Air Canada leaves baggage behind intentionally

Another good reason to take Porter from the Toronto Island Airport:

From CBC.CA

Air Canada customers are speaking out about the airline's practice of intentionally removing checked baggage from smaller aircraft — to avoid exceeding weight limits — but not telling the departing passengers.

"Their baggage claim agent said it's very common for bags not to get on a flight out of Kelowna," said customer Lynn-Ann Baumeister. "She said, 'We take bags off the planes every day.'"
Baumeister and her husband Roland's checked bags were removed from a flight in February, as they were waiting for the 93-seat Embraer 190 to depart from Kelowna, B.C., to Toronto.
"We had no idea, because nobody told us what they were doing," said Baumeister.

The couple were later told the bags were excluded to keep the aircraft within legal weight and fuel limits, a situation referred to in the industry as a "bulk-out." They ended up without luggage for days while on vacation in Barbados.
...
Air Canada would not disclose how often this happens, but a spokeswoman confirmed it is more common at smaller airports, where the airline now uses smaller aircraft to accommodate more frequent flights.
...
They said baggage agents told them the luggage would follow on subsequent flights. They were given a toll-free number to call to check on the status of their baggage.

"That was a very, exceedingly frustrating experience," said Baumeister.

The toll-free number was for a call centre in India, which Air Canada hired seven years ago, to handle customer calls about lost bags. Baumeister said they made numerous calls from Barbados but got no helpful answers.

"There was a language barrier and we were on hold for extended periods of time," said Baumeister.

"Nobody knew where the bags were. We gave the same information endlessly. The same questions were asked. Where did you start your vacation? Where are your bags? What is your name?"