BENGALURU: It was on December 12 that a three-member family reached the Kempegowda International Airport by a British Airways flight from London. Five days down the line, three pieces of their luggage are yet to reach them, throwing a dampener on their vacation.
The family is particularly upset as they are visiting India after two years and had purchased a load of things for their near and dear ones.
Subbu Murugesan, Sharanya Palani and their 11-year-old daughter Shriya Subramaniyan reached Terminal 2 at 4.55 am by flight No. BA 0119. Their ordeal began when they realised that only the suitcase of Murugesan, who had bought his ticket separately, had reached Bengaluru.
Sharanya told TNIE, “It has been a nightmare and it is a completely frustrating experience right now. We are here on a three-week trip in connection with a wedding and a get-together with extended family who are coming from the US. We planned to go to Madurai and Chennai from here which had to be postponed due to the missing luggage.”
Apart from gifts purchased for the wedding, important items bought for my parents and relatives are all stuck in the luggage, she said. “I had essential medicines in the bags. We are presently purchasing some essential clothing for my daughter in Bengaluru,” Sharanya added.
After repeatedly reaching out to the Customer care numbers of British Airways, they were told that the luggage had already been sent from London and would reach their doorsteps through a courier firm, Carter Porter.
“We were given a number for the courier firm which was an incorrect one. We searched online and found a Delhi number for the courier firm. The person would answer the call on and off. We went in person to the office at Malleswaram and it was shut. It is quite shocking that a prestigious airline like BA is relying on such couriers to deliver passenger luggage with no tracking system in place,” the flyer added.
After multiple calls, a representative of the courier firm assured the family that their luggage would arrive on Sunday. “We got one of our four pieces of baggage but the other three are yet to reach us. Monday (December 16) too is over and we have not yet got it,” Shreye said.
TNIE has sought a response from British Airways over the issue while the courier firm was not reachable.