An 80-year-old American tourist staying in Inverness has been left stranded for seven days after an airline lost his luggage.
Larry Smith, from Maryland, has been visiting Cedar Villa Guest House in Kenneth Street for many years.
He likes to walk the hills of the Highlands and play his trusty Celtic pipes in the mountains.
But the elderly gentleman has been left high and dry after his luggage was lost during an Air Canada flight from Toronto to Edinburgh.
The revelation comes after Aberdeen passengers lost two days of their holiday after a delay.Â
During the first week of his month-long holiday, Mr Smith has already travelled to Edinburgh Airport twice in an attempt to collect his possessions.
But both train journeys on Monday and Tuesday were unfortunately made in vain.
On the first visit he could find no staff at the baggage area and on Tuesday, when he was allowed into a baggage room to look for his missing suitcase, it was not there.
Expensive Celtic pipes
Frank Eadie of Cedar Villa said: “Fortunately he brought his medication and camera equipment in his hand luggage but is still waiting for all of his expensive Celtic pipes, and has had to buy new clothes.
“He is frustrated he can’t go walking until he gets his hill walking boots. I feel that a week is ridiculous.”
Mr Smith left his home in Oakland, flew from Dallas Airport to Toronto and his onward flight to Edinburgh on June 3 was delayed.
He said: “I am a little bit upset after arriving in Edinburgh somewhere around 10am. I waited and waited until finally the carousel said ‘delivery complete’ and my luggage wasn’t there.
Mr Smith said he wasn’t the only one, adding: “I filled in a form giving a description of my luggage, where I had come from and where I was staying.”
Lisa Kennard, who runs the guest house with husband Frank, said: “That is two round trips he has made to Edinburgh and he has been given no reference number.
“He landed on Friday, filled in a lost baggage form and then he travelled up to us.
“We tried ringing the airport over the weekend but couldn’t get to speak to a person. We put it down to them being busy with the Jubilee weekend.”
She spoke of his ordeal and added: “On Monday he took the train back down to Edinburgh because he couldn’t get anyone on the phone. The luggage desk wasn’t staffed so he came all the way back up and tried again on Tuesday. On Tuesday they made him fill in the lost luggage form again.
‘Just ridiculous’
“He has had to go out and buy a toothbrush and toiletries, it is just ridiculous.
“I have been doing this for years and I have never had someone turn up with lost baggage without being given a reference number before.
“He loves singing and he loves his Celtic flute. He has been coming for years and normally I don’t see him all day. But he is just hovering waiting for his luggage.”
Mr Smith added: “On Tuesday I was shown a small room with a whole bunch of luggage. It wasn’t there so I’m assuming it is still in Canada.”
Emails that the guest house has sent to Air Canada and its baggage handling company Swissport hadn’t been answered by Friday.
Mr Smith said: “I have a very expensive Celtic flute and a pricey pair of walking boots and of course an assortment of clothes in my case.
“The last time I was here was 2019. Then the pandemic struck and nobody could go anywhere. This is the first time I have been here in three years.
“I use Inverness as a base and take trains and buses to different parts of Scotland. I do a lot of touring.”
Edinburgh Airport response
A spokesman for Edinburgh Airport said: “We want passengers to get their luggage back in a timely manner and we understand the frustration it can cause if they are faced with delayed or missing items.
“We know airlines and their handling agents are working hard to reunite passengers with items and as the responsibility for handling luggage lies with them, we encourage anyone looking for luggage to make contact with their airline or handling agent so they can search their systems and to either locate items or provide further information.”
Swissport and Air Canada were also contacted for comment.
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