Luggage Crisis Diverted

Boarding AC7 on a sunny day at Vancouver International Airport

Today, Saturday, was a busy traveling day for many passengers, getting home before starting work and school. The flights to Asia were very full, including those to Taiwan, with the elections on January 11. Anyone who was born there, even if they haven't lived there for a long time are eligible to vote.

In any event I had trouble checking in online with Air Canada the day before, so I decided to go to the airport a bit earlier. I tried again at the airport kiosk and it still didn't work so I had to wait in line for the counter. Luckily the line went relatively fast and I finally checked in. Or so I thought I did.

I was unable to check-in using the kiosks and had to line up

The ground staff had already put the luggage tag on my suitcase and sent it off when I walked away and looked at my boarding pass. It didn't have my name on it, but someone else's!

I ran back to her and showed her the boarding pass and my passport. She showed a colleague the error who didn't have any decent suggestions, so she contacted her supervisor who was all the way in the domestic departure area.

It turns out this is some technical glitch they have been having since installing new software three months ago.

They had to stop and locate my baggage -- which had a luggage tag going to Manila! They reassured me my suitcase was not going there, but to Hong Kong.

Then they had to issue me a new boarding pass and luggage tag. Once that was sorted I had to go down to the arrivals area and pick up my suitcase at the area where oversized luggage is usually sent. The metal shutters were down, but a few minutes later they came up and I saw a guy on a cart with my luggage!

Then I had to pick up my luggage at a place similar to this one

I grabbed it and went back up to where the supervisor was in the domestic departure area where she stuck on the new luggage tag and then I had to go back to the Air Canada international departures area to drop off my suitcase there! I spent pretty much an hour checking in after all that hassle, which made security look like a breeze.

Next time you travel, check to make sure your name is on the boarding pass! And yes I did get my luggage back in Hong Kong!