I am bringing this below mentioned true facts which resulted in loss of my above Passport and cancellation of my trip to U.S.A. On 18th June 2009, I was proceeding to SEATTLE with my wife Mrs. Behnaz Aspi Bilimoria to visit my elder daughter Ms. Pinky Rahul Nagalkar who is married there and was expecting her first child after many years. I had booked our tickets to Seattle through British Airways, which has a transit halt at London. At London we were made to go for Security check at Heathrow Terminal 5 before proceeding to catch a connecting flight to Seattle on the same day. I, alongwith my wife, proceeded for the check. As there was quite a time before we had to catch the connecting flight for Seattle, we went to the farthest end of the several check counters. During this security check, the lady checker manning the counter told me to empty my pockets and place everything, including my Passport and Boarding card, in the bin provided for passing through the X-ray machine. I hesitated and told her that in India we carry the Passport and Boarding card which is then stamped. When I hesitated to put my Passport and Boarding Card in the bin, she insisted that I do so as told by her. As she had the authority to refuse my checking, I could not disagree with her and put my Passport with Boarding Card inside it, alongwith my bag. I had to then go for the physical checking and frisking. There also the concerned person took quite a long time to do the frisking. As soon as this procedure was over, I went to collect my bags which had already reached the farthest end of the machine. To my horror, I found that my Passport with the Boarding Card was missing. Immediately I raised an alarm. The checkers said that the passport must have fallen down from the bin. They immediately searched everywhere and even under the conveyer but could not find my Passport and Boarding Card. By this time, I and my wife were completely distressed as it was the first time we were travelling to the USA. I and my wife requested the Security Team leader Mr. John Goodman to check the CCTV cameras. After quite a long wait, the Security Team Leader came and told us that I could be clearly seen depositing the above Passport in the bin but they could not detect the person who had picked up my passport from the bin. I requested him that as we were visiting my daughter for the first time, he should do whatever possible to detect the theft. I was told by him that it not possible as thousands of people come to the terminal daily and the person concerned must have by now left the Terminal. I told him that I had Xerox copy of my Passport which may help in some way. He then took me to the Customer Service Duty Manager of British Airways Mr. Balwant Gahunia. I requested them to call the Police and lodge a “Prime Investigation Report” for the above theft. After some more delay 2 policemen came and then after discussing among themselves, they took me to the Immigration section. There I requested them to allow me to go to the Indian embassy to highlight my plight. I was made to sit for about an hour before I was told by them that the Indian embassy will not be able to do anything as the theft had taken place inside the Terminal and I was told that I will have to go back to India. By now I and my wife were in tears and did not know what to do. After some time the Customer Service Duty Manager came and told me that he had explained the situation to my wife and that I will have to return back to India. My wife reluctantly agreed to proceed to Seattle alone for my daughter’s sake. This was the first time in our marriage of more than 40 years that we were made to go separate ways. Meanwhile I was told to wait in the BA Lounge. I went on insisting that I be given the FIR but BA only gave me a “Letter” stating that someone had picked up my passport by mistake. Afterwards I again went to the Security Service Team leader of the next shift and requested him to phone the Police about the FIR. He phoned up the Heathrow Police department and after a lot of discussion among themselves, I was told that they will only record my complaint in the ledger and gave me the complaint number “CAD REF:- 4762 dated 18th June 2009. Even this intimation was given to me on a small piece of paper which I tore from my diary. Meanwhile I was given a return ticket to India and was made to wait in the lounge. I was told by Mr. Balwant Gahunia that he had made arrangement to fly me back to India at the expense of British Airways. When I asked Mr. Gahunia that least they could do is that they should refund money for my tickets which I had booked to travel so that I can travel again after renewing my passport and visa, Mr. Gahunia flatly refused and said that it was not the fault of BA that my passport was picked. When I said that the Security is also under BA, he did not agree and even threatened me that he may hand me over to immigration department who will hold me for entering UK illegally. I knew that I could not fight an organisation as I was alone and helpless in a foreign country, hence I did not argue with him further. Later on when I reached India I realised that even this return ticket was adjusted from my tickets which I had booked for returning on 5th August 2009. I had to wait in the lounge for more than 6 hours as my flight was leaving at 9.45 p.m. I was told that I should show my Xerox copy of the Passport alongwith the ticket during the checking as due entry had been made in the computer for the same. When I questioned Mr. Gahunia that in India if the immigration department will ask for some concrete proof, he told that once I reach India, they will have to take me back. When I reached India, I was completely tired and at my wits end. Fortunately in India I found the immigration people more co-operative and when I told them about my above plight, they were more understanding and after checking of my flight to UK the previous morning and after noting down all the details of my PAN CARD and my Driver’s Licence, they allowed me to come home. From the above it is clear that British Airways at London did not take proper steps to catch the culprit who stole my passport but they also candidly washed their hands off the whole episode by packing me off back to India without proper documentations. After reaching India I had to face several hardships when I went to renew my passport because I was not given proper documents for entering India, except for the letter on British Airways letter-head. I had to convince the Passport officials that British Airway personnel did not give me any requisite documents. All the above proves that it was a very callous attitude on the part of the British Airways personnel for which I am planning to sue British Airways in the consumer court.

IF ANYBODY FACED AND SOLVED THE ABOVE SAID PROBLEM.PLS HELP ME..............................