Optional services on Vietnam Airlines


It had to happen sooner or later. After 12 flights, 7 countries and thousands of miles, our luggage was lost on the one hour flight from Vientiane to Hanoi.

Before I launch into my melodramatic expose, I want to offer an indication that I can keep things in perspective. Erin and I are safe, the plane landed in the same condition it took off, we are both happy and healthy. All is well.

That caveat behind us, I can now describe the scene and slight concern we felt as we contemplated moving forward on our travels without any of the carefully selected gear, clothing or toiletries in our bags.

Our flight from Vientiane was completely full of other travelers happily transversing Southeast Asia. Ironically, Erin and I were still in the process of congratulating ourselves for our flawless implementation of immigration strategy - we got through the passport control lines quickly and without much hassle - when we noticed the baggage carousel for our flight was empty. No worries. This being a Communist country, perhaps we should just assume our Zen pose and wait.

5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes, and still no bags. Now the rest of our fellow travelers were also waiting, with similar lack of results. As a group, we stared at the small black portal in the wall leading to the "land of endless luggage." Alas, despite much psychic energy to the contrary, bags did not materialize.

As if prodded by a growing "Spidey Sense," I became slowly conscious of a queue amassing at the customer service desk across the baggage claim area. Noting a change in the energy aura around the desk (bright reds clearly coming into view), I moved closer to investigate. When I entered audio range, a snippet from a traveling Asian businessman caught my attention: "What do you mean? How could this happen?" Further investigation seemed warranted.

Having been in Asia long enough to begin to understand how lines work, I began to throw elbows and muscle my way to the front of the line. Lucky for me, the Swedish tour group (led by a tall blond woman of Amazonian build) had yet to become aware of the scene unfolding around them. As I towered above the diminutive - although still amazingly scrappy - Asian men and women around me, I was able to push my way to the front of the mass with some expediency.

What I learned left me chuckling. It seems Vietnam Airlines had decided not to load any luggage on the flight from Vientiane. Multiple explanations were given: weather (clear as far as we could tell), weight, balance. Again, we were pleased the plane had made it, so I did my best to keep things in perspective. Lost luggage. No worries. "When can we expect to see our luggage?" I asked naively.

I received an honest reply, one I got used to hearing over the course of the next three days as I interacted with Vietnam Airlines customer service agents: "I don't know." But never fear, they have three flights a day from Vientiane. Soon come.

Erin and I filled out our forms and submitted descriptions of our bags just in time. As we were completing the process, the sturdy Swedish guide stormed to the front of the "line." "I have 25 old people who are tired and need their bags," she fairly yelled next to me. To the 5' 2" Vietnamese man behind the counter, she must have represented all the negative stereotypes he had heard about Westerners in the past.

I tried to point out she should wait her turn, when she threw some muscle around and pushed my aside like wind blowing a curtain. When she explained her group was supposed to leave for Halong Bay early the next morning - about 7 hours later - I was verging on sympathetic. But again, her aggressive style left me only smiling and wishing to be free of the whole scene.

Moments later, the customer service agent handed over our paperwork and we were off. As we prepared to leave, he politely told me the Vietnamese equivalent of "don't call us, we'll call you."

Not much chance of that. The next morning, after purchasing our Vietnam SIM Card (84 904 223 961 if anyone wants to call us before Jan 11), I began calling Vietnam Airways office of lost luggage. And I continued calling for the next 72 hours until our bags showed up. Each time I was told the same thing: "I don't know, but we will call you." Not very reassuring.

As the time for us to leave Hanoi neared, Erin and I decided we needed to buy some clothing and toiletries. Luckily, Hanoi is a shopping mecca where clothes can be custom made for prices not even Walmart - with all it's poor quality, child labor and lack of health benefits - can touch.

Of course, as soon as we bought replacement clothes and other lost articles, the inevitable happened. Our bags were delivered.

So now we are traveling with an extra duffel bag, which seems to call out for us to fill it. In a couple days we head to Hoi An, known for its custom tailoring. Bring it on.