Can you say lost luggage?

So I had the unfortunate opportunity to spend 2 nights and a day in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida last week. OK don't tear up, feel sad for me or lose any sleep. It's ok. But for the purposes of this blog, this was a business related trip.

Well for the record I have travelled somewhere around 70k miles this year for work (ok I admit some pleasure) and I can't remember the last time I went to luggage hell.

As I stood next to the US Air Carousel, tired from my long flight; alone, embarassed and dowtrodden with no bag in sight, a sudden cloud of depression enveloped me as I eased into the reality of my situation and made the long pilgrimage (or walk of shame, you get the point) to the baggage claims office.

I presented my claim check to a nice gentlemen behind the counter and he informed me that my bag did arrive in Phoenix but was offloaded in the hot desert sun. OK so my first question: WHY? Wasn't I on a through flight, no plane change? Indeed I was. So now all kinds of thoughts are going through my mind; like the couple they just arrested for absconding with over 1000 pieces of luggage in Phoenix. Could they or someone else like them have gotten mine to? Will I ever see my dear and personal belonings again? The attachment was killing me.

The nice agent at the desk (and he was nice) suggested I call an 800 number in about 2 hours for an update. They had one more flight arriving around 10 that night. It was likely my bag would make that flight. I politely (ok dramatically) accepted his peace offering and left with my head held high with hope.

Well the sheer panic did finally subside as I pulled away in my rental car. Can you say retail therapy? I couldn't possibly work that night without a change of clothes. Lets just say I had a good time accessorising.

And I did call later from a lively party as suggested and my bag did arrive in Florida around 10:30 that night. Yippee!!! But I tried not to get to high or to low. And because of this new found life skill I was able to embrace the fact that I had to go back to the airport @ 7 am the following morning to get my bag as it was abundantly clear there wasn't anyone in a hurry to feel sorry for me and my problems (Florida time you know). And when I got to the airport there it was, my poor lonely bag sat behind a locked door staring at me. And evidently baggage claim agents don't have to start working until they feel up to it, or 8am. So I climbed two escalators and walked for what seemed like forever and eventually found a ticketing agent upstairs. She agreed to accompany me back downstairs. Eventually she unlocked the door, reacquainting me with my long lost friend (sorry, bag).

And I just want you all to know that after a long breakfast on the beach and a cool shower I quickly recovered and was back to my old self. I know you were all very worried for me and I appreciate your concern.

Now the last thing I'll say is nor you nor I will ever know what really happened on the tarmak at Sky Harbor Airport but when the ticketing agent reluctantly handed over my luggage she said something like, "oh the TSA must have screened you luggage" What bothered me most about this is that no one had to put their grubby paws on my bag in Phoenix in the first place. Whoever did should have just had the common decency to leave it in its rightful place, for . . . . . . . sake! But even more was/is this pervasive attitude that it is/was somebody elses fault. I think this is entirely endemic (is this the right word?) in our country today. No one wants to take responsibility for anything anymore. Particularly anyone that works for our government and it seems to me that at its root this is why our government is unvravelling at the seams. But I'll save that conversation for another blog!

Phew! After all that Ill let you know we had a fruitful meeting that night. I'm super glad I made the trip and I hold high hopes that we will sell wine in Florida again soon. Did everyone know Florida is the country's number 2 wine market? Who's number 1?

Onward and Upward!