tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5672498644411374237.post2852687931828806620..comments2023-12-30T03:23:35.965+11:00Comments on Australian Observer: Baggage nightmares with V AustraliaPAUL BARRATThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13447792285944889375noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5672498644411374237.post-78056171460607060792014-08-30T13:01:43.955+10:002014-08-30T13:01:43.955+10:00I too have had my luggage delayed with Virgin Aust...I too have had my luggage delayed with Virgin Australia for a business flight. I can appreciate that this does and can happen but what is inexcusable is Virgin Australia's pathetic way of dealing with this. I was provided with highly inaccurate information bordering on down right lies. Supplied with a fake email address written on a torn piece of paper....allegedly because I am a platinum member I could bypass conventional procedures. Long story short- they have no procedures for their passengers. Pathetic and yes Qantas were responsible for eventually getting me my luggage. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5672498644411374237.post-75908822549784359482014-05-16T13:13:33.827+10:002014-05-16T13:13:33.827+10:00Just returned from a 3 day trip to Australia via V...Just returned from a 3 day trip to Australia via Virgin Australia. A very nice in the air business class experience was ruined by a third world on the ground experience with Virgin's baggage process.<br /><br />Left LA on Sunday, after connecting from a Delta flight. 2 hour layover, so no worries on baggage, right? Took VA to Melbourne. Upon arrival, no bag. As I had two days of business meetings, this was a big deal.<br /><br />VA baggage agent in Melbourne says a bunch of bags missed the flight (and he had a stack of claim forms on his desk). Also says "this happens a lot with Delta". Says that bag will be in MEL on the flight arriving the next morning, and would be sent on to Adelaide (where my meetings were). OK, hassle, but it does happen. Filled out claim forms with all relevant info, run over to catch the flight to Adelaide, rush over to buy a suit and clothes for meetings the next morning, expecting I'll have the bag by mid afternoon at the latest.<br /><br />The next two days were a never ending horror show of trying to get a status out of VA. The Melbourne office doesn't answer the phone, left multiple messages. Finally get through to them and they say the bag still is in LA. Back to buy yet more clothes for the next day meeting. Same story the next day, no status on website or via phone.<br /><br />Leaving the third day, talk to the baggage agent at the Adelaide airport. He says the bag is enroute from LA to Mel, but will try to get it to Sydney (connecting city) and reunited with me. Check in at Sydney, of course no bag, and agents there promise to get it to LA and shipped home to me in San Diego. Get to LA, they say the bag is still in Sydney, and has been routed to Sacramento (different city in the US, no idea why it would ever go there).<br /><br />Bottom line, 5 days in and still no bag, major financial hit and inconvenience, and the worst overall experience I've had in 20 years as a frequent flyer worldwide. I've actually flown into Mogadishu and had a better baggage experience.<br /><br />Some takeaways: 14 separate interactions with Virgin Australia over the past five days, and not once did someone follow up with a phone call or email (as they promised to do-left contact info at every step), or even apologize for the screw up. II understand mistakes happen, but no one seemed to take any interest in resolving this issue, and no status or proactive approach to communications at all-generally a "we could care less" approach. Absolutely unbelievable. <br /><br />Now off to the claim process, where I'm sure I'll get the token $100 brush off payment for five days of hassle.<br /><br />I've already changed carriers for my remaining trips for the year. Adding up 5 business class fares, that's close to $80k in revenue lost in the near term. Hope it was worth it Virgin...Kelpgirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10241894469988506510noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5672498644411374237.post-89069445680352723872012-08-05T16:08:27.733+10:002012-08-05T16:08:27.733+10:00I am crossing my fingers that by this time tomorro...I am crossing my fingers that by this time tomorrow, I can post something positive. I have just received a call from my daughter who flew back to Sydney from LAX today (Sunday 5 Aug 2012) and was waiting to fly back to Auckland in a couple of hours' time. Her simple story - she checked her luggage in at LAX and on arriving in Sydney, NO LUGGAGE!! <br /><br />She has travelled to the USA regularly over the past 12 years, as has our whole family, and NEVER has our luggage ever been lost! What was different this time from all the other times? This was the very first time she had flown V Australia. <br /><br />She's relieved that she flew AA from SLC to LAX prior to flying home as that meant she needed to check her baggage in at LAX before flying to Sydney. That, at least for the moment, has eliminated the worry that the bags were lost from SLC. How on earth can baggage be lost from one check in point to the very next arrival point beggars belief? She had decided to put most everything into her checked luggage including cell phone and other personals that she normally puts in her carry on as she did not imagine anything would go missing in just one flight! Hello!! <br /><br />Her 3.5 week trip to New York, Boston, DC, SLC, LAX with bags full of amazing purchases not only for herself but for family back home, are, at the moment, NOT WITH HER as she had expected. We will be picking her up at Auckland airport in about 4 hours time, and I'm not looking forward to the reunion. <br /><br />Our daughter is distraught! I wonder if V Australia will accept responsibility for her mental state because of their obvious lack of efficiency. I will post update tomorrow.Charleenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5672498644411374237.post-63784275677723768852011-08-05T14:26:46.949+10:002011-08-05T14:26:46.949+10:00Worst airline ever, they have lost my bag 3 times ...Worst airline ever, they have lost my bag 3 times in two months, I am a frequent flyer that travels for cancer treatment and am appalled that an airline can't even tell you what happened to a bag you checked in for a one hour flight! Got cut off twice by their customer 'service' people and a supervisor told me that they didn't know where it was! Not only did I have medical reports in that bag but also some gorgeous dresses I bought to wear to celebrate being cancer free. Now I'm shattered and Virgin Australia have lost over $5000 of my custom - I'd rather fly Air Somalia than this poor excuse for an airline!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5672498644411374237.post-20397859950804182282010-12-08T23:05:42.019+11:002010-12-08T23:05:42.019+11:00erearwMy husband and i recently flew vaustralia to...erearwMy husband and i recently flew vaustralia to america, cutting a very long story short and the fact that half the holiday was spent shopping for clothes we should have already had...<br />They lost our bags and after 8 weeks home they still don't have them.. with $4500- worth of clothes and luggage they are not prepared to do anything but give us $100- for our losses.<br />We were not the only ones on the flighht there were another two couples.<br />My friends had a similar experience with them 6mths ago, whereby their luggage was lost with vaustralia.<br />we definately plan on flying ffrequently in the future but this definately turns me off... especially with vaustralia. Their inflight service is good but what's inflight service when you get to the end of the flight and the rest of your holiday ends up ruined.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com