Missing Suitcase

Intended to put a note about the missing and found suitcase earlier. Somehow never got around that since May 18th when I found it in Kiev.
The short of the story is: suitcase never left Kiev. Why KAL could not figure that out is beyond me.
Here is the long story how I found it:
KAL in Nadi could not locate my suitcase. While I was still in Matava I had two conversations with a Nadi KAL guy. He was cagy and vague. The first conversation started with "we look for your lost bag". I told him I had not lost my bag. The airline did. In the second phone call he told me: Ms, we probably located your suitcase and it might be in Paris. My response was that probably and might in one sentence do not sound reassuring. After a second conversation KAL office sent an email with a form which started "compliment" or "complaint". The message sent by KAL was not addressed to me, had no explanations or clarifications.

In Matava lack of cloths was not a problem. Maggie provided T-shirts, shorts, sun block and insect repellent. In Nadi I bought flip flops and cheap chinese swimming suit.(I packed three swimming suits). When purchasing things in Nadi I went for basics only as I hoped my suitcase will be delivered.

Once my Matava stay (regretfully) was over and I had no news about the suitcase I started to be concerned.
The plan was that while I am in Seoul I go to the ANZA ball. The theme this year was "All that glitters". And I had a perfect dress for this theme. Long shiny metal dress I bought last year in Itaewon. The dress needed some adjustments and Ylona kindly picked it up and brought it to me in A'dam. To match the dress I put in the suitcase glittering strappy sandals.
Now without suitcase and nothing appropriately to wear I went to shop for a suitable dress in Nadi. I was lucky enough to find two long dresses - each USD 10.

I have not left Nadi before popping up to KAL office. I got a polite but not reassuring talk how KAL does everything to find my suitcase. Yeah and after all these efforts no sign of the suitcase for two and half weeks.

In Seoul before flying to A'dam I went to KAL office at Incheon. To my amazement I was informed my case has been closed. I wished I could fly to Nadi and got the guy who is doing everything to find my suitcase. I convinced the guy at the Incheon the case should not be closed. He reopened. I also made a point concerning flight security: how is it possible when passangers cannot get into a plane with a small bottlke of water the airline loses a track of a 24 kg suitcase? At that point KAL started to explain this is AF fault. Have they contacted AF? They will.

KAL's office in Schiphol works only on Thursdays. I arrived to A'dam on Sunday and left for Kiev on Monday. KAL office in Paris had an answering machine which did not take messages. Perhaps they should put a new tape in recorder. And the instructions how to leave a message were only in Korean and French.

I arrived in Kiev on Monday 11th. After passing immigration I went straight to look for a suitcase. The person from the AF lost found directed me to the luggage storage. No suitcase there. Than I found out there is a phone for lost and found on the Kiev airport. There is only one number and you talk to the person who is at the airport over the phone. The person hung up on me three times. After almost two hours of going around the airport I decided to go home.

On Tuesday I sent a message to KAL summarizing my all events and expressing frustrations. Message themes were customer service and security. On Wednesday May 13KAL Paris office answered email and told me KAL continues to look for a missing bag. He told me there is a unclaimed suitcase at the Kiev airport matching description of mine. He gave me the number. On Friday I went to the airport to AF office. Before I found it I got lost few times in a labyrinth of airport corridors. In the office I asked for the manager and a pleasant looking guy introduced himself as Mikhail. I showed him my thick file and all the paperwork. He understood the problem and called some storage. He told me there is indeed a suitcase at the storage with a tag I got from KAL. We went to check it. I ended up in the airport basement within customs area. There is a huge storage with piles of suitcases and bags wrapped in plastic. A huge guy who is in charge of the basement took me and Mikhail to the bag. And there it was - my suitcase! I was so happy. Unbelivable! All my cloths are back with me! All Matava presents. Everything is back! Thanks God! And it never left Kiev!

Now I found the suitcase but silly me I did not take the passport and keys with me. Customs was reluctant to give me a suitcase back without a passport. I had with me a detailed packing list and after some persuading customs was able to confirm through security check that a phone, shoes, underwater camera case etc are in it. I signed papers and took my suitcase home.

I asked Mikhail how it is possible the luggage tag with the bar was lost. He told me that most likely it got off at Kiev luggage belt. And that's it. Amazing but who cares now when I got it back.

That evening I hang up all my favourite clothes from a suitcase for a full display. It was such a joy to look at them. And I was pleased with myself I was persistent with my search.

Never got any feedback from KAL.