An Australian couple, Alanah Schena and Nathan Leeson, were forced to travel for seven days without their luggage following a series of flight delays and what they described as a lack of accountability from ITA Airways.
The couple was flying from Calabria, Italy, to Split, Croatia, on July 9, with connections in Rome and Amsterdam. Their initial flight was delayed by 45 minutes, causing them to miss their connecting flights. According to Schena, they were informed it would be a 25-hour wait for the next available plane. To avoid missing a prepaid sailing trip in Croatia, they purchased new tickets on a different airline via Barcelona.
Upon attempting to retrieve their luggage at Rome Airport, Schena stated that staff initially told them to wait a few hours, but the bags never appeared. She filed a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) and proceeded to Split, having been assured their belongings would be on the same flight. However, upon arrival, the luggage was still missing.
To accommodate the delayed luggage, the couple missed the start of their sailing trip, opting to wait at the airport. Schena reported that they were not provided with a clear explanation for why their luggage was left behind. As they were on a sailing trip in Croatia, they had no access to their belongings and had to purchase essential items such as clothing, toiletries, and medication, also incurring additional expenses for transportation and phone use.
After days of silence, Schena attempted to contact ITA Airways for an update, describing the customer service experience as frustrating, with "no one taking responsibility." She stated that attempts to reach the airline by phone and email were met with frequent disconnections and a lack of support. "Everybody is blaming somebody else," Schena said, recounting that the airline directed them to lost and found, which in turn referred them back to the airline.
The couple was eventually reunited with their luggage on July 16, after Schena shared their experience on TikTok. She noted that their luggage was sent to Split, but no courier service was offered for delivery. The couple also felt they did not receive a meaningful apology throughout the process.
ITA Airways offered the couple a €350 flight voucher per person as compensation for their emergency expenses. However, Schena stated that this amount did not cover their incurred costs, which totaled approximately $1,500. The couple has requested cash compensation instead of a voucher, as they do not intend to fly with the airline again.