An Edinburgh British Airways passenger has hit out at the airline after her bag was lost on a flight to the capital ten days ago and she is yet to be reunited with it.
Carmen, who was flying from Heathrow to Edinburgh for a few days, had a suitcase as carry-on luggage but says she was forced to give it to British Airways staff to go in the hold before she even went through security on Sunday, June 4.
After arriving late at night in Edinburgh, Carmen stood at the luggage belt until it stopped and there were no other cases remaining. Much to her anger, she was forced to fill out a missing bag form but remained hopeful it would turn up and be delivered to her hotel in the city centre.
READ MORE: Easyjet 'sorry' as Edinburgh passengers 'sleep in airport' as flight cancelled
As the 35-year-old was only in the capital for a few days delivering training for a luxury brand, all her possessions and clothes were in the missing bag which she realised was never going to be retrieved during her stay.
After flying back home to Frankfurt in Germany, Carmen is still without her bag ten days later and says she has gone through "hell" with the airline for updates on where it is. At one point, she claims she was told the bag was flown to Edinburgh once she had left - and then days later told they still had no idea where it is.
As a result, Carmen has been left having sleepless nights and headaches due to the stress of being without her personal items. Speaking to Edinburgh Live about the ordeal, she said the last ten days have been "ruined."
She said: "At this point I'm beyond mad and just very emotional. I'm doing everything to try and get their attention. I think they simply don't care though.
"I was in London to study which I do once a month and was then on route to Edinburgh for work for a few days on June 5 and 6. I arrived at the airport and they were stopping people before security which I have never seen before and claimed there was no room on the overhead compartments.
"They just took everyone's bag, nobody really had a choice to refuse. I'm now kicking myself as I didn't physically see them put the tag on it but it was chaotic as there were a lot of people all handing over their bags.
"When I got into Edinburgh I stood at the belt and they seemed to get the cases out really quickly. After five or ten minutes it just stopped and me and one other person were left standing without our luggage. At that point I was already fuming as I knew what I was going to have to go through to get it back."
Carmen filed the lost baggage form and remained hopeful of being reunited with her bag while she was in Edinburgh. She gave British Airways her hotel address if it did turn up and after calling the next day, the whole ordeal escalated.
Carmen says that for the next seven days, after she had been and gone to Edinburgh, she has been told the bag was 'not located' but claims that at one point, on day nine, she was told it was flown to the capital.
She also alleges to have given her home address in Frankfurt to staff after she left Edinburgh in order for her bag to be flown back home, but instead was supposedly told it was on its way to Edinburgh.
She continued: "They said it could take up to 21 days and that I can claim expenses, but that's only for essentials. Meanwhile I turned up to work looking unprofessional wearing what I was flying in.
"The next day I had to buy a new outfit and buy new makeup for work. I informed them that I was no longer in Edinburgh on the phone but they still sent it there as 'that is where it was supposed to go'.
"On day seven, so Sunday, 11, I was told there had been a potential match which they found and I was to describe three items inside and they would send a picture. They said they would send the picture one or two hours later, but guess what? I never got an email.
"I phoned two days later as I was too stressed to deal with it, only for another colleague to say taking pictures is not part of the procedure and they can't do it.
"Today, day ten, I called and they said the bag is still missing and they haven't located it yet which just goes against so many updates I have been given. I'm starting to doubt I'll ever get my bag back.
"The whole thing doesn't make sense. If I don't keep calling I'll literally get no update. They have told me so many things now I don't know what to believe.
"There are so many different things this has impacted. I sleep with a mouth guard as I grind my teeth and that was in my bag so I have barely slept and I'm experiencing headaches all the time. It has ruined the last ten days."
A spokesperson for British Airways said "Our teams are working hard to reunite our customer with their baggage as quickly as possible."
READ NEXT:
Search for missing Edinburgh woman last seen travelling wearing backpack
Edinburgh M8 crash at busy junction triggers huge rush hour tailbacks for drivers
Edinburgh emergency services race to the Shore with major search operation launched
Unique Edinburgh drive-thru business in prime location hits the market
Two Edinburgh motorists taken to hospital as drivers seen 'leaving cars' due to crash
