Irate passenger demands full compensation

"This is madness. My trolley suitcase alone cost me $4,560. And I lost $5,235 in personal items, mainly clothes though. But, how can they now offer me US$400?" said Indira Parmanand, of Princes Town.

Parmanand said her luggage disappeared when she arrived at Tobago’s Crown Point Airport two months ago after attending her niece’s wedding in London. To date, she said, airline officials have not offered her an explanation about her missing luggage.

On September 1 she travelled to London to attend her niece’s wedding, taking along all the necessary clothing and accessories for the event. While in London, Parmanand said she purchased several personal items and gifts for relatives and friends in Trinidad.

On her return flight on September 15 she collected her luggage and checked it in at Tobago Express at 8.30 pm for a confirmed flight to Trinidad. The flight was scheduled to leave at 10 pm, but did not leave until 12.15 am on Friday. She discovered her luggage missing when she arrived at Piarco. She reported the matter to a clerk at the front desk who conducted enquiries. An hour later, Parmanand filled out a missing baggage form and left.

She wrote to the managing director of Tobago Express but did not get a response until three weeks ago. She said she got a telephone call from an official of the airline offering her the US $400 compensation.

"I have not heard from them since and I never received any money from them," she complained.

"This situation has become very stressful and depressing since a trip to London is not easily affordable and the contents of my suitcase are very valuable to me," she added.

Convinced that her luggage was stolen, Parmanand charged, "My luggage will never be found and I want to be fully reimbursed for the airline’s negligence. I am not the only person this has happened to, but I am speaking out. The travelling public has to know what is happening here."

When contacted for comment, officials of Tobago Express at Piarco referred Sunday Newsday to the station manager, Natasha Duke. But several attempts to reach Duke were futile.