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Travel experience with airline.
Posted February 23rd, 2013 - 2:10 am by from Pittsburgh, United States (Permalink)
Here is my story:

I was leaving HangZhou, China to Dallas
on the 13th of February,2013. I started out with China
Southern Airline to Beijing and have taken Air Canada from Beijing
Airport. Because China Southern Airline was delayed by more than an
hour, so I have arrived terminal 2 at beijing airport very late. Then
I had to hurry to the Air Canada ticket counter in terminal 3. when I
arrived at terminal 3, I just rushed to the Air Canada ticket counter
and told them that I did not have enough time to pick up my luggage
due to the limited time. So I asked a female agent to call China
Southern Airline and transfer my luggage to next flight with air
canada. She just looked at my passport and told me that the terminal
3 was too far from terminal 2. so they can't transfer my luggage. I
kept explaining that the china southern airline was delayed, so that
I did not even have time to go back to terminal 2 to get my luggage.
And I really needed to leave on that day. Then I tried to ask the
manager at the ticket counter to get my luggage from china southern
airline to air canada. But he did not even try to help or call
anyone, just simple said that they couldn't do it. They were not
trying to helping me in any ways. Instead of helping me, they were
laughing and told me that I can pay a fee to change my flight to the
next day.so that I could go back to terminal 2 to get my luggage. I
asked them to issue me the ticket and I had to leave china on that
flight. But they insisted to ask me to go back to terminal 2 and get
my luggage, even told me that I could not leave without my luggage. I
only had about 50 mins to check in, go through the customs and get to
my gate. I was really upset and explained again the situation and I
needed to check in and get on that flight. But they were not even
listening. They told me the same thing again and again.(i couldn't
not leave without my luggage, and they would not let me check in) I
was so desperate. i asked all my friends to call air Canada and
begged them to get my suitcase and put it on the air Canada flight.
But they did not do anything to help. I was standing around and was
about to cry in front of the workers at air Canada counter. The
workers were just looking at me as nothing has happened. I had to
give it another try, so I went to a different ticket counter for air
Canada, but the agent just asked the other co-worker about my
passport. Next thing I knew, the same female agent came over and told
her not to help me to check in. I was so desperate, so I told them
that I will leave without my luggage. But they told me the same
thing. They would not check me in without my luggage. I was crying
and begged them to check me in. but no matter what I said, they did
not want to help me with anything. Finally the manager forced me to
sign a paper stating that I wanted to give up my luggage and it was
not air Canada’s responsibility. So here I am in America, but my
luggage had to stay in China. Just because Air Canada's workers are
too lazy to do their job.

I have never been treated so bad
and experienced so desperate with anyone,or any company other than
air Canada. The worst part is it was even my first time to flight
with Air Canada. I will not ever fly with Air Canada again.
Let me know if you encounter the
similar experience! hope it won't happen again next time.

Reply
Posted February 23rd, 2013 - 2:28 pm by from Albuquerque, United States (Permalink)
Dear Rain,

Your story is touching and maybe someone might have provided some help to you but there are several things you may want to consider.

Longhaul travelers know these things happen and figure out ways so as not to let them effect their travel. Layovers suck but are a necessity if you need to have your luggage with you or you don't want to pay air freight. Can you imagine how many people they would be transferring luggage for if they offered this as a service?

There isn't any way they can take responsibility for someone else's luggage. Some nut would just pack an explosive device in a local airlines bag (less security) and then ask that it be transferred to an international airline and probably not even get on the same plane.

Again I'm sorry for your problem but they have to follow their security.

VAGABOND JIM

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Posted February 23rd, 2013 - 3:09 pm by from Luzhu, Taiwan (Permalink)
dear Rain,

Actually , I agree Vagabond, although I am so sorry you had such worst experience with that , I really understand be forced travel without your own luggage is such bad and inconvenient, you might thought that was not your fault to delay and you were so poor ,why Canada airline just cannot help you a bit ? but , Canada airline (or every airline)has its security rule, they don't know you at all, they cannot make sure what inside your luggage, they cannot set everyone in the dangerous situation to help you transport a unknown luggage ,if they did it, then those terrorists also can use that way to transport bombs on the airplane , so, no one can help you in that situation, not only Canada airline, it is life, sometimes, you cannot own both what you want, to get on the plane or get your luggage but change other plane ? you only can choose one of them....experienced once , then grow up more.....take care, wish you the best in the future

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Posted February 23rd, 2013 - 11:36 pm by from Darwin, Australia (Permalink)
Sorry to hear of your experience.

You cant blame the airline for what they did. I would expect that every other airlines would do the same thing themselves.

I guess this is a gentle reminder to us all to allow plenty of time between flight especially if you are changing airlines and need to collect luggage and go through custom while flying as delay can and do happens.

Generally I would suggest that you allow a minimum of 4 hours between flight.

Reply
Posted February 24th, 2013 - 9:39 am by from Prague, Czech Republic (Permalink)
i agree with others..i only chose connecting flight with small window-time frame for flights in Europe where if i missed flight, I could have many other cheaper alternative (bus, train, rideshare) as backup.

however I agreed with Rain Yao that sometimes the airline people could have done a bit more. I had a flight with British Airway...b/c of the traffic on the freeway, i was there about 30 min before departure. Security people was nice enough to let me skip the line and checked my luggage first. When I got to the gate, they refused to let me in. I was 10 min before departure. The policy was 40 min. They said it was the rule. However I don't believe going around this rule would do them any harm. Luckily, I only needed a flight from London to Prague, so I found another way to do it.


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