection rea, I waited for 20 minutes and haven't seen any sign of my bag. Then I saw a group of people from my flight who were carrying my bag. It was very distinctive, and there was a tag on it that referred to my own boarding pass ID, and not any of theirs. So I go up to them and tell them that it is my bag. They then say " oh is it? " and had a bit of a laugh. They didn't even apologise. I thought that it was no laughing matter, because I had another flight in 2 hours and a hard drive with important data in my bag. I asked them how they got it and they said that they don't know. I personally thought that they should know how, because they got it from somewhere and they took it... unless their memory span is 10 minutes.

I've been travelling a lot, but this is the first time that an unusual situation like that has happened. Usually, people apologised when they accidentally took the wrong baggage, but in the case above, they were just plain indifferent and utterly careless. Is this something that happens to some people when they go on holidays?

smurfjed

hard drive with important data in my bag

If its that important, you shouldn't have it in your checked in luggage.

limklad

Even with a connection flight. I would have reported them to the airport police. They will use CCTV and get your statements. Just Let them investigate and inform them you getting a connecting flight. They may even be on Police radar already. They depend on people like you to report events like this to them. Even if the investigation fails to go anywhere, they will be flagged if it happens again. I know this is not exactly want to know.

The other thing is I never put anything I really need/important in checked luggage, only hand luggage. I expect bags to go missing at times.

thisonetaken

It's nothing to do with humanity, they were just thiefs

experiMental

smurfjed wrote: »

If its that important, you shouldn't have it in your checked in luggage.

Here's the thing : The bag that I was carrying was meant to be my hand luggage, but it was placed into checked in luggage at the last minute before the I boarded the plane, because there was no more space in the overhead compartment. Ultimate nightmare.

ger664

experiMental wrote: »

Here's the thing : The bag that I was carrying was meant to be my hand luggage, but it was placed into checked in luggage at the last minute before the I boarded the plane, because there was no more space in the overhead compartment. Ultimate nightmare.

If your carry on luggage meets the required specification it will fit under the seat in front of you. Just inform stewardess/boarding staff that you wish to take it on and store it in this manner.

Gatica

ger664 wrote: »

If your carry on luggage meets the required specification it will fit under the seat in front of you. Just inform stewardess/boarding staff that you wish to take it on and store it in this manner.

That would be the best thing to do, but most bags at the airline limit do not fit under the seat, but only in the bins overhead. If you're last to board and the overhead bins are full, they take any other luggage and put it in with checked luggage for free.

OP, you should've reported them to the police right away. Travel's got nothing to do with humanity. If these people are scumbags looking to swipe a bag, they'd be the same scumbags outside of the airport. Heard of people getting luggage taken off the bus while they sat above, the people standing around didn't even say anything when they saw someone walk up to the bus and take a bag. People like that exist everywhere. Thankfully the majority are still reasonably decent folk.

endofrainbow

It sounds as though your bag was gate checked. What would usually happen is you collect it in the gangway as you deplane and you should have been told this. Opportunistic theft happens everywhere - you should have insisted in taking out anything of value before you handed it over.

madrabui

experiMental wrote: »

Here's the thing : The bag that I was carrying was meant to be my hand luggage, but it was placed into checked in luggage at the last minute before the I boarded the plane, because there was no more space in the overhead compartment. Ultimate nightmare.

This happens a lot. It's 'voluntary' but if you don't have a connecting flight they will just keep you at the gate until you give in!

Just explain that you have expensive items/medicine in your hand luggage that would not be covered by insurance if it was checked in. Always have something like a strong cotton bag that you can put everything in.

Stinicker

This sort of situation and having something stolen at Airport security are both my sort of travel nightmare.

experiMental

Thanks a lot for all your tips. I'm going to embed a GPS tracking electronic device inside my luggage, so I can track it with my phone. Just in case I get my phone stolen, I can give access of that device to the police and airport security. It's gonna be expensive but it hopefully will pay off

MadYaker

experiMental wrote: »

Thanks a lot for all your tips. I'm going to embed a GPS tracking electronic device inside my luggage, so I can track it with my phone. Just in case I get my phone stolen, I can give access of that device to the police and airport security. It's gonna be expensive but it hopefully will pay off

Really? Do you frequently travel with valuable items in your checked on luggage? If so, then maybe you should consider bringing it in your carry on. If not then that seems a little over the top tbh.

keithclancy

ger664 wrote: »

If your carry on luggage meets the required specification it will fit under the seat in front of you. Just inform stewardess/boarding staff that you wish to take it on and store it in this manner.

No it doesn't, on a 737-800 (Ryanair) 55cm x 40cm x 20cm will not fit under the Aisle seat in front nor is it allowed in row 16/17, 1 ABC or 2 DEF.

Even then the Air Stewards will only allow soft compressible under the seat in as it can impede exit and its really uncomfortable also. If the staff tell you they are going to check it in there's not really much you can do.

On Aer Lingus for example your allowed cabin bag won't fit under any of the seats.

I have a Cabin Max trolley bag, which has a front bag that zips on and can be quickly removed. I keep my valuables in that one when getting on the plane.

@ the OP.

I'd forget about it to be honest, nothing happened except you met some clowns that might or might not have been stealing your bag.

OldMrBrennan83

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keithclancy

Patww79 wrote: »

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Actually its in the terms and conditions of pretty much any airline i've flown with.

If you point out to the cabin staff that you have valuables in your bag, or in one case I can think of a friend said it was insulin then they will clear space for you, however you just move the problem to someone else.

http://www.aerlingus.com/i18n/en/htmlPopups/conds_of_carriage.html

8.3.4
You must not include in Checked Baggage money, jewellery, precious metals, computers, personal electronic devices, negotiable papers, securities or other valuables, business documents, personal medication, passports and other identification documents or samples.

OldMrBrennan83

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Yamanoto

Patww79 wrote: »

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But they do.

So you make provision for it accordingly & keep your valuables with you.