lost/delayed baggage: Gulf Air

[Cargo Cult]

Having had my baggage delayed by over 24 hours on two occasions, and had it vanish, never to be seen again, on a third, I view the prospect of anything but single-leg flights with dread.

Unfortunately I am flying to Melbourne in December on a Gulf flight which involves a change in Abu Dhabi and stops in Singapore and Sydney: silly of me I guess, but the price is a factor. Since I have been looking forward to this trip for years (visiting old friends) I hate the prospect of endless anxious calls to Tullamarine - I'm also taking an internal flight onward to Hobart.

The cover afforded by most insurance policies is notably meagre in this respect too: if one replaces everything "lost", so that it's possible to have the holiday as planned (fishing gear etc), then there's a likelihood of totally wasted expense if the luggage eventually arrives.

Someone recently suggested that I send my baggage unaccompanied in advance. Is this a no/low -cost option these days?

Any thoughts on this matter? Anyone aware of notably good insurance cover? Strategies to minimise the risk? Needless to say my luggage will be more than clearly marked.

I'd be interested to hear what anyone has to say, whether crew or SLF.

[GalleyWench]

Cargo, More and more people are sending their luggage ahead of them nowadays. I know at Heathrow there are several unaccompanied luggage booths in each terminal and I have seen them in phone books as well. I suggest you weigh the amount you will be sending, the number of pieces and call these shippers and ask a price quote. So many people are always shipping things to Oz from the UK ,the price must not be too prohibitive. I would do the shipping at least a week in advance if possible so you can be assured that your luggage is at your destination. If your flight stops, other that Abu Dhabi do not involve a change of aircraft, that portion should be safe if you elect to check it in. Good luck to you!!

[Land After]

If you have chance when changing planes, don't thru check the bags - collect and re-check.

Then again, BA did manage to lose my bags when I checked them for LHR-MAN http://www.pprune.org/ubb/NonCGI/eek.gif after an SFO-LAX-LHR without incident!!

In my (bitter) experience, any baggage movement at LHR is painful.