First weekend of departure on vacation and for some already the first misadventures. Nathalie landed yesterday in Rhodes, Greece, without her luggage and therefore without clothes.
Via our orange Alert us button, it asks us two questions: “What am I entitled to on site?” and “What can I do for the company?”
This Belgian tourist’s vacation got off to a bad start. “I’m upset, I don’t know where my suitcases are. I don’t know when I’m going to receive them”, she confides.
When she arrived yesterday morning at Rhodes airport with her family and friends, two suitcases were missing and she was not the only one impatient in the arrivals hall.
“We were told that the suitcases were still in Brussels, that we had to file a complaint, and that we were regarding forty of us having to file a complaint to recover our luggage”, adds Natalie.
Passengers are unable to reach the airline company Brussels Airlines, responsible for transporting the luggage, or to obtain information on the reasons for this inconvenience. In the meantime, it was necessary to obtain basic necessities.
But what are the rights of passengers?
The baggage is delayed when it is not at the arrival airport, but delivered later to the hotel, for example. The traveler must contact the airline, complete a claim form to obtain a refund (toothbrush, toothpaste, underwear, etc.). Proof of purchase must be provided.
After 21 days, the baggage is considered lost. The traveler can obtain reimbursement for the suitcase and its contents following having delivered the invoices within the same period. The compensation is capped at an average of 1200 euros.
Without proof of purchase, the traveler can obtain a package at the rate of 20 euros per kilo.
This Sunday morning, Brussels Airlines might not be reached. Nathalie hopes to get her suitcase back quickly. 2 to 3% of luggage would be permanently lost according to some estimates.