Damn and Blast

Thanks BacHien - I looked at the AC web site and found the info you sent - but of course they couldn't/wouldn't help - they gave me the run-around, then the baggage number, the one I phoned twice before who said it wasn't their responsibility. And promised to get a supervisor to phone me back, which hasn't happened yet, of course. I had thought of sending a hard copy letter but wasn't sure it would arrive in time.

Anyway, success at last!! I was getting ready to go out to Heathrow yesterday afternoon, and then on to Hatton Cross if necessary, to see if I could get any joy in person, but decided to try the baggage/cargo number one last time. And bingo! The chap who answered listened, commiserated, took details, and gave me an incident report number. So, I can claim from my insurance when I get back Why oh why could that not have been done on day 1? We've racked up nearly 7-8 pds worth of local phone calls, which, being free at home, I resent paying, big time. When I get back I will write to AC in Ontario - and tell them they owe me for the phone calls. Of course they won't do anything about it but I can vent my spleen in a letter. Might even send one to Hatton Cross as well.

Now all that is left is to get some replacement jeans to last the rest of the trip. I am going to a couple of the cheap places today - saw some Levis at Brent Cross Shopping Centre yesterday, but no black ones, which is what I'm after, and over twice the price. So, will replace Levis when i get home.

And thanks everyone for helping me keep my sanity. MsMitty - I've PM'd and e-mailed you.

A souvenir I want (but won't get made, I'm sure) is a t-shirt that reads 'Air Canada Sucks'. Isn't it ridiculous how, in retrospect, such a small matter can set one off?

Edited by: Watsoff

watsoff - we missed each other last time you were in London more than a couple of years ago. (go_2 is new name for goldenoldie).
Maybe we can meet up this time round, if yo have time?
See your PMs for my telephone no and email, etc..

Don't fret. The primary purpose of travel is to allow a vent for bitterness to express itself at its inevitable trivial inconveniences, saving the mind from the madness that might ensue if directed toward real life grievances such as:

Be Still, My Soul, Be Still

Earth and high heaven are fixt of old and founded strong.
Think rather,-- call to thought, if now you grieve a little,
The days when we had rest, O soul, for they were long.

Men loved unkindness then, but lightless in the quarry
I slept and saw not; tears fell down, I did not mourn;
Sweat ran and blood sprang out and I was never sorry:
Then it was well with me, in days ere I was born.

Now, and I muse for why and never find the reason,
I pace the earth, and drink the air, and feel the sun.
Be still, be still, my soul; it is but for a season:
Let us endure an hour and see injustice done.

Ay, look: high heaven and earth ail from the prime foundation;
All thoughts to rive the heart are here, and all are vain:
Horror and scorn and hate and fear and indignation--
Oh why did I awake? when shall I sleep again?

A E Housman

With this demand, AC clearly thinks it reasonable that persons travelling with their airline - on receiving a gift, should demand a receipt. Oh - how tremendously couth !

I have read posts that stress not to travel with items that were gifts.
However, what if said item was gifted expressly for your travel ?

And I have read some posting not to pack what you don't want to lose.

That seems to make sense too – until you get into the reasonableness of it.
For few can afford dual wardrobes and dual home content.

I realize that most businesses have to watch their costs, even more so – i.e. delete one olive from dinner plate and a huge cost overall results - and undoubtedly there would be many who would report they lost $1,000.00 when in truth it was closer to $10.00.

With Watsoff’s loss however, I know her loss is quite true.

But can AC really stand on – legally – that everyone must have receipts for all that is packed. Think of the years of length of use for some items and also the gifted items - there are all kinds of celebrations during the year on which one can receive gifts. I don’t see how they can legally stand on that. But on the otherhand – who wants the stress of tackling them. I surely don't.

Mind you, a Class Action would do wonders and force a legal change in the airline industry – at least for Canada. That’s recently happened in Canada with persons of large proportions and not being charged double.

I am so sorry because I know how you feel having had the run around from my insurance when i had my camera stolen in ecuador and then was hospitalised. They have finally paid the hospital bill but they also want proof that i own everything. With a camera that is not surprusing but with underpants etc? It seems every insurance these days wants proof of everything which is ridiculous.
I once landed in London and my luggage was delayed with thai international for three days and i had the same run around. I will be arriving from south america withj british airways and from their past record with terminal 5 I don´t expect anymore. I have also had trouble contacting qantas from overseas. It seems to me that these so called international airlines , once you eave home, just contract everything out. Good luck anyway.

Hi all: I just got an unexpected e-mail from Air Canada - with no mention of Air Canada in the e-mail address so I nearly blew it away without reading it - from the supervisor who was supposed to call me back last week. She just said no-one answered at my end. We have an answering machine, she could have left a message. Anyway, I called them back but the office was closed, I suppose, as it was Saturday. No mention of office hours on the automated switchboard, of course. I answere the e-mail, somewhat scathingly but not as brutally as I wanted to, and will just have to wait and see if I get a response. I also threw in that I want compensation for the cost of all the telephone calls - I doubt that will come from RBC, it's Air Canada fault, if anyone can be at fault, and I'm not really fussed about them but I want Air Canada to think I am. We have proof of the calls, to the penny. I am really curious as to why my bags were labled 'stanby' as well. Bet I don't get an answer to that one, but like a dog with a bone, I think I'm going to harrass them until I get some kind of answers - to something, anyway.

So fare the insurance company has been the helpful party here .... they were the ones who put me through to Air Canada in Ontario on the toll-free that doesn't work from here, but of course Ontario AC wasn't interested.

Luckily I do have the receipt for the jeans as I only bought them a few weeks ago, and the MC bill, that RBC requires. They only asked if I had a receipt because I told them the jeans were brand new, which they were. And the claim form has been sent to my home address, so will have to wait until I get home. It's the hassle with not being able to get any help from Air Canada that pushed this rather minor (but expensive for me) incident over the edge.

I nearly choked when I went jeans shopping the other day. The nearest equivalent to my lost ones start at 75 pds stlg and the closest one to mine (they don't carry all the styless here) was over 80 pds stlg. Mine cost $70 plus the tax (extra). Gad, I even saw some at 110 pds stlg. I'm off to one of the cheaper places to pick up a cheap and nasty to tide me over. Probably won't last until the end of the trip but at least I will have a change of pants.

I did ask AC why they don't operate like other decent international airlines, using Air New Zealand as an example. I had a backpack zipper ripped off on an Air New Zealand flight to Samoa, and lost a couple of old t-shirts as well. I didn't care about the t-shirts, but I needed a functioning bag to carry me through the trip and on to Tonga. Air New Zealand office almost fell over backwards to help but when it was learned there was no sewing machines heavy-duty enough on the island to repair a backpack zipper, they handed over 100 tala without a word so I could buy another bag. I did, with money left over but Air New Zealand wouldn't even take the change back. And I kept my backpack and had it fixed in Vancouver at no cost because it was one of those 'guaranteed for life' sort of things. I know in these economic hard times they have to be more careful, but they could at least answer the bloody phones!

So sorry to hear of your frustrating plight.....

Yes, indeed, in these economic hard times and less people flying (cos they ain't got the money/fearful of job loss, etc), you'd think the airlines would be bending over backwards to give good service......

But anyway, there's also Primark in London, which do cheap and cheerful clothes.......

Also, try the markets.

Large needles for canvas are readily available to those with the gumption to use them. Would come in handy too if you burst your cheap replacement jeans.

I prefer and always pack duct tape - for me, it has held together sandals, hems, bags and many other etceteras.

qantas has been just as bad answering the phone when I try to contact them re changing dates on my ticket and my aussie insurance has been absoutely useless. I do sympathise and it is no wonder there is phone rage these days. mostly in things international service doesn´t exist these days. I am impressed with what air New zealand did for you but that may just have been the friendly samoan office!