40 days and still no luggage: WestJet passenger looking for answers

It’s been 40 days since a mother and daughter travelled to Cancun with WestJet, only to have their luggage lost, and they are still looking for answers.

Michelle Linklater and her daughter Maegan made the trip from Saskatoon to spend their Christmas holidays.

But their dream vacation quickly went sideways when their luggage got lost in the holiday mayhem shuffle.

“My frustration … is not knowing, not receiving any answers from WestJet,” Michelle told CityNews.

“So when you’re told that they’re trying to identify people with their luggage and their contents, the public does not know if you do not have your bag yet, you need to go back to the airport to start listing the contents of the bag.”

The duo spent the first half of their vacation shopping for necessities, replacing toothbrushes, pajamas, swimsuits and sandals, which amounted to $2,700 out of pocket. Then with just two days left of their trip, one of the two missing bags was delivered to their resort.

“We talked to quite a few representatives, and they told us from the very beginning your bags are going to be late, and then we got to Mexico, and they said your bags aren’t coming at all. You’ll get them when you get home,” Maegen explained.

“Then mine arrived, and I was like, well, it’s not going to arrive home. So I folded up all my clothes together, packed them as tightly as possible and put every last piece of clothing into my carry-on because I didn’t want to lose any of it.”

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To add to Linklater’s frustration, the baggage number associated with her suitcase was reassigned to a different WestJet passenger, leaving her without any link or connection to her missing bag.

Still looking for answers and hoping to find their lost luggage, both ladies decided to make the 10-hour drive to Calgary from Saskatoon, and only then did they receive some answers, although not the ones they were hoping for.

“There’s no guessing of what happens after 90 days. We got answers: it’s donated,” Michelle said.

In a statement to CityNews, WestJet said their baggage team is working diligently to locate the missing bag, and a member of its claims team will be reaching out directly on Monday in order to provide additional communication as they work to locate her bag and to discuss her experience further.

As for the Linklaters? They say they’ll be travelling with carry-on luggage from here on in.