 Poster: A snowHead
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If you fly enough you'll eventually have this happen. Which is why I pack the stuff I really need in my cabin baggage - boots, for example. All scheduled Airlines have to reimburse you [I don't know about the others], and they're definitely liable. Typically they'll get you the stuff a day late. You kind of need to know how the stuff is lost to assess the best approach, and in most cases they can tell you where it is. I don't insure stuff like this, because the airline is liable in any case, and at least as easy to argue with as an insurance company.
The problem is that you can't claim for replacements until they've had a good few weeks (a month or two, can't remember - it's in the convention somewhere) to find your stuff. So worst case you have to rent for quite a while, then buy new. That's probably negotiable. The longest delay I had was about 3 weeks that time they shut LHR because there was snow in Scotland.
BA... I try to avoid, but they have different call centres for different classes of seat. The cattle class is mostly served from India (sigh), but if you ring after midnight UK time then you used to get a US based call centre which was significantly more effective. The people who can actually find lost stuff live in the terminals, but sometimes you can get their numbers from the US call centre. I've not flown with them for a few years so it may be different now.
Summary:- Don't put irreplaceable stuff in the hold
- If they mislay your stuff, rent what you can and buy what you can't
- My advice would to be honest and straightforward, then you can shrug off any "push back" from BA
BA once refused to pay for the food I'd eaten at LHR whilst they delayed me, insisting like some bureaucratic accountant that I need to prove what I'd spent. I said we could easily discuss that in front of a judge, who could assess if it was likely that I ate in the 24 hours they delayed me or if I fasted. There's no legal obligation to prove the blindingly obvious: they coughed up in full.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I don't know if I fall into the traveler or holiday maker category but more come under the command of BA baggage policy. I cant get everything I need into the pull along but I will be on 1st lift on my 1st day (with some of my own gear, some borrowed, rented and some bought) smiling like a Cheshire cat and to be honest the OP will probably be the same.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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The problem was probably caused by someone from the Crystal thread insisting on their skis being carried. So they had to offload some baggage instead. 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Has the bag turned up yet? I'm besides myself worrying about this....
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| philwig wrote: |
BA... I try to avoid, but they have different call centres for different classes of seat. The cattle class is mostly served from India (sigh), but if you ring after midnight UK time then you used to get a US based call centre which was significantly more effective. The people who can actually find lost stuff live in the terminals, but sometimes you can get their numbers from the US call centre. I've not flown with them for a few years so it may be different now.
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In a horrible experience when we missed a BA connection and were put on a Virgin flight to SFO, the luggage didn't make it. Twice a day I spent an hour on hold to an Indian (?) call centre who told me the luggage hadn't been found and they were looking into it. Five days later at the airport, after I'd heard somehow that it was available, there was an open door to the storage room and I could see my case amongst 100 others , but an officious person told me it wasn't there - after some arguing I got in and retrieved it. For a laugh I then phoned the call centre who told me they were still looking for it. So yes, try to get in touch with the airport rather than the airline.
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I've also had a similar experience, with BA no less.
One of my bag was seriously delayed. But it eventually made it to me (I was back at home, bag delay on the homeward leg, so no big stress).
Yet, according to BA, my bag was still "missing" and they continued to apologize profusely!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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It has not yet appeared.
I have skied though and the conditions are Spring like but without the sugar.
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@red 27,
I suspect that international aviation agreements override UK/EU consumer law. But I’m not sure.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Few years back 4 of us flew to Glasgow for a golf weekend.
Mine was the only bag of clubs that didn’t arrive, and we were playing that afternoon 
BA insisted it was delivered but it clearly hadn’t.
Turned up the next day
Reason was the check in clerk had stuck the wrong sticker on each of our bags, so they were looking for a bag that had in fact been delivered.
Yet how you decide that one golf bag is going to be left off the plane and not the others baffles me
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| sean1967 wrote: |
| Red Leon wrote: |
| robs1 wrote: |
| ...and why the hell would you fly to a ski resort airport without wearing a jacket ? |
Same reason people get to the airport for their return flight without the means to buy a meal, or they board a flight without a snack or even a bottle of water. They assume that if something goes wrong, someone will provide for them... |
People who put their ski jacket in their bag are akin to people who appear at airports without the means to buy some food? (I've yet to meet this heinous bunch)
You're clearly another absolute roaster Red Leon.
You at Gatwick with your elasticated combats and apocalypse primed multitool, aye? |
I'm pleased that you're managing to make the most of your ski holiday, despite the unfortunate loss / delay of your luggage - that is the most important thing for now. Fingers crossed the bag turns up and BA quickly reimburse you the costs you have incurred due to their failure.
I don't know what a 'roaster' is but I guess it's not meant to be a compliment so we'll leave it there.
However, I feel I should deal with your "People who put their ski jacket in their bag are akin to people who appear at airports without the means to buy some food?"
That's not what I meant - it was badly worded so I should clarify. What I meant was that different people plan for different eventualities - some ideas (no money) are, IMV, extremely silly and others (jacket in the hold) are clearly more widespread and much less likely to cause an issue. What links them is that, should something go wrong (flight delays, lost luggage), the consequences have to be dealt with and, to some extent, the passenger will be relying on a third party to fix it (quite right, usually).
You can't plan for and mitigate every eventuality but there are some things that happen fairly often and which can be planned for - but people have different views of what to plan for, depending on their priorities.
As can be seen from others' posts on here, plenty of people hate the thought of being without their ski boots or helmet so carry them in hand luggage. I'm not that bothered so I pack mine in the hold luggage - I hire skis anyway so I don't feel that hiring boots & a lid for a few days would be a major issue. I do, however, carry with me a base layer, ski socks (makes no sense but there you go!) and (prescription) goggles so the loss of my hold luggage for a day or two would mean I would have to borrow, hire or buy salopettes and a washing line before I could hit the slopes 
Anyone who travels without an 'adequate' supply of prescription meds in hand luggage is asking for trouble, IMV
Others may regularly go long periods without eating or drinking but I can't so I make sure I can buy what I need if I'm stuck in the airport and that I have a sandwich and a drink in hand luggage. That way, relatively minor delays in either the flight or the transfer don't cause me an issue.
I also have a book in my hand luggage so I can deal with a delay of 2 or 3 hours calmly rather than pacing the departurte lounge, either staring at the boards, hoping for an update or looking for somewhere to charge my dying phone (which is quickly becoming less of an issue, of course).
Others may not feel the cold but I do so I keep my ski jacket with me on the flight. That way, it's easily available when I arrive, expecting to spend an extended period on board a potentially cold coach and then when we reach a resort (which I always hope will be cold & snowy). Others do it differently, of course and that's fine - I have seen plenty of people rummaging around in suitcases in the arrivals hall, getting their jacket out. I can see the sense in that but I've also seen people with suitcases open in cold, soaking wet coach parks and in several inches of slush & mud in resort. If that's their preference, that's fine by me but I feel the inconvenience of carrying my jacket is what works best for me.
Over the years, I have seen plenty of examples of poor planning leaving people in a less-than-ideal situation, sometimes to the detriment of fellow travellers. Examples for general interest / discussion:
My mate & I went to Arc2000 yonks ago. We were among the final 6 to be dropped off by the transfer coach - the others were a couple with two small children. It was properly cold and Boy, had it snowed? The cars in the carpark were covered with about 3 feet of fresh snow - it looked like TellyTubby Land - and the coach was unable to get up to the hotel so we were kicked off about 400 yards away (IIRC - the memory fades). There was plenty of luggage to be carried / dragged up to the hotel with only a couple of partially-cleared tracks to follow - it was a serious ordeal! Although we helped as much as we could with the couple's luggage, long before we got inside, the two children were screaming with the cold. The snow was up to their shoulders, neither had a hat, gloves or a proper coat - and both wore little trainers on their feet. You can't really anticipate those conditions and even we weren't fully prepared but at least my mate & I were wearing walking boots, a ski jacket, hat & gloves. Such a shame for the kids.
Once, we were stuck for about 3 hours on a transfer coach at some very hot, sunny airport (can't remember where) waiting for a delayed flight. Even those of us who had a snack & water with us found we needed to get off and head back to the airport for extra supplies (and to cool off a bit) but there were 3 lads on the coach who were in serious difficulties. They had no currency - they said didn't need any as they were on an 'all inclusive' trip FFS! They drank other people's water for a while and on the couple of occasions the rep appeared (to tell us we were going nowhere), the lads had a stand-up row with her, claiming it was her responsibility to provide them with a drink. Whether it actually WAS her responsibility, I don't know but she said she couldn't help them. Eventually, they remembered they had some sterling on them (taxi fare on the way home), bought some local currency from another passenger and used it to buy some water. so easily avoided.
And finally..
On a delayed flight, a woman had an extended stand-up row with the stewardess, demanding the airline provide her with nappies for her baby which had been screaming its little head off for ages. She had packed in hand luggage enough nappies for the journey - as long as there were no delays but a couple of hours' delay meant she had run out so her poor baby was screaming in discomfort caused by her lack of forethought. We were seated a few rows away (but still in earshot) but I can imagine passengers sitting closer to the poor baby had to endure an unpleasant, rather smelly couple of hours on board.
Everyone takes steps to avoid some potential issues but we can all then get caught out by other, unforeseen issues. Some people mitigate for risks others see as very minor and yet leave themselves open to risks deemed unacceptable by others (eg. loss of ski boots). Each to their own but I think a reasonable degree of self-sufficiency when travelling is a wise move.
Edit: Phew! Time for a cuppa 
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Thing is you live and learn, that old phrase 'you can`t put an old head on young shoulders' has merit. Those of us who were lucky enough to travel with our parents as small children, especially on a diy basis probably grow up more prepared for all eventualities than those of us who were not.
If you encounter fellow travellers in difficulties and its no real skin off your nose, surely you help? Someone doesn`t have enough 'cash' to buy a bottle of water and you do, (and can afford it) isn`t it a no brainer to buy it for them? And if you are on the same transfer it could mean your own journey is not further interrupted by that dehydrated traveller needing medical help!
I like to think I prepare well, I like to think I`m organised, don`t we all? Yet still life can trip us up!
I`m off for a cuppa now too 
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You know it makes sense.
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| CaravanSkier wrote: |
I like to think I prepare well, I like to think I`m organised |
Of course you are - (I presume) you're a caravanner
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Poster: A snowHead
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On my first 'group' ski holiday, I walked across the tarmac with a crammed holdall (food/drink/book/wash gear/etc etc), looked around at my companions to see two who were only carrying their Passports/Ticket....! ; luckily no delays, but it did make wonder how they would have managed if stuck....?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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My wife and her friends went on a skiing holiday after university. One of her friend’s was wearing Birkenstocks. Turned out that was her only footwear as she “thought the snow would only be on the mountains”. She is generally highly competent so this still gets an occasional mention 15 years later. She’s also the only person I’ve ever gone on holiday with who had to pay excess baggage charges at the airport.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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So what happened? You cannot give us chapter and verse on your disaster and then not tell us the outcome!!!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| what...snow wrote: |
| She’s also the only person I’ve ever gone on holiday with who had to pay excess baggage charges at the airport. |
Was that on the same holiday? What did she bring???
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| Quote: |
till my husband (a childhood caravanner round Europe with his parents) brought home a caravan and said we would be celebrating the millennium in it, in the Alps, skiing. I thought he was stark staring bonkers! I learnt he was not
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@CaravanSkier Have you done a trip report, I’d love to know how that panned out.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Quote: |
Anyone who travels without an 'adequate' supply of prescription meds in hand luggage is asking for trouble, IMV
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The definition of "adequate" supply is also a matter for debate.
I ran into a couple in a hotel in Reykjavik. The airline had outright LOST their hold bag.
The elderly husband needed some essential medication for his heart. He packed 2 days worth in his hand luggage, left the rest in the hold luggage. As the hold bag were nowhere to be found after 48 hrs, they had to do something about it.
They ended up phone their doctor, who phone in a new prescription to their pharmacy at home, had a relative to pick it up and send it overnight to Iceland. (they've also considered seeing a local doctor to get the prescription but decided getting the medication done at home was an equally good option). He had to wait for a day without the medication, but his doctor assured him that's not too much danger as long as he doesn't exert himself too much.
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| abc wrote: |
| Quote: |
Anyone who travels without an 'adequate' supply of prescription meds in hand luggage is asking for trouble, IMV
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The definition of "adequate" supply is also a matter for debate.
I ran into a couple in a hotel in Reykjavik. The airline had outright LOST their hold bag.
The elderly husband needed some essential medication for his heart. He packed 2 days worth in his hand luggage, left the rest in the hold luggage. As the hold bag were nowhere to be found after 48 hrs, they had to do something about it.
They ended up phone their doctor, who phone in a new prescription to their pharmacy at home, had a relative to pick it up and send it overnight to Iceland. (they've also considered seeing a local doctor to get the prescription but decided getting the medication done at home was an equally good option). He had to wait for a day without the medication, but his doctor assured him that's not too much danger as long as he doesn't exert himself too much. |
Even taking a full supply of necessary medication doesn't always work...the cleaner at our hotel in Lake Tahoe threw away my supply (in an airline plastic 'liquids' bag)! Cue one expensive and very tedious morning at the local clinic; being the US I had to undergo a full medical and psychological examination for a few blood pressure, blood sugar control and anti-cholesterol tablets.
The hotel management were not very gracious to begin with but after some forthright complaining, a reasonable solution was reached. I locked my new supply of tablets in my ski bag after that!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@what...snow, we had a friend who packed 2 pairs of stilettos for her first ski trip.
Last edited by You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net. on Fri 10-01-20 8:36; edited 1 time in total
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I used to travel a lot for adventure racing and frequently lost my bike - the most epic one was post World Champs in Tasmania when i saw it sitting on the tarmac as I taxiied out of Launceston and thus knew it would not make it back to NZ at that point. For 3 days they told me it was still there, my wife happened to be coming home through Wgtn airport and there it was, abandoned at the domestic luggage belts all alone! She stuck it in the car and brought it home. The charade of 'where is my bike' carried on for another 5 days where they said it was still in Tasmania, eventually they said they had no idea where it was so I fessed up that I had found it in Wgtn. Incredible.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Although Mrs MA and I always take boots & full ski kit as hand luggage, we've had skis go astray a few times with BA & KLM on mainly transatlantic - but also European - flights. They have always turned up after 2 or 3 days and both airlines have refunded the full costs of ski hire and essential kit (no questions asked) after providing receipts. We have been reimbursed for stuff like changes of clothing (eg ski polos and T-shirts) and ski gloves.
We have never had to claim on travel insurance and the airlines have always recognised that skis/ski kit are needed for a ski hol and paid up accordingly.
On a Utah mountain biking trip, one of our bags did not turn up for the entire duration of the trip, which became a pain. We were missing loads of kit between us - like biking shoes, pedals, clothing, gloves and more....
Being in a one horse town, we ended up paying premium prices for replacement kit - but, again, were reimbursed in full by KLM.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| orange wrote: |
| ........so I fessed up that I had found it in Wgtn |
I've seen some pretty unpronounceable place names in NZ but I think you've just made that one up for effect. Good yarn, though
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@Hells Bells, nice. Bet they saw a lot of use! My wife once insisted on wearing very high heeled sandals to a fancy restaurant in Manchester, despite 3 inches of snow on the ground. Only happened once!
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You know it makes sense.
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I think it's worth remembering that the risk of your hold baggage being delayed or lost is only about 1:150. With those odds I have no intention of lugging anything with me as hand baggage if I don't have to (assuming I have to take hold baggage at all. I'd rather just have hand baggage to save time). Hope that made sense.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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1:150 seems very high
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Poster: A snowHead
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It does seem high! An average of at least one passenger per plane.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| foxtrotzulu wrote: |
| I think it's worth remembering that the risk of your hold baggage being delayed or lost is only about 1:150. With those odds I have no intention of lugging anything with me as hand baggage if I don't have to (assuming I have to take hold baggage at all. I'd rather just have hand baggage to save time). Hope that made sense. |
Hmmm, this being a ski forum...
The odd of avalanche is actually very low. But why is everyone so religious about carrying all the gears?
Right, the consequence of it happening is too harsh to accept, however small the odds are.
So, it depends on the item you're putting in the hold luggage. How big or small the odd of it getting lost is irrelevant. It's the consequence of missing it that really matters. Let's see:
- Jacket: You'll be darn cold on your way to the shop to buy a replacement (assuming a shop is open when you found out you don't have your jacket)
- Glove: Same as above, albeit less dangerous. Could still be rather uncomfortable
- Helmet: Really no need to, except it's easy to clip it to whatever bag one is carrying
- Boots: If you own your own boot, chances are it's because your feet aren't exactly easy to fit with hired boots. Missing it would means you'll have to hire... back to the problem you tried to solve by bringing your own in the first place. And if the boot never turn up, your skiing during that holiday is likely to be less than enjoyable as when using your own customized boots. And if it never turns up at all even when you got back home? You'll have to go down to the zookeeper to get the footbed redone, and a new shell modified, etc.
- Underwear: Not strictly necessary. But how much room does it take to stuff a couple in?
- Socks: Like undies, it's not really necessary. And I typically stuff them inside my boots. So depends on whether you're the kind to own your own boot but leave it to the airline or don't have your own boot, you can go about it willy-nilly.
I hope you see why I always carry my boots in my hand luggage, wore my jacket, clipped my helmet to the hand luggage, etc.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Because having hold baggage delayed is inconvenient, while being caught under an avalanche is often fatal. Same risk but not comparable consequences.
But I’ll agree that some people panic about one thing in life while being unconcerned about others, despite the risk being similar.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| foxtrotzulu wrote: |
| I think it's worth remembering that the risk of your hold baggage being delayed or lost is only about 1:150. |
Unless you are transiting through Milan Malpensa when it reduces to 1:10.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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The saga is neverending......
Still no bag, it's sat in Venice maturing.
They say God created the heavens and earth in 6 days and went for a few pints on Sunday to celebrate. NASA manged to plonk some lads on the moon 3 days after blast off. But British Airways can't get a bag from Heathrow to a hotel in Italy in 6.
Their central call centre is useless, I phoned again this afternoon they said they can only send another message to Venice to instruct them to send the bag to me at my hotel. That is the 3rd day in a row I've been fed the same schpiel. Apparently telephoning Venice is completely out of the question, not even possible, against BA policy. They willingly regressed to the days of the telegram.
I expect nothing to happen over the weekend. I'm not too fussed, I've accepted the situation - up, ski, lunch, ski, apres with call to BA, buy more under scantaloons, socks, speak to BA twitter, rinse and repeat.
Great weather here, springesque.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Orange200 wrote: |
| Because having hold baggage delayed is inconvenient, while being caught under an avalanche is often fatal. Same risk but not comparable consequences. |
Missing jacket is beyond inconvenient, albeit not exactly fatal. Not immediately anyway.
And can be mediated if stars align (shops open, correct size available with desired features)
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@sean1967, That's the spirit 
And at least you'll be quicker through the airports on the way home with only hand luggage.
How much will you be claiming from BA? (if you don't mind me asking)
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I'm a great one for 'preventative' packing, as many above have outlined. However, if not flying with DIY option airlines (i.e. on package holidays) or if flying on J2 or Thompson/TUI (for example), exactly how do you get your boots and all other fully-essential stuff, plus electronic gadgets/camera and essential liquids/creams (security limitation issues also aside) and maybe foods and book into your wonderous 5 or (gasp) 8 kg cabin baggage allowance, then??? (If the size allowance even lets them all through, of course.)
Back to the old days of Ryanair stuffed mutipocketed jackets tricks?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| foxtrotzulu wrote: |
| I think it's worth remembering that the risk of your hold baggage being delayed or lost is only about 1:150. With those odds I have no intention of lugging anything with me as hand baggage if I don't have to (assuming I have to take hold baggage at all. I'd rather just have hand baggage to save time). Hope that made sense. |
I am sceptical of those odds, though it possible depends on how often you take connecting flights but I have had baggage go missing on at least 4 skiing holidays that I can remember and at least two other non skiing holidays.
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@sean1967, Get onto twitter and shame them. It works, the twitter team can get thing done to save face for the company.
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FAQ
) we considered the snow conditions, whether we could do the work that needed to be done whilst away (caravaneige with internet access for some of the time etc) and decided to go or not to go, and where to go! Great fun!