Reader Email: Delayed Checked Ski Gear On Lufthansa?

A LoyaltyLobby reader sent us a question regarding checked skiing gear on Lufthansa that was apparently left behind in Munich.

Remember that you can always email us, send a message via Facebook or use Twitter and include photos too. We’ll try to cover Reader Questions & Comments here several times a week.

Here’s the email from the reader:

We flew Lufthansa from Denver, CO to Geneva, Switzerland via Munich yesterday.  Our baggage did not arrive in Geneva. We filed a claim with Swissport who handles the missing baggage in Geneva for all airlines. We were told our bags had been located and would be sent on the next flight to Geneva from Munich. Our bags were promised to be with us by last night or at the very worst case this morning.

This morning I have been on hold with Swissport for over an hour and a half, twice, and they still have not answered.  Our bags have not been delivered and it is after 12 noon. I checked the online link and it reports 3 of our 5 bags are in Geneva but two are “being traced”.  Perhaps they decided not to deliver the 3 bags that are in Geneva until they find the others.  However, those 3 bags would at least give us what we need to wear and we could just rent the skis and boots themselves.  The phone number we were given on the paper from Swissport was not in service.  The phone number I found on-line kept me on hold over an hour two times and no one ever picked up.

We’ve spent a lot of money to be on a once in a lifetime ski vacation over the holidays in Zermatt.  We now are told by the hotel desk that “no one works in Sundays” and our bags will be delivered possibly Monday or maybe Tuesday.

We had already purchased on-line ski passes which we can’t use without clothing or ski gear.  We can not afford to purchase new ski clothing and gear if it won’t be reimbursed but have no experience in this.

You should have received something called PIR (Property Irregularity Report) after you filed the delayed/missing bags claim with the Lufthansa’s handling agent Swissport at the Geneva airport.

The PIR should contact something along the lines GVALH12345 that you could then plug into the Worldtracer luggage tracking system to see where your bags are if they have been located.

The agents usually always tell you that they will be put on the next available flight that is rarely the case (basically to get rid off you).

I would go an buy whatever you need to enjoy your skiing holiday and claim the expenses back from Lufthansa after your trip.

As you are from the United States, you can always sue the airline to the Small Claims Court as a last resort if they are unwilling to pay otherwise.

Conclusion

The airlines try to give you a very small guidance to use per day in essentials while they try to get your bag(s) to you. This is only the baseline, however. Buy what you reasonably need and claim them back from the airline (save all your receipts).

It always helps if you have travel insurance too. Could be easier and faster to deal with.