Sakura Aoki took to social media to call out Aegean Airlines' customer service after they lost her bag in July. Photo ./ Supplied

Suitcase Saga: Kiwi traveller rips into European airline over lost luggage

Author: Sarah Pollok,
Publish Date: Sat, 24 Dec 2022, 12:10pm

A Kiwi traveller has ripped into a European Airline on social media after enduring a five-month battle to find her missing suitcase.

Sakura Aoki was enjoying an extended trip around Europe before moving to London when she took an Agean Airlines flight from Athens to Dubrovnik.

The young Aucklander arrived in the Croatian town but her suitcase, containing invaluable sentimental items, did not.

This was five months ago, and ever since, Aoki has been fighting to be reunited with her missing bag.

At first, Aoki said, things looked promising. After missing the flight on July 20, the bag was located in Dubrovnik in mid-August, she said.

“It was arranged for the bag to be sent to me in Tuscany, but the bag was not delivered to the address I had provided until a week after I had left the country,” Aoki explained.

She asked for the bag to be sent to Gothenburg, Sweden, as they would arrive there in late September, giving Aegean “ample time to organise the delivery of the bag”.

Aegean confirmed the bag would be flown from Bologna to Munich, then onto Gothenburg on September 13.

Missing bag misses a connection

On September 15, Aoki received an email from Aegean Airlines stating “your baggage has been forwarded to Gothenburg,” it read, adding they would be in touch once the bag had arrived at the airport. However, days went by with no communication and Aoki’s emails asking for updates went unanswered.

“After not hearing from Aegean or Gothenburg airport to say the bag had arrived we sent 13 follow-up emails, all of which were ignored by Aegean,” she said.

Eventually, she did what many travellers have done in similar situations and went to the airport in person.

“I visited the lost and found department in Gothenburg airport twice (first when we arrived and again when we left Sweden on October 10) and confirmed that the bag had never arrived in Sweden,” she said.

However, similar to Auckland Airport, which received misplaced criticism over baggage woes earlier this week, Munich Airport said it was not responsible for reuniting travellers with their belongings.

“Baggage handling is the responsibility of the airlines and their service providers,” said Munich Airport’s head of corporate communications, Corinna Born.

“Lufthansa Lost and Found is handling lost baggage for Aegean Air,” they added.

Eventually, Aoki’s holiday came to an end and while she began setting up a new life in London, she was determined to be reunited with her bag.

The power of a social post

On December 7, she shared her frustration on her Instagram account @shitskinchat, where she shares skincare reviews and information with 18,000 followers.

Her stories appeared to catch the attention of Aegean Airline’s social media team.

“I called out Aegean Airlines’ disappointing customer service on my Instagram story, and a few hours later I receive an email response,” she said.

In the email, an Aegean Airlines customer service representative said they had stopped looking for the bag.

“I would like to inform you that we have completed our search for your baggage, but it has not been retrieved,” they said.

After apologising for the incident, Aegean Airlines offered Aoki 1627.35 euros (NZ$2742) as reimbursement, but she still wanted an explanation as to why they didn’t find the bag.

Since the airline knew the bag’s tag number, last flight number and the airport it was last located (Munich Airport), Aokis said she did not understand why it could not be located.

“I do not believe that you have looked for the bag since it arrived in Munich,” she replied.

When approached for comment on the incident, Lufthansa told Herald it would take months to provide clarity on the bag’s whereabouts.

“We are very sorry that this take so many month to find out, where the luggage is stored and when it will be delivered,” a spokesperson said.

Aegean Air are yet to respond to requests for comment.

Irreplaceable items gone for good

While many travellers would happily take the money and upgrade their lost items, Aoki said her suitcase held deeply meaningful items that money couldn’t buy.

“Please, I beg you,” she wrote on a subsequent Instagram post on December 20, “I just want to be reunited with the irreplaceable and incredibly sentimental items my late grandfather/best friend left me.”

Aoki also tagged Lufthansa after learning they were the handling agent for Aegean Airlines at Munich Airport.

“Where have you put my bag? I will come and collect it myself if necessary,” she wrote. “Please, I just need someone to help me.”