Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Lost Luggage

It is so frustrating to arrive in your place of destination without your check-in luggage.

There was confusion regarding my last connecting flight from Dubai to my workplace.

It was EID holiday after Ramadan thus all offices in middle-east were closed for several days. It was like Christmas until New Year in middle-east. Thus, I didn't receive my Dubai to workplace original connecting (chartered) flight ticket on time so my company provided me another airline ticket, otherwise I would not be allowed by Qatar Airways to board the plane. I need this connecting flight ticket because I don't have Dubai visa. The airlines will allow you to board as long as you have visa on your final destination.

I flew from Singapore to Doha, Qatar by Qatar Airways then took another connecting flight from Doha, to Dubai, UAE again by Qatar Airways. Then from Dubai to my workplace my company has provided me Emirates Airlines ticket for next day flight. However, upon reaching Dubai, we need to take a private chartered Lear Jet plane to reach our workplace. That was when the confusion occurred. My luggage has different baggage tag in respect to my actual connecting flight. The Dubai airport transfer desk and Marhaba lounge staff have assured me that my luggage will be on the same (chartered) flight. It wasn't.

I have been waiting for almost two weeks now for my luggage.



As you can see its size, you can just imagine the quantity of personal things/effects and souvenir items that I will possibly lose, not to mention my cup noodles and packs of boy bawang.

Sent emails to different people and Qatar Airways but no luck.

This is my second missing check-in luggage. First time was last 1997, coming from Charles de Gaulle Airport, Paris to Hong Kong by Cathay Pacific Airways. Hong kong was being battered by a strong storm during that time so our flight was canceled. It was a mess. I have 2 check-in luggages at that time and luckily, the smaller one with company paraphernalia got lost while my personal luggage arrived few days later at NAIA.

Yesterday two bags arrived in our workplace. They were not mine, sad to say, but belong to some of our plant visitors who arrived in our worksite before without their check-in luggages. Those guys have left our place and possibly won't come back anymore. Poor guys.

My advice, as much as possible, don't put expensive items inside your check-in luggage and separate your undies between your hand carried and check-in luggages. One of the worst things that can happen to a traveller is to re-use a soiled undies after bath, lol... I can manage without towel but re-using a soiled undies is eewww.. It was a comfort that my travel gears were all inside my backpak together with my spare undies.

I hope I would see my bag again on the next flight of our chartered plane from Dubai to our workplace next Tuesday or else I'll be in deep shit. My supplies are running low and I don't have local currency to buy new personal effects.

04 OCTOBER

I have survived my 4 weeks job rotation without any major complication even without some of my personal belongings and supplies. It is now time for my vacation. I'll try to find my luggage at Dubai airport.

I have arrived at Dubai business lounge after spending almost an hour at Emirates transfer desk inquiring about my luggage. I have been told to hope for the best because their staff is searching now for my missing luggage. In case by chance they find it, they'll send it to Singapore tomorrow on the same flight. I need to keep my fingers crossed and pray for miracle.

20 NOVEMBER

I received a call yesterday from our company, my luggage which was missing for around two months arrived at the city airport. This morning, the chartered plane brought my luggage to our job site. Upon initial inspection, I have noticed that the zipper was destroyed for security check. Surprisingly, my cup noodles and ulalam food packs survived the two months ordeal. All of my stuff were there.


The thing that matters to me was the "Necronomicon" book of my son. A collector's item book of the dead written by horror writer H.P. Lovecraft and his followers during the early nineties. See: wikipedia - Necronomicon. It is a compilation of short stories about the dead. It is thick volume, soft-bound and can easily weigh more than a kilo. Trust me, while reading those stories, your insight about the world of the dead will never be the same. Whatever, I was happy that it was back with me and I saved almost a thousand pesos in case my son will ask me to buy a replacement.

No comments:

Post a Comment