[phit_]

what a joke, I guess that's one way to deal with their terrible luggage handling.. I've been now waiting since a flight on August 20th to receive my "lost" luggage from them. I guess policy like this is easier than fixing the actual issue.

The only update I've gotten is this email two weeks ago, their hotline and website are completely useless. Via DeepL

> Good day,

> We apologize that you have not yet received your luggage and for the inconvenience this has caused. We regret that we are currently unable to meet our standards for a smooth travel experience.

> Why are there delays?

> There are currently massive logistical and personnel failures and bottlenecks worldwide, which are delaying baggage handling in particular. The world of flying is highly interconnected. We are dependent on our global partners here and are thus confronted with numerous challenges.

> We are working hard to ensure that all delayed baggage is delivered within the coming weeks.

> If you would like to check the baggage status yourself, please use the baggage status page only. Our telephone service centers will not be able to assist with any questions regarding your baggage.

> Kind regards

> Your Lufthansa Team

[samueldamon]

luggage this summer in europe has been a mess. air france lost my bag in paris on june 12 and has neglected to compensate me or return it. no way to get a hold of anyone who can do anything either-- left me wishing i had put an airtag in there myself.

[tartoran]

You’d think they’re stuck in a luggage area and airtags would help you hasten them getting to you? Not sure how it’d solve a logistics problem that is not yours but the airline’s. Thinking further I think the airlines should stick their own air tags on luggage while in transit and get it back when customer picks up their luggage (could be a deposit based system). This would help them automatically track all luggage.

[kshacker]

We could create a affiliated but a 3rd party bounty hunter business :)

Ok, I lost my luggage in Brussels, provide the "bounty hunter" my information (i.e., location), give them a legal authorization, and they go claim my baggage from where it is stuck, and help it move to where it needs to be.

Of course it will not be straightforward, but if we can make it happen with one airline, maybe others will follow.

Of course the name will not be a bounty hunter service, but something that is more marketing driven.

[ceejayoz]

> You’d think they’re stuck in a luggage area and airtags would help you hasten them getting to you?

Absolutely! Look at the photos in https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-61848486 and imagine trying to find your bag without a tracker in that mess.

[Symbiote]

It would help that one person, but the airport and airline need to process all those bags.

Time spent searching for one bag is better spent sending 15 bags on their way.

[jaclaz]

Usually the handling of luggage is not by air france (or other carrier), it is the specific airport personnel, so called "ground-services".

Most airports cut down personnel due to Covid-19 and when the amount of flights quickly ramped up to previous (or possibly higher than before) levels couldn't manage (or did not want) to find/hire/re-hire enough personnel.

When this happens, the luggage is normally stored in a hangar or other warehouse at the airport, far from passenger traffic, and with access reserved to these ground service personnel, so the most you would get with an airtag (if any of the personnel has an iPhone) is that your luggage still exists in a place which you cannot have access to, no way to collect it.

[HWR_14]

> luggage this summer in europe has been a mess.

Not just this summer. Europe has been worse than worldwide since at least 2018.