I couldn't be too surprised, even though no airline has ever misplaced my bag before, because our return flight involved two changes of plane. That included going from a tiny regional jet at Terminal D to a giant Airbus at Terminal 1 in JFK in a 60-minute layover. A layover that turned out to require exiting the airport buildings, walking around a construction site to the next terminal (no sidewalk), getting our Delta boarding passes converted to Alitalia ones, and going back through security. As Ashley said, "We are back in Italy already!"
So, at Fiumicino, we waited for every last bag to come off the belt, then headed for the Alitalia services desk. The woman there was very nice and knew what she was doing. I produced baggage receipts, my passport, and a boarding pass. I identified the type and color of our bags on the IATA baggage chart. And I filled out a much-photocopied customs form. I left with a claim and a notice that because we live outside the immediate area, the courier would have 48 hours to deliver our bags once he had them.
Friday morning Alexandra left for Germany to fetch Florence, and I got a text that our bags were on a flight from JFK to Fiumicino. Progress!
Friday evening, right on time, I got another text stating that "Items: 1" had been given to the courier. Surely that was not 1 of 4 bags? They must mean one consignment. At this point we started actively waiting for our bags, and making sure someone was always at home. Would the courier make it in less than 24 hours? Do they count Saturdays and Sundays? Why was there no tracking information?
Then came two more texts on Saturday, each stating that "Items: 1" had been given to the courier. Uh-oh. Our bags must not be together. Where is the fourth? But surely that first bag must be delivered soon. Maybe it would be the one with ALL of Ashley's summer clothes.
Sunday came and went. " Daddy, Mummy would kill me for wearing this to church!" "No she wouldn't, she knows you don't have anything nicer than jeans."
Monday I called the number on the baggage claim form. The woman who took my call was initially very surprised I didn't already have my bags: they went to the courier Friday, after all. Then she said, " Wait a minute. There are a lot of notes here. Oh, I see. There are four bags, and here is where one went to the courier, and here is another, and here is another. Well, if you don't have them tomorrow call us back."
Monday evening Alexandra and Florence returned from Germany. And I got one more text saying that an item had been given to the courier.
Tuesday, breakfast. Alexandra's phone rings. It is the courier saying he will make a deliver between 2 and 4. Hallelujah! Why Alexandra's phone? I'm not quite sure why they chose that one over the one they had been communicating with me on, but I had given it as our home number so they would have two possible people to reach.
And sure enough, just before 2:00 the courier arrived, friendly as could be, with ALL FOUR BAGS, and insisted on helping us carry the bags up to our apartment never mind that there were 5 of us milling around with excitement. One set of signed documents later we could really feel like the journey was over.
Except for the unpacking.
Michael
Good thing your next trip is by car!
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see you all again!
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