BA's luggage problem
 

I'm writing this in a new pair of jeans & a shirt b/c BA left my luggage in London. I realized that I've flown BA RT on Seattle/San Francisco/Heathrow/Paris once (don't ask why) & on the way over BA left my luggage in SF'co. On the way back it left the luggage in London, flew it directly to Seattle on a later plane & reported it "lost" b/c they didn't realize that they'd sent it to Seattle. It took them 4 days to figure that one out.

The third time I flew BA, I flew Seattle/Heathrow/Cairo & they left my luggage at Heathrow & it was promised by 11:00 pm & it's not here yet.

The second time there were no problems either way.

I did talk to BA Luggage about it & he told me that they had a 30 year old luggage handling system due to be replaced "at the new terminal" in 2008 & that fog messes up Heathrow baggage handling.

Do I also have exceptionally bad luck since 50% of the time that I've flown BA it has left my luggage in other places or is this common with BA?

I'd say you were incredibly unlucky!
I take both short haul and long haul flights with BA a minimum of 4 times a year, often much more, and have never ever had a problem with them.

Re: exceptionally bad luck: as my mother would have said "It figures."

Alr837 typically are these flights ones where you have to change planes? Or ones where the transit time at Heathrow is 4 hours or less?

Sunshine, I've had lost luggage 7 times in my traveling life. An airline employee once told me that lost luggage seems to happen to the same people all the time. When I reach the luggage carousel, I don't really expect my luggage to appear, therefore I'm never disappointed. You must accept the fact that some of us are simply not smiled upon by the luggage gods. Welcome to my world. :-)

ALR837,

As my former president sez "I feel your pain."

The thing is that these BA flights are the only ones that I have had lost or left luggage & I've been flying over 50 years. (I started at age 9 days.)

Friends from Italy travel(ed) frequently on BA from either Rome or Verona, by way of London, on their way to the USA. Their luggage has been lost more times than I would want to deal with any airline. They have since left BA and have found a different airline. I would have done it long ago... LOL You are not alone in your problems with BA and luggage!!

Of course, BA are the only airline who lose luggage blah blah blah. Get real, people. Happens all the time on all airlines at all major hubs. There is a much wider world beyond your own experiences. No, really, there is.

The fog last week at LHR did cause a heap of problems. When thousands of bags have been checked in and suddenly the fleet is grounded, there is not much that can be done. Luggage will inevitably be delayed. You should get your bags back soon enough.

It would be presumptuous to assume that you didn't travel without insurance, surely.

I realize that luggage gets lost/left behind for many reasons -- not all within the airline's control. But when it's happened only on one airline in 54 years of flying quite regularly & 50% of the flights on that airline, one starts to ponder: should I change to an another airline that doesn't fly to that airport? Hence the inquiry.

It is presumptuous of you to assume anything about my background, world experience or knowledge of the wider world -- kindly don't do so again.

They've been a variety of flights, with stops and changes all over the europe and the usa. I was most impressed when luggage from my 3 flight stop arrived in one piece, esp as the first airline was an off shoot of austrian airlines. All with short stops too!
Just keeping fingers crossed it doesn't ever happen! although i do make sure i have spare clothes and swimming stuff in my hand luggage!