Saida Abu Bakar, president of the Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa Research Association Malaysia, arrived at her hotel in Geneva without her luggage around midnight on Friday.
She travelled to Switzerland via London for the World Health Assembly (WHA), but only has some toiletries with her.
“I have had to buy basic clothes and personal items,” Saida, who will be presenting at the WHA, told FMT.
“So far, I have spent around RM1,500. I believe the expenses may continue to increase as I still need to prepare suitable attire for official meetings and events.”
Saida said British Airways (BA) made an announcement about luggage issue after she boarded the aircraft to Geneva. An email she received from BA said the issue was “outside of its control”.
Since then, updates have mainly been through the airliner’s baggage tracking system. BA is still searching for her luggage.
“I feel helpless. It is really out of my hands,” she said, adding that she knew of five other Malaysians who were travelling on the same flight to Frankfurt, Germany, and Lima, Peru, and would likely encounter similar problems.
British tabloid The Sun reported that some passengers claimed to have waited up to five hours for their luggage, while others went home empty-handed.
The chaos was reportedly sparked by a technical fault.
Another Malaysian passenger on flight BA756 asked to be known as Redza. He, too, travelled to attend the WHA, and said all necessary work materials, formal suits and clothing, footwear, and gifts for foreign dignitaries were in his lost luggage.
“I’m just disappointed. There are other third-world countries that can handle service and issues better,” Redza said when contacted.
He had travelled to Lyon to purchase two days’ worth of essential clothing as prices in Geneva are much higher. The ordeal has cost him close to 700 euros so far.
Speaking to FMT, he said he had no idea where his bags are. He has only received an email from BA, acknowledging that they are missing.
“Other than that, it’s a guessing game that will likely play out badly,” he said.
He and Saida hope that they and the other passengers will be compensated, with Redza saying that compensation should have been provided by now.