HAPPY ending for some after Christmas ACSA baggage snafus

Following our report on 24 December 2023 of the Christmas ACSA baggage snafus that saw more than 3 000 luggage items lost, we have some good news to report.

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Expertly reported by Wendy Knowler for TimesLive, FlySafair executives, realising the full extent of the Christmas ACSA baggage snafus, went to OR Tambo Airport to sort through and arrange couriers for the delayed baggage.

CRUISE LINE PASSENGERS

In particular, a host of MSC cruise line passengers flying to Durban were impacted. According to the report, MSC delayed the departure of its MSC Splendida for the waylaid passengers/luggage. The company had to foot a R500 000 bill as a result.

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Now, however, it seems the effort of the FlySafair and MSC executives was not in vein. Wendy Knowler recently posted an update on social-media platform X that MSC passengers were successfully reunited with their luggage. And when you see the journey these bags had to make, you’ll realise this was no mean feat.

PLANE, BOAT AND CAR

According to the tweet: “The passengers onboard MSC Splendida arrived at Portuguese Island, Mozambique this Christmas. Those ‘traveling light’ (thanks to their bags not making it out of ORT after ACSA’s baggage sorting system failed on Friday) were finally reunited with their luggage.”

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According to the MD of MSC, Ross Volker, 43 bags were flown from Johannesburg to Durban. From there they were driven to Maputo. This was followed by a boat trip to Portuguese Island to reunite the bags with their rightful owners. All told, a massive amount of effort, time and expense after the completely avoidable Christmas ACSA baggage snafus.  

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