Kavindi A.
An Absolute Nightmare – Missing Baggage, Appalling Service and Zero Accountability!
After years of avoiding Malaysia Airlines, I decided to give them another chance, hoping their service and operations had improved. Unfortunately, this turned into one of the worst travel experiences of my life, and I have travelled extensively. I flew from Colombo to Perth via Kuala Lumpur, arriving on 19 October 2026. The problems began at check-in in Colombo, where I was told my handbag and laptop had to be included in my 7kg cabin baggage allowance. I had never personally encountered this being enforced in such a manner. If these are the airline's rules, they should be clearly communicated and consistently enforced. The check-in representative offered to check in my cabin suitcase at no additional charge, bringing my total checked baggage to three pieces. Upon arriving in Perth, only ONE of my THREE suitcases arrived! One missing suitcase was delivered the following evening, without any advance notification despite assurances that I would be contacted. I wasted valuable holiday time waiting for a delivery that wasn't even properly reflected in their tracking system. But the real nightmare involved my third suitcase. I subsequently discovered that the representative in Colombo had apparently tagged my suitcase under another passenger's name and routed it only to Kuala Lumpur instead of Perth! How does an international airline make such a fundamental baggage handling error? For days, I desperately tried contacting Malaysia Airlines in Perth and Menzies Aviation, their ground handling partner. Calls went unanswered, updates were nonexistent, and nobody seemed capable of taking responsibility. Eventually, my father had to use his professional connections to reach senior contacts within the airline to help locate my suitcase. We discovered it had been sitting in Kuala Lumpur, effectively stranded due to the incorrect tagging. I personally visited Menzies Aviation at Perth Airport to follow up. Astonishingly, one representative told me, "Ma'am, you have done our job for us." Exactly! Because nobody else seemed willing or capable of doing it! As of 24 October, FIVE DAYS after arriving in Perth, I STILL have not received my suitcase, which contains belongings valued at over USD $2,000. Menzies has finally confirmed it has been located and arrangements are being made to transport it. Meanwhile, I have spent AUD $276 purchasing bare essentials because my personal belongings remain unavailable. To make matters worse, Malaysia Airlines provides no clear, straightforward guidance on claiming reimbursement for these necessary expenses. I am now left chasing yet another process because of their failures. The flight experience itself was equally underwhelming. The Colombo–Kuala Lumpur aircraft felt outdated and didn't even have individual entertainment screens. I understand baggage delays happen. What I cannot accept is incorrect passenger tagging, failure to route luggage to its final destination, unreliable systems, inaccessible customer support, and the complete lack of accountability. I came to Perth on holiday, not to spend my days chasing missing luggage, making endless phone calls, and doing the airline's job. Malaysia Airlines has demonstrated a shocking level of disorganisation and unprofessionalism. Without my own persistence and connections, I genuinely wonder how long my suitcase would have remained stranded in Kuala Lumpur. I deeply regret giving this airline another chance. It has completely lost my trust, and I would never willingly choose to fly with Malaysia Airlines again. One star is more than generous.