In the wake of disruptions from recent winter weather events, Canadian commercial aviation has had problems with the orderly movement of checked luggage. Sunwing Airlines was just one Canadian airline that left passengers searching for their luggage upon return, and Air Canada is caught up in this also.

Relatives searching for luggage

As per the video above, even though passengers may not have a ride home from Cancun, the luggage made the trip back to Canada for relatives to retrieve. According to a December 29 Global News report, Sunwing Airlines is increasing its luggage compensation from $600 CAD to $2,000 CAD – close to the $2,300 maximum liability under the Montreal Convention.

Air Canada loses Ukrainian evacuee luggage

The problems spread beyond Sunwing Airlines. Even the Canadian flag carrier Air Canada has had cases of missing luggage for the past two weeks – mere months after paying a settlement for a two-day luggage delay. In this case, Ukrainian evacuees lost their luggage and were supposedly stranded at Vancouver International Airport (YVR) after flying in from London, United Kingdom.

Although extreme weather is somewhat to blame, the important thing is, as the evacuees’ daughter told Daily Hive;

When you flee from war with only two bags, you try to take the most important items for you as that is everything you can bring with you.

Even though the reunited family is resettling in Kelowna, it’s a 4.5-hour drive, another flight back to YVR, or an overnight stay required if depending on an EBus coach, and the family is clearly under stress. Adding to the stress is the inability to speak to a live person at Air Canada.

Checking medication onto a flight – only to have the bag disappear

Vancouver Is Awesome, a news site part of the Glacier Media Group, reported on December 28 that Air Canada said;

"Our policy is to allow medication as carry-on at all times. At the airport, customers should remove and keep with them any medication in the carry-on bag in [the] event they are asked to check it."

Nonetheless, the traveling lady and her diabetic daughter were told to check the luggage and not to worry because the luggage would follow. However, the luggage got separated from them for four days, and the family doctor had to transfer the prescription to save the daughter’s life.

Vancouver International Airport having difficulties with luggage

As per above, things have gotten so bad that law enforcement has had to help de-escalate tensions at YVR Terminal. Nobody was hurt, but this just goes to show the severity of the lost luggage crisis.

Furthermore, with the snow so strong at YVR, the airport had to suspend operations for a while. This clearly disrupted many operations of airlines that stop at YVR.

So what can be done?

After all the above horror stories, readers must wonder what can be done and what is being done. Thankfully, there are proactive measures one can take and actions being taken now to remedy the harm.

As to proactive measures to prevent being caught up in one of these situations, if one can travel light enough to stay within carry-on limits, then do so. Second, if you must use checked luggage, consider placing a tagging device that reports back to your cell phone to track your checked luggage. Third, take photos of everything you pack, just in case. Fourth, take out travel insurance as a last resort so that you have a financial backstop. None of this is to victim blame or shame, but rather to help readers move forward.

As to what others are doing to remedy these issues, Vancouver Is Awesome also reported airlines are attempting to arrange security for the luggage. Airport management is not legally responsible for checked luggage – airlines are.

It is also recommended that one follow up with the airline and keep track of everything. If in doubt, consult the Canadian government air passenger protection website and/or the independent AirPassengerRights.ca website for further action.

Do you have questions or thoughts about these incidents? Please share with civility in the comments.

Sources: Dec. 28, 2022 Vancouver is Awesome; Dec. 29, 2022 Daily Hive; Dec. 29, 2022 Vancouver Is Awesome