Sara Formel’s family holiday last week in Scotland for a friend’s wedding was to be one of those lifelong trips. But instead, he said, it became “a journey from hell.”
This is because the family’s luggage, including the wedding dress and a car seat for Formel’s nine-month-old baby, did not arrive on its June 18 Air Canada flight from Toronto to Edinburgh. .
The family spent much of their vacation for a week buying basic necessities and trying to get answers from Air Canada.
“It’s been horrible,” said Formel, who lives in Conway, Ark. “They stripped us of everything we had, and I don’t know when we’ll get it back.”
Due to increased demand and staff shortages, some major Canadian airports have recently suffered long flights, delays and flight cancellations.
In addition, travelers complain of another major problem: lack of luggage, which sometimes does not arrive during the trip.
Sara Formel, her husband Joe and the nine-month-old had to struggle to buy basic necessities in Scotland after their luggage failed to arrive. (Submitted by Sara Formel)
“It’s frustrating,” WestJet passenger Joni Hirtle of Calgary said. He reunited with his luggage on Saturday, a week after his nine-day trip to Costa Rica.
Hirtle’s suitcase disappeared after embarking on the second leg of her flight from Toronto. Its contents included $ 400 hiking boots and a lot of cash for a total of $ 750 hidden in a sock.
During a stopover in Toronto on the way home, Hirtle asked at the WestJet luggage claim desk.
There were “tons of bags sitting there” and picking up luggage in Calgary, he said. “They don’t have enough resources to address these issues.”
When Air Canada passenger Harrison Burton landed in Montreal on Friday, en route to Moncton, he was so overwhelmed by the piles of unclaimed luggage that he posted a video on Facebook.
“It’s chaos,” he says in the video. “It’s crazy. They have to fix this.”
After landing in Montreal, Harrison Burton posted this photo showing piles of unclaimed luggage at the airport. (Submitted by Harrison Burton)
Burton did not find his luggage in Montreal and was waiting for it to appear when he landed in Moncton, where he lives. However, he is still waiting for it.
“That [feels] like the face of capitalism basically saying, “You know what, we don’t really care about people.” We only want your money and you will have your luggage when you receive it, ” he said in an interview.
What is being done?
The federal government has hired more border guards and security staff at airports to help ease bottlenecks at airports, although Transport Minister Omar Alghabra has pointed to some blame on airlines, saying the week past they must also “do their part.”
Air Canada says most passengers arrive at their destination with their luggage, but acknowledges that the number who do not do so has recently increased.
The airline says many of the reasons for baggage delays, such as airport delays, are out of its control.
“When a plane is held at a gate due to a customs delay at the terminal, it may not load in time for its next flight,” spokesman Peter Fitzpatrick said in an email.
“Make sure avoiding luggage delays is a priority for us.”
The luggage area at Toronto’s Pearson Airport is crazy … pic.twitter.com/m5O43RwWz8
– @KrisReports
WestJet blamed the lost luggage on a myriad of challenges, such as resource limitations, flight delays and cancellations.
The airline is “actively working to resolve” baggage delays, spokeswoman Madison Kruger said in an email.
Carleton University associate professor Ian Lee said all parties involved (airlines, airports and the government) are all to blame for the current chaos, because they were not properly prepared for it. expected increase in post-pandemic travel.
“It seems to me that there have been many, wordlessly, flying around the seat of the pants instead of a more, say, strategic approach to reopening the air travel industry,” he said.
MIRAR | Travelers complain about the loss of luggage:
Baggage delays add to Canadian travel problems
Baggage delays add to the problems Canadian air travelers face, as some airports see piles of bags piled up and some travelers do not receive their luggage throughout the trip.
Alghabra said Monday that bottlenecks at major airports have improved and that Ottawa is working with airports and airlines to deal with baggage delays and other persistent problems.
“We are dealing with this with the utmost sense of urgency,” he said at a press conference.
Meanwhile, Formel and Burton are still waiting for their luggage.
His only consolation: according to the Canadian Air Passenger Protection Regulationspassengers with lost, damaged or delayed luggage can file a claim for expenses incurred for a maximum of approximately $ 2,300.