A Blairgowrie mum had to wait seven weeks to be told her bag had been found after it went missing on a Ryanair flight.
Eilidh McCreath travelled from Edinburgh to Bordeaux on June 29 for a family holiday.
The 36-year-old and her partner Ross Mitchell jetted off with her parents, Ross’s parents and their five children.
However, on arriving in France, one of their checked bags failed to show up.
Blairgowrie mum says ‘whole situation has wrecked our summer’
Eilidh said: “Unfortunately the bag that went missing contained all the kids’ clothes including baby items.
“We had to go out and buy the kids everything at a supermarket,
“I spent all holiday chasing the whereabouts of the bag and worrying.
“It would have been easier if it was one of ours but it just had to be the kids’.”
She was told the bag had gone to Dublin before it was delivered to Bordeaux on July 6 – the same day the family left the accommodation to return home.
Staff at Bordeaux Airport confirmed the bag had been sent back to Edinburgh on a flight on July 16.
However, despite her father calling Edinburgh Airport every day since, they were unable to track down the back until The Courier got involved.
Having approached us on August 13, we put the Blairgowrie mum’s claims to Ryanair, Swissport and Edinburgh Airport.
The next day, her father received a call confirming the bag was at the airport – and requested a delivery address for the lost luggage.
Bag that went missing on Ryanair flight turns up seven weeks later
Eilidh said: “The summer holidays are now over and we have spent well over nine hours to Bordeaux Airport, Edinburgh Airport, Ryanair and Swissport.
“It’s unbelievable how they do nothing until you get the press involved – it really shows what customers mean to them.”
“We’ve not got it back yet but at least they’ve actually got it – the whole situation has wrecked our summer, to be honest.
“The bag has had a better summer holiday than we have.”
Edinburgh Airport told The Courier it is for airlines and the handling agents to handle and deliver baggage.
A spokesperson said: “The transportation and delivery of baggage is the role of airlines and their contracted handling agents, and we always encourage passengers to contact them for support with any queries they have.”
A spokesperson for Swissport said: “We are sorry to hear about Ms McCreath’s experience and are investigating the circumstances.
A Ryanair spokesperson said: “Ryanair operates over 3,600 daily flights to over 235 destinations and leads the industry with fewest lost bags – one bag mishandled per 10,000 passengers.
“Due to a baggage belt failure at Edinburgh Airport, this passenger’s bag was not loaded onto this flight to Bordeaux (29 Jun) by the third-party handling agent at Edinburgh Airport.
“This passenger contacted Ryanair’s customer service (09 July) and received a response directing them to complete a lost baggage form, which this customer did not do.
“An agent was in contact with this passenger (07 Aug) to assist them with their claim.
“This bag has since been located and will be delivered to the passenger today.
“We apologise for any inconvenience caused as a result of this baggage belt failure at Edinburgh Airport, which was beyond Ryanair’s control.”
Conversation