Travel Woes: Delayed Baggage & Stolen Goods

“Your bag isn’t here.”

No shit. “Let me take a guess, it’s at LAX?”

“Yes, how did you know?”

“Because I saw on the app to track my baggage that it was on the wrong flight during my layover. The agent at JFK was less than helpful about it.”

“I’m so sorry.”

And thus began 2 weeks of a delayed baggage and stolen goods headache.

I was a pretty good sport about it at first. Aside from the delayed baggage, I had just finished a great day of travel. 20 hours of traveling for me is fun. Maybe it will wear off for me someday, but for now, I’m a special kind of crazy that enjoys it. My flights from Lisbon to Amsterdam and Amsterdam to New York JFK were uneventful. I actually got some sleep, watched some movies, drank wine and chatted with my hilarious seat mate.

I breezed through customs at JFK because of Global Entry and picked up my luggage to be rechecked for my last flight to FLL (Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport). When you arrive on an international flight and still have another domestic flight, you usually have to recheck your bag — it’s a simple procedure, just pick it up and take it to the baggage drop off point after you’ve cleared customs and as long as it’s been tagged all the way through to your final destination, you’re set. Easy peasy.

My bag looked fine. I re-checked it had been tagged correctly. Gave it to the Delta agent and I was on my way to my gate for my last flight.

I was enjoying a beer and being back on American soil (No more seeking out free Wi-fi!).

While sitting back enjoying a brewski, I checked the Delta app to track my bag and I saw that my bag was on a flight to LAX, not FLL.

Shit.

I’ll give you the cliff notes version:

The friendly agent on the Delta Medallion 800 line and the Delta app told me what I was seeing was correct, that my bag was on the wrong flight and could be pulled off. I was told to speak directly with an agent at JFK…an agent that told me I was wrong and she couldn’t (wouldn’t) help. She told me my bag was on my flight to FLL. I asked her to print that confirmation. She couldn’t (wouldn’t).

You know what happens next, my bag was indeed on it’s way to LAX. I took it in stride because, whatever, there was nothing I could do once I was home and my bag wasn’t. I was happy to see the hubster and I travel in a way that anything I check, I know I have to be willing to “lose.” So there was nothing in there like my expensive camera, photos, money, etc.

Except everyone’s souvenirs, including an earring and necklace set I bought myself in Barcelona and cufflinks I got the hubster in Lisbon were in that bag.

…and those did not arrive with my bag when it was finally returned over 24 hours later.

My bag had obviously been rummage through. If you know me, you know I’m an anal packer. Everything, I mean, everything has a place.

My bag was opened, my TSA lock was torn off and not given back, either by TSA (no notice was left in my bag though), an airport employee or the company that delivered my luggage to my house.

Oh yeah and they stole my shit.

The jewelry set and cufflinks were in the same portion of one of my eBags packing cubes. It would have been a relatively easy “grab” once you opened it to see what was in it.

That’s when the bitterness set in. This stuff can be replaced. It simply is materialistic crap. But the feeling of being taken advantage of is what sucks. This ONE agent set the whole thing in motion that I tried to prevent. Not to mention the ahole who took stuff.

I really adored that necklace and earring set. I rarely buy “nice” stuff like that for myself. When I travel, I usually find myself looking a fun jewelry and scarves. I don’t buy a lot of the touristy souvenirs. Except for cheesy shot glasses. That’s our “thing.” I have no idea where we’ll display them when we grow up. In fact, I’m not sure I want to. We look like world-traveling alcoholics. Wait a minute…

I absolutely will not let this situation ruin my opinion about an airline. You have one bad apple in a bunch. Shit happens. I have always had great customer service with Delta. Say what you want about airlines, but the people who serve you food and answer your dumb questions are people too, and more often than not, I’m met with a friendly smile and helpful answer. Everyone at Delta I had to go through, except the one lovely diva at JFK, was apologetic and helpful.

I filed a claim, heard back about 10 days later and will be reimbursed for everything. I should expect a check in about 14 business day. I’m very thankful for that. The frustration in most of this was that it took quite a few calls to get a status and a few too many emails explaining the situation, but it got resolved. It was too time consuming for my liking, but it’s finally all figured out.

Everyone I bought gifts for got their things, too. (Except the hubster and his cufflinks. I bought him other stuff too and he’s got me…GRAND PRIZE!) But the one bottle I bought myself of cherry liqueur from an area in Sintra, Portugal world renowned for it…smashed into a million pieces on the floor this past weekend when I dropped the bag it was in.

Son

of

a

I wasn’t meant to have gifts from this past trip. Just freakin’ awesome memories. And I’m pretty sure I’m okay with that. You can’t take any of this crap with you when you’re gone.

I also may or may not have busted out some straws and started sucking the cherry liqueur off the floor…

Worth it.