Discussions between the company and Unions have been going on all day and shall continue tomorrow and wednesday.

Nivsy

Air Berlin could be looking for slots at Gatwick. What this means for the Stansted operation I am not too sure but the link into "one world" could be seen as an added advantage for flights in association with BA out of Gatwick.

Just a shame BA cannot offer such a good service as Air Berlin in my opinion.
Nivsy

I eventually travelled to Venice from Stanted airport and back with AirBerlin (first time ever with the airline). Returned on 22/08/10 at Stansted, only to find out that our checked-in luggage has not been transported by AirBerlin, and was still left in Venice! The luggage was apparently found lying around and one luggage was put on one flight via Dusseldolf, and the other luggage on another flight via Hanover. All our personal effects, including the keys to my car packed in the long stay car park near Stansted airport was in our luggage. Suffice to say I could not drive the car and had to take a taxi home. Our luggage eventually arrived at Stansted on 24/08/10. Had to then take a train form Liverpool Street to Stansted airport, to collect luggage and eventually retrieve car from car park. Incidental costs for all these came to £101.56 - taxi fare, extra car parking fees and train fare.

I emailed AirBerlin customer service on 29/08/10 to advise them of the incident and to request at least a re-imbursement of my incidental costs. Apart for an 'auto-reply' from them to acknowledge the receipt of my email, I have not had any further response from Airberlin. I have now sent three further reminder emails so far, still, not a single reply!!! I am quite disappointed at AirBerlin with regards to their behavior so far - misplaced our luggage, and now not responding to my emails. Anybody has any suggestions where else I can take this matter too?

Many thanks

I have to ask the question why did you put the keys to your car in the hold luggage? You are always advised to carry anything of value in your hand luggage - with that in mind you may not be able to claim anything for the taxi and the extra parking costs.

Pippa

I agree with Pippa about putting the car keys in hold luggage, it is edging towrds contributiary negligence. But the lack of response to the email is a bit off. Email isn't 100% reliable and sometimes your own Spam filter may stop messages reaching you. You have received the auto-reply so that narrows that down, unless they send real messages from a different domain name.

Your insurance might have a section for delayed luggage but you've probably left it too late to claim anyway and even if there's still time they will almost certainly say the keys were your fault. No harm in looking though.

I also have to say that putting keys into checked baggage is risky at best with any carrier. Lesson learnt perhaps.

In respect of the lost baggage - it will be the airline handling agent or airport authority (depending on whom the responsiblity of baggage loading rests at the airport in question) who are responsible for ensuring bags are loaded onto correct flight. I also assume that the baggage tag was correcly attached to your bags on check in by the aorline handling agent.

Air Berlin however have the responsibility that the bags are re-united with their rightfulowners with as little disruption as possible.

If you remain unsatisfied with Air Berlin and have received no e mail response I suggest that you call Air Berlin on Tel.: 0049 (0)30-3434 4646 (Mon-Fri 9:00-18:00 h). However for lost baggae you are expected to contact:
If your lost baggage has not been located within five days or if you have any questions relating to misdirected baggage, please contact the Lost & Found Centre in Berlin immediately:

Air Berlin PLC & Co Luftverkehrs KG
Gepäckermittlungszentrale / Lost & Found Centre
Saatwinkler Damm 42-43
D-13627 Berlin

E-mail: ll-hdq@airberlin.com

Policy is 5 days as the max that lost baggage should be not with customer.

Nivsy

Nivsy

Thanks for the responses. I admit I should not have put the car keys in the luggage. The luggage was not originally meant to be checked-in. I was going to carry it as hand luggage, but turned out too heavy at the weigh-in, and forgot all about the car keys in the bag. Anyway, that asides, it's the lack of response from AirBerlin that's really pissing me off. I would expect at least some properly apology and some kind of compensation (at least as a good will gesture) for the inconvenience caused!

Eventually got an email reply today from AirBerlin, after sending several emails for an update! You won't actually believe the tight would not even give any form of compensation for the inconvenience caused, after refusing not to reimburse me of the incidental costs I incurred. I would have expected, as a minimum at least from a decent reputable company, some form of compensation for misplacing and delaying a passenger's luggage for 3 days! AirBerlin, it would appear has no concept of customer care or good will gesture. Suffice to say, I would never use this airline again, and my advise to anyone planning to use it is o bear in mind that if anything happens to your luggage, you would not be getting any form of compensation from AirBerlin apart from a belated SORRY!

The code sharing agreement between Air Berlin and BA started 05 July. Call me a cynic but I fear for the good service that is provided by one of these carriers (and it is not the UK National Flag Carrier I refer to!)

I suppose it is good for Air Berlin as part of the one world alliance now but time will tell....remembering well that it was Air Berlin some years ago that picked up the mess of Deutche BA (legacy left by BA) and incorporated that airline into the Air Berlin set up.

Nivsy