A Thank You to Alitalia - quick tale...
My wife and I were booked in J for:
LAX-FCO a week in Tuscany
FCO-TLV for a friends wedding
TLV-FCO 90 min transit to...
FCO-LAX
Trip LAX-FCO was on a refurbished 777. Posted about that already.
We were checked for Tel Aviv - 2 bags, through security, in the Lounge. 50 min. before the flight wife's phone rings. Her daughter tells of the sudden unexpected passing of one of their closest friends. 45 min to flight. She decides she needs to go back to LA now.
For a brief moment I decided to go to the wedding.
After a quick discussion with the lounge staff who were FANTASTIC, I too decided to go back to LA - Pulling two bags off not much different the one. (or so I thought). Use of club phone for calling the Airport Hilton where we had checked out 90 min earlier. Bags simply don't go to Tel Aviv without passenger on board.
Rebooked the following morning on AZ non stop to LA.
Bags coming off.
Given instructions which belt the bags would come off.
Feeling bad for the 100+ passengers delayed. (I've been one of those all too often).
Luggage: One bag did come off. Another bag came off, not mine. oops. Into the Luggage office. I don't recall a separate office for status passengers on any other airline - J got us in that door - really helped. Report made.
Assured that the 2nd bag would follow us to LA from Tel Aviv vis Air France or Alitalia, of to the airport Hilton.
Next day.....
Checked with the luggage office. Didn't make the flight to Rome the previous day and still in Tel Aviv. Assured we would see it again.
Flight home, just fine. Alitalia fell off the perfect airline list a little.
Called Rome from LA the next morning to check on the bag. Told it was in transit, but couldn't tell me flights or arrival information, only that I should have it in the evening. OK.
Around 6pm received a call: "Mr. Morse, have you been traveling?" Yes - who is this. Luggage at AMERICAN AIRLINES we have a bag of yours with NO paperwork, just your ID on it, not sure how it got here. (my AA status card hanging, and business card under a velcro flap)
How it came back to LA on American (via where??) unlikely I'll ever know. That it even made it back is a small wow. I picked up the bag without signing anything.
Lesson: 2 people traveling, each bag needs to be checked in by NAME of passenger. The lost bag turned out to be my wife's contents, that could have been fun at the wedding.
Question: Best way to say thank you/contact the staff at the lounge in Rome? I do have first names.
Wish LAX - FCO could support year round.