I'm impressed. Japan wins the only A++ rating in missing bag customer service. Our missing bag was returned to us this morning in Fukuoka Airport, after a separation period of only 36 hours.
Here's the story of our missing bag, and why Japan gets this great rating:
Wednesday, October 2:
Seattle, where it all started. When our plane bound for Honolulu had mechanical troubles, we were delayed and missed our connecting flight to Osaka (see previous post). As a result, we were re-routed from Alaskan Airlines to a Delta flight bound for Incheon, South Korea, and then to Osaka.
The Alaskan Airlines personnel assured us that they would transfer our 2 bags to the Delta flight. After all, on a completely packed flight to Honolulu, we were the only 2 passengers who were transferring through to another destination.
The AA people said not to mention our bag transfer to the Delta people - they said the more chatter about the bags, the more likely they wouldn't make it to Osaka. Hmm...
Thursday, October 3 (Wednesday in Pacific time):
12 hours later we arrived in Incheon, South Korea, a "day" later after crossing the International Dateline. We conked out for a 1.5 hour catnap when we arrived. We had slept a bit on the plane, but you never get much sleep when you're basically upright and have your neck crooked at funny angles while your arm falls asleep supporting it... We had tried to get the Delta people to upgrade us to First class (there were two empty seats, and the plane wasn't very full), but unless we ponied up $1,000-$2,000 each, they weren't going for it. (First class = airplane monopolistic conspiracy.)
The Incheon South Korea Air personnel had no idea what had happened to our bags. It looked like both were in Seattle still. They told us to check with the Osaka staff once we arrived.
By 9pm, we arrived in Osaka, Japan. After clearing immigration, we headed to baggage claim. After waiting a couple minutes....hurray! Devlin's big backpack had made it safely through.
10 minutes later... our second bag was definitely not there. It was our green Rick Steves' Europe travel backpack, which had our two buoyancy control devices and scuba diving booties, hoods, and gloves.
I procured help from a passing Korean Air attendant, and she shephered us over to an unlabeled desk. A very helpful attendant-lady named Chonan (soon to be our very best friend), took it from there. With the help of two other attendants and much picture-taking, they got all our details: the phone number for our hotel in Osaka (the APA Hotel, or Always Pleasant Amenity Hotel), our friend Joe's number, our Google Voice phone number, email, our boarding passes, and copies of our itinerary for the next day's flight down to Fukuoka.
Chonan told us they would contact us at our hotel and they would figure out how to get our bags to us in Fukuoka, or if necessary, down to Ishigaki island in the Okinawa island chain, our final scuba diving destination. We made it through customs after filing extra paperwork, and then zombie-walked to the train to our hotel.
We had been up for about 26 hours, minus about 4 hours of catnaps. Boy were we happy to see that hotel bed!
Friday, October 4 (Japan time):
9:30 a.m., Chonan called our hotel. Our bags were going to be on that day's Delta flight 721 to Incheon (the exact same flight we had taken a day earlier) and then would arrive in Osaka later that night. From there they would either forward them to Fukuoka or to Ishigaki, depending on arrival time. More details needed to be figured out, and Chonan said she would call us at 10:30.
10:33 a.m., 2nd call from Chonan. She was pretty sure they could get our bag to us by 9:20 a.m. in Fukuoka. However, if that didn't work out, they would send them on to Ishigaki. But, that might take a week to arrive, due to typhoon Phanfone (she couldn't tell us why the delivery service would take that long). We told her we could wait for the bag that long if needed, and that we would check our email/phone messages later that day in Fukuoka.
3 p.m., we arrived in Fukuoka and met our friends Joe and Eric at the arrivals gate. By 3:30 p.m., Chonan called Joe on his cell phone. Our bag would arrive by 10 a.m. the next day, and she gave us the details of where we should go to at the airport.
Saturday, October 5:
9 a.m., we took a taxi to the International Departures wing of the Fukuoka airport, and checked in at the information desk. They called the number Chonan had given us, and told us to wait. 15 minutes later, a Korean Air lady told us that our bag was arriving in half an hour, could we please wait. Joe gave her his phone number so we could go find coffee. 30 minutes later, we were sitting near the information desk, waiting.
A new Korean Air lady came up to us (probably they knew it was us because a) we were the only foreigners and b) we were easy to spot - I was wearing a bright yellow shirt). She said our bag would be here in just a minute, please wait. She took my passport and disappeared into the Arrivals gate (beyond which, we knew, was the baggage claim).
5 minutes later... and out she came, pushing a trolley with our green duffel bag! She returned my passport, gave us the bag, and that was that. We had recovered our missing bag!
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So that is why Japan gets an A++ from us for missing bag customer service. 3 personal phone calls and 6-7 different attendants all involved (but mainly Chonan). I once lost a bag in Germany, and all I received was a consolation prize of so-so toiletries, and a phone number to call (and good luck with that). That was a United flight (rated F for their customer service). Hurray for Japan's policy of always giving the best service possible! =)
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