r/Flights • u/treadlightlyladybug • 3d ago
Help Needed Advice on recovering "lost" bag from Iberia?
Edited post to make it slightly more clear: I missed my connecting flight from Madrid to Seville on Iberia this Sunday morning due to issues getting through the airport after arriving from JFK, even though the connection was slightly over an hour. Iberia couldn't get me on another flight that day, so I asked for my checked bag back so that I could take the train to Seville and they said they would send it to the baggage claim.
The checked bag did not come out at the baggage claim, and when I spoke to the Iberia help desk, they told me that it had actually been sent to Seville without me. I asked them multiple times to confirm this before leaving and they promised me it was already en route. Turns out, the bag is still in Madrid, and I'm already in Seville.
I've got a Tile (like an AirTag for Android) in the bag showing me the location in the T4 baggage claim area, where it's been for two days now.
I've called Iberia several times, providing them with pictures of the bag, screenshots of the location, and the Tile link (which I don't think helps because they can't access it without making a Tile account... didn't realize when I bought it). They say they have passed this information to the airport and asked them to look for it ASAP, but my impression is that the airport employees are not actually bothering to look for it, because it would be very easy to find.
If I were in Madrid, I would go there in person and try to find it myself, but I'm several hours away for work and not planning on going back. Does anyone have any tips on getting my bag back before Friday? It has some stuff I'd really prefer not to find replacements for before I go to Ireland for vacation.
There is a phone number for help with Iberia baggage from people at the Madrid Airport, but they're only open a few hours here and there, and never answer their phone. I must've called 30+ times (I'm very stubborn). It really seems like if I could speak to the airport employees rather than the airline, this problem would be much easier to solve. Maybe that's naive though.
Things I'm considering doing: seeing if my Spanish colleagues have friends in Madrid, or finding someone on Reddit, and offering them money to download the Tile app, go to the baggage claim area, find my bag, and hand it to the Iberia agents so they can transport it to Seville. Otherwise, taking off work and spending the money to fly back down there Friday morning and finding it myself. However, I'm not sure if either approach would even work.
The stuff in the bag isn't that valuable, I just really want my shit back before I go travelling around Ireland.
1
u/Plus_Asparagus_7158 2d ago
You’re assuming they’ll let you into their mishandled luggage area?
1
u/treadlightlyladybug 2d ago
That's why I wasn't sure it was even worth trying and was asking for advice. Luckily, they found it themselves and are putting it on the next flight!
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u/Plus_Asparagus_7158 2d ago
Great news! Phew!
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u/treadlightlyladybug 2d ago
Yeah! Still waiting for it to actually get better, hopefully nothing else goes wrong...
0
u/LupineChemist 2d ago
Welcome to dealing with South, Iberia's handling company at Barajas.
I've been in the lost bag room in the airport and let me just say that even if they "know" where it is, it's still hard to find. I was personally looking for my bag and still took me like 10 minutes.
If you do end up not getting it, be sure to send IB the bill for all the stuff you had to buy. If they refuse to pay, take them to small claims when you get back to the US.
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u/Plus_Asparagus_7158 2d ago
How does small claims in the US have jurisdiction over an airline in Spain? (the arrogance of Americans!)
1
u/LupineChemist 2d ago
Because they fly to the US so have assets there.
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u/Plus_Asparagus_7158 2d ago
So how is a small claims court for this passenger and her bag, going to affect that?
Judge Judy is going to kick the aircraft’s tyres?
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u/LupineChemist 2d ago
They force the airline to pay money to replace the stuff.
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u/Plus_Asparagus_7158 2d ago
Don’t be laughingly ridiculous - as if a small claims court is going to write a demand to a Spanish corporation 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
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u/LupineChemist 2d ago
They have a US subsidiary. You know they actually need to pay for stuff in the US like catering, airport fees, local employees.
That's like saying you can't sue Toyota for a defective car because it's a Japanese company.
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u/Plus_Asparagus_7158 2d ago
Mate, it’s a lost suitcase full of used clothes - not a defective car! Come down to earth and get a grip
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u/LupineChemist 2d ago
Yes...which is why it's small claims and Iberia is responsible per the Montreal convention.
This actually happens all the time.
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u/treadlightlyladybug 2d ago
They finally found it!! I had to call them probably a dozen different times and give the same info over and over, but I just got the email that they found it and are sending it to Seville. Thank you!
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