Q I read your article about the lady who lost her £11,000 Antarctic cruise because her asthma inhaler was in her cabin baggage, which was taken away from her at Manchester airport and checked through to Buenos Aires. But how could the baggage travel without her – I thought airlines were supposed to offload bags of passengers who failed to board?
David W
A This is the sad story of Valerie Coleshaw, who had booked the trip of a lifetime with Hurtigruten (now HX), including KLM flights from Manchester via Amsterdam to Buenos Aires. Because the plane was full, she was asked to give up her cabin baggage to be placed in the hold. She says she was assured the bag would be waiting for her at Amsterdam. It wasn’t, because it had been tagged through to her final destination.
Ms Coleshaw told ground staff her asthma medication was in the bag. The captain of the onward flight to Buenos Aires would not let her fly, in case it necessitated a medical diversion. So, weirdly, the asthma inhaler travelled to Argentina and back, along with her actual hold baggage that she had checked in at Manchester.
Many people believe that it is illegal for aircraft to carry baggage that does not have a passenger accompanying it. That stems from the crackdown following the Lockerbie terrorist attack in 1988. In that tragedy, a bomb was concealed in a piece of luggage that was checked in by a passenger who did not board the flight. Since then airlines generally strive to ensure that passengers and their baggage are reconciled, offloading unaccompanied bags. But it is not obligatory.
Every day, tens of thousands of cases are flown without their owners on board the planes – typically bags that have gone astray and are being forwarded or returned. But pilots also have increasing leeway to fly even when they know the passenger is not on board. Screening equipment is now so sophisticated that airlines can be confident the baggage does not pose a threat. For airlines with hub operations, such as KLM in Amsterdam, this is a boon – it means fewer dispatch delays as baggage does not need to be retrieved before a flight can depart.
Q With the ongoing revelations regarding Boeing’s quality control, is there any way to ensure that I do not find myself on an aircraft made by that manufacturer? I am travelling to Las Vegas in July and have made a conscious effort to fly on British Airways with an Airbus A350 rather than Virgin Atlantic’s Boeing 787. If any disruption were to happen, could I avoid being put onto an alternative Boeing aircraft?
Grady S
A Boeing’s excellent reputation for safety has been severely tested over the past few years. The latest iteration of the Boeing 737, known as the Max, suffered two fatal crashes – in 2018 and 2019 – in which 346 passengers and crew lost their lives. Both were attributed to software Boeing had installed which, in extreme circumstances, could defy pilots and bring the aircraft down.
All Boeing 737 Max aircraft were grounded for 20 months while safety enhancements were made. The plane re-entered service in December 2020, but barely three years later a “door plug” from an Alaska Airlines 737 was blown out of the plane. All 177 passengers and crew landed safely back in Portland, but investigators have been looking more closely at Boeing’s manufacturing practices and safety culture.
At the same time, millions of passengers are flying safely on the planemaker’s aircraft every day. The Boeing 737 is the only plane flown by Ryanair, which is the safest airline in the world in terms of the number of passengers carried without a fatal accident (easyJet, using only Airbus, is second). I would choose BA over Virgin Atlantic to Las Vegas, but only because I consider the Airbus A350 more comfortable than the Boeing 787.
It is extremely unlikely, but not impossible, that you might find yourself assigned to a Boeing aircraft. Airlines will never make promises about the planes used. Were British Airways to have to shuffle its fleet for some reason, that Las Vegas flight could be operated by a Boeing 777 or 787. (Years ago I was on a Virgin Atlantic flight from Boston to Heathrow that was supposed to be a Boeing 747 but which was reassigned to an Airbus A340). Were this to happen, I urge you to board the plane. But if that really doesn’t appeal, I imagine BA would be open to allowing you to travel on a different day – though it would probably not pay for extra hotel nights while you wait.
If it is any reassurance, I am booked to fly on two Boeing 737 Max aircraft on Saturday, and I am looking forward to both of them.
Q Is September a good time to visit Barbados?
Jane B
A Unhelpfully, perhaps, I will point out that September is an excellent month to be in many places a long way from the Caribbean – including almost anywhere around the Mediterranean, such as the Greek, Italian and Spanish islands. I would travel to Mallorca, Sardinia or Corfu like a shot in the ninth month of the year. The summer heat and crowds will have abated, and yet the sea is at its warmest – having been gently cooked all summer.
In contrast, I would not be on the first plane to Barbados at that time of year. In September, Barbados is at the height of its hurricane season. To be as positive as possible, it is a good time to visit the island if you are keen to experience it at the lowest possible cost; airfares and hotel rates are far less than in late December and January. Whether you wish to explore the heritage of inland Barbados or the beaches on the west coast, you will not be caught up in crowds.
You will be able to enjoy the capital, Bridgetown, without any of the cruise-ship passengers who start to arrive along with the dry season in late November/early December. “Historic Bridgetown and its garrison” is inscribed on the Unesco world heritage list as an outstanding example of British colonial architecture, and is more easily enjoyed without a daily influx of thousands of daytrippers.
Depending on your exact timing, you might even find that you have the opportunity to travel on a newly launched ferry service. A company called Connect Caribe is planning sea connections with Trinidad, St Lucia and other islands. But my experience of proposed new ferry routes in the Caribbean and elsewhere suggests you should not base your trip around the prospect.
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