Travelled from LHR to FRA and thence to FDH last Sunday. An extremely hot day at LHR, the LH Business Class lounge ran out of ice and the air-con could barely cope. Very hot at FRA, then on to stifling Eurowings ATR72. Flight to FDH absolutely chokka - all seats full. Arrive at very warm FDH at 2215 and wait at baggage carousel.....and wait.....and wait.... Together with several other passengers, descend on LH agent who does a grand job of sloping shoulders "It is not our fault...." Fill out delayed luggage form, then ask about compensation. "Nothing we can do, we are only the handling agent" comes the lame excuse..... Demand address of someone who can discuss the matter. Try to ring - all offices closed at that time on Sunday. Get to sweltering hot hotel with no bag and nowhere to buy basic overnight kit. Next day have to go to important business meeting in the only clothes with me..... Manage to borrow a car and buy the necessary socks, underwear and shirt to look respectable. More phone calls to LH - they still don't know where my bag is. Eventually told it will arrive at 1320 and will be delivered to where I'm working. Still nothing at 1530, so more calls to LH. Finally a cab arrives at 1630 with my luggage which has taken 3 hours to travel 10 km......
At no time did anyone at LH apologise or offer any sympathy. A very strange way to treat their Business Class customers - or any other passenger for that matter. So, what compensation is it reasonable to expect? I've billed them for the cost of having to buy the things I needed, the business time lost and €30 for personal discomfort and inconvenience, a total of around €130. They'll get a further bill for all my phone calls when my cellphone bill turns up in a few weeks' time.....
In the past I would have taken all my luggage in a small cabin bag. But since the restrictive security procedures following 9/11, that's virtually impossible nowadays - because some officious bottom-fondling failed wheel clamper will no doubt find something he doesn't like in my bag....