A KOEDEN employee writes freely...Travelogue "At the airport...my baggage is lost. My bag breaks."

Following the previous article, "Bus and Subway Conditions in Manhattan, New York City," I would like to continue with a travelogue about transportation, "At the Airport...My Luggage Runs Out. My bag is broken. I would like to share with you the following story.

Have you ever encountered unexpected trouble at the airport?

As a matter of fact, I lose my luggage at an alarming rate.

Twice in the U.S., once in Europe, once at Narita, and twice at Kansai Airport...
Also, three times my checked suitcase was broken.

Unknowingly, I have become a master of baggage claim.

And even though it has gone missing so many times, the luggage is always found and returned to me.
I also make sure to have any broken parts repaired. Ladies and gentlemen, when you check your luggage, you get a stub sticker with your boarding pass. Please do not ever, ever lose that.
If possible, it would be better if you can say the color and pattern of your suitcase in English.

When your checked luggage comes out, please make it a habit to always check your suitcase for any damage.
In both Japan and other countries, we recommend that you be confident and imposing when declaring your baggage at baggage claim.

By the way, the word "claim" is often used in Japan to mean something bad, such as "the customer complained about the product" or "that customer is a creamer.

As you may know, the English word "claim" originally means "to demand or insist upon" as a matter of course.

When I went to the "baggage claim" counter at an airport in the U.S. and my luggage did not arrive, I was so fired up that I lost all my anger and went to the counter.
I was strangely & selfishly convinced that this person must have studied in such a way, since some American universities have a "communication department".

It seems that luggage is often forgotten to be loaded, especially when there are changes in equipment or routes.
Have a good trip and a good business trip, everyone!