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Photo Credit: Vincent Versluis
When I got the opportunity to travel to Houston, Texas for three weeks in my present company, I was glad and started preparing the list of items that I had to carry in my luggage. I didn't want to regret missing any item for my trip so I started planning three weeks in advance.
While writing down the items, I thought about my first foreign trip and remembered what all I missed during that time. Last time when I went to UK (London and Portsmouth) for four months, I was only allowed one check-in baggage of 23 kgs. Therefore, during my stay, I regretted not bringing multiple things from India. I didn't bring any cold or cough medicines, Indian snacks, Indian spices, Pressure cooker etc.
It took me some time to figure out the Indian grocery stores in London including stores like Asda. However, it was obviously expensive to buy things from there rather than bringing it from India. Though I managed to carry few Maggi packets and one Bikaji namkeen with me being a true Rajasthani.
The perfectionist in me took the driver seat and this time I fully prepared the entire list. I went to the grocery store once, ordered from Big Basket and from Amazon to ensure I had everything that was written in the list. I included Namkeen, Lays packets, Doritos, Bourbon and Monaco biscuits and most important Maggi. Along with snacks, I also carried pressure cooker, one packet small arhar dal (pulses) and little packets of spices like chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, asafoetida, cumin seeds and mustard seeds.
I was so proud of my packing as I covered every necessary item. Not to forget my eye drops, umbrella, cough and cold medicines. In clothes, I added all my best dresses, tops and jeans along with few formal pants and shirts. I also carried a couple of stuff that was new which I never wore before. Before packing stuff, I planned to keep all my clothes, footwear etc. in my big purple bag and all food items in a small red bag. However, when I was packing, I realized that it wasn't a great idea. I thought to distribute the weight equally in both of my bags and hence, I kept jeans and three four tops in a small red bag and a few food items in the big purple bag.
The duration of my travel to Houston was approximately 30 hours. I had to first travel from Pune to Delhi via Air India, then from Delhi to Munich, Germany via Lufthansa and then finally from Munich to Houston via United Airlines. Since I was aware that I had to walk a lot at multiple airports, I intended to carry minimum weight as my hand luggage. I was already carrying the office laptop in my bag pack so I avoided putting any extra stuff other than my mobile phones, chargers, converter, wallet, water bottle etc. I also carried one small handbag with me. I kept everything in my check-in baggage's as 46 kgs. were allowed and kept my bag pack and small handbag as light as possible.
I went to the Pune Airport and checked in at the Air India counter. Three more colleagues from my company had the same route of travel. They all belonged to the same team and hence were together at the airport. At the counter, I asked the lady if my check-in luggage would arrive at Houston and she replied with a "yes". I trusted her words and didn't feel a need to check the tags that they were putting on my bags. After travelling from Pune to Delhi, our next flight was delayed by 3-4 hours due to some security issues at Munich, Germany. After having dinner at the New Delhi Airport, I tried hard to sleep on the chair as it was a late night but unfortunately, I couldn't.
After reaching Munich, our next flight to Houston was again delayed by an hour and a half due to the same security concerns. Finally, after travelling for one day on multiple flights, I reached my final destination Houston with my three other colleagues. Then my long wait near the conveyor belt to collect the check-in baggage's at Houston Airport started.
All of my three colleagues received their check-in baggage's who also took the same route - Pune-Delhi-Munich-Houston. But none of my check-in baggage arrived. I waited till everyone collected their bags from the belt. And there were no more bags left at the belt. I was getting anxious during that time. I was holding my jacket in my hand that had my cell phone in one of its pockets. In nervousness, I left my bag pack and Jacket with my colleagues near the conveyor belt and went searching for the lost baggage counter to register a complaint.
I went to the Airlines counter and waited for around half an hour to get my complaint registered. I gave them the information that they required to find my bag; the bags sizes, colours and the items that were inside. I remembered that I forgot to carry my phone with me but I wasn't much concerned about it until I came out of the counter. I found out that I couldn't go back to the place where my colleagues were waiting. The counter was outside the exit section and entering the conveyor belt section wasn't allowed. I told the security personnel about the situation that I missed to read the exit board and my colleagues are waiting inside. He asked me to call them from outside but I didn't have my phone with me. Arrogantly he said that how could I leave my phone and hand luggage with few colleagues. I understood that there was no point to explain my situation to him further. I don't know why but I suddenly started comparing my UK trip with the US and I realized how good were the Britishers! They were polite, helpful, nice and here, the condition was completely different.
My heart beat increased a lot as I had no mode to contact my colleagues. I remembered noting down the US number of my one colleague but it was saved in the same phone and I didn't remember the number. I was completely lost when I saw an Indian guy there. I approached him and asked him to call on my number. I was anticipating that someone would definitely pick my phone from the jacket if they heard it vibrating. However, no one picked it. Then I took the other phone that I rarely used and had the Indian contact number of my colleague and I asked that guy to call that number. The phone was unreachable as expected. The saddest part was that guy's phone didn't have internet connectivity or WhatsApp else I would have called on my colleague's Indian WhatsApp number. I was sure that I would have been able to contact him that way. At last, I dropped a text on his Indian number.
By that time, I spent one to one and a half hour at the Airport and lost all hopes. I was sleepy, tired, tensed and exhausted. I decided to go out of the Airport. I wasn't sure of the next step as I didn't have my phone to book a cab to go to the hotel. However, I had money and that gave me some confidence at that moment.
I came out of the Airport and I saw all three of my colleagues standing outside. I can't explain my emotions that time as there were tears in my eyes. I thanked God that they were still waiting for me as I expected them to leave for their hotel after those couple of hours. They asked me if I received my bags feeling that this might have delayed my exit. But it wasn't the case and they were shocked.
There was no happiness on my face reaching the hotel on a Sunday evening. Though, I was still carrying the strength that didn't allow me to cry. The moment I reached the hotel room, there was no jet lag but I was again preparing the list of things that I had to urgently buy to go to the office the next day. I had a toothbrush, toothpaste but no clothes, footwears other than those I was wearing. I didn't have any pyjamas, t-shirts to wear at home or necessary toiletries.
My colleagues had planned to go to Krogers or any other supermarket to buy some vegetables and groceries. Since my main aim was to buy clothes and toiletries, we ended up going to Target. I was extremely confused as there were hardly few clothes in XS size and they were not fitting me perfectly. Same goes for lowers. The pants were loose and long. I somehow managed to find one palazzo and one jeans originally of ankle length that fitted me well. I also bought a couple of loose tops. That was the only time I didn't enjoy my shopping as I didn't like any stuff that I was buying. I was missing the brands like Only, And, Vero Moda, Van Heusen whose Indian XS used to fit me properly. And also missed the UK's clothes whose sizes were similar to Indian sizes. Anyways, after around 45 minutes shopping there, I got a call from my colleague that they were done with their grocery shopping whereas I was still struggling to buy some decent clothes. I left the clothes section immediately and asked them to wait for 15 more minutes as I had to buy some toiletries.
I had my dinner with my colleagues as I didn't get any time to purchase any groceries. They prepared some Indian food and I thanked them in my thoughts of being there during that time. When I went to my hotel room, I called my mother, narrated all that had happened and my voice broke down as finally I no longer felt the need to hold my emotions.
Next morning after getting ready for work when I went for breakfast, all of my fellow workers who were staying in the same hotel knew about my story. There were few whom I didn't even know by name but by faces, they all knew my name and had the same question to ask, "Did you receive your lost bags?"
After coming to the workplace, I enquired at the Air India and United Airlines customer care about my bags and the response was pretty bad. The Air India was pretty firm that there was no mistake from their end and they couldn't do anything about it and I should talk to the last Airlines that I travelled with. So, every day twice or thrice, I used to call the United Airlines Baggage resolution centre in hope to receive a new update. One day, I broke down at the office as I could no longer act strong. The major struggle for me was food. I just couldn't eat anything or outside food for consecutive 2-3 days even in India. I have previously suffered from stomach infection thrice in a year and it wasn't possible for me to eat hotel food for many days. It was easier for me to skip eating than to eat something that's not of good taste.
I took a few packets of Maggi from one of my female friend and colleague. Also, she was kind to give me one of her footwear to wear in the room. On Tuesday, the only sandal that I had and was wearing since Airport also broke. It was new and I was hardly wearing it from past few days so I was not just surprised but also cursed my destiny.
I went to the shopping mall with that friend after office and shopped for around 1.5 hours to buy some good stuff including one slipper and sandal to wear at work. During those days continuously, I was enquiring about my luggage. One of my small bags was tracked at Munich Airport, Germany but there was no update of the other big purple bag. However, I was a bit relieved that I would no longer have to completely depend on my colleagues for survival. And I would soon be getting at least a few of my clothes and some Indian snacks.
On Friday evening, that is after five days, I received my red bag. I was happy as that bag contained Maggi packets, three to four tops and one jeans that were enough for me to survive. Along with that, I was happier to find all my earrings in that bag. Trust me, I was majorly concerned about losing my earring collection. I knew that I could somehow manage to buy all the same clothes back from India as I knew their brands and most of them were shopped from online. But those earrings, they were priceless! They couldn't be found on online sites. I had brought them from several places that I didn't even remember. Everyone in the hotel came to know that I received my bag as the happiness was clearly visible on my face.
On Saturday, I shopped the whole day as I was preparing myself to survive with whatever I had for the rest of the two weeks. I brought every necessary item that was required including the perfume, some more clothes etc.
There was no update of the second bag even after enquiring every day. One thing I was sure of was that it was definitely at Munich Airport. The old tag on my bag clearly stated Pune Delhi Munich. There was no mention of Houston. It was a clear mistake of Air India while putting the tag on my bags. It still surprises me how it was just on my bags that they missed putting Houston whereas my three other colleagues had Houston on their bag tags.
At last on Monday night, after eight days, I received my second bag without any prior notice or message. I remembered that the landline phone in the hotel room was ringing and I didn't pick as it was more than 10 PM. Just after a few minutes, I received a text that my bag has arrived. I ran at the reception instantly and collected my bag. Yes, it was the same purple bag! I was the happiest person in that hotel that night especially when I had no hope that I would be receiving that bag. I opened it and checked everything. There were tears and a feeling of gratitude after getting all my stuff back.
This incident happened on 29th July and since then, I am chasing United Airlines for reimbursing the expenses that I incurred during those eight tough days of my life. Their policy states that - "For bags checked June 1, 2017, or later, if we're unable to find your bag after three days, we'll pay you $1,500 for the value of the bag and its contents without requiring any documentation. The Baggage Resolution Center will contact you to process a compensation payment. We will also reimburse you for the amount you paid to check the bag."
So far, I have sent around 40 emails in the past five months to the Airlines Customer Care and have also received responses on them. But, no reimbursement has been done so far.
There is some advice that I would like to share with other travellers that I learnt during this experience:
1. Always check your bag tags especially if your single journey contains a minimum of two flights.
2. Carry only necessary items in your check-in bag and avoid bringing a lot of stuff that you can stay without in a trip.
3. Carry a pair of clothes in your hand luggage.
4. Never keep costly items in your check-in baggage.
5. Contact Lost baggage counter at Airport immediately once you realize that your baggage hasn't arrived.
6. Don't get attached to your personal belongings. (especially for girls)
7. Keep all your receipts/bills with you after you lost/delayed your check-in bags so that you can claim it.
8. Stay strong if you lost/delayed your bags. It happens with most of the people.
Edit: I received the compensation amount finally in January 2019 from the Airlines!
