Airlines make passengers wait days for lost bags

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Airline: Aerolineas Argentinas
Date: 2 July 2013
Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Flight: AA1181 (Sydney to Buenos Aires)

Baggage did not arrive in Buenos Aires. Waited four days. No news. Have continually been contacting Aerolineas Argentinas. No satisfactory response. Had to replace necessary medication and purchase items after four days in same clothes. Have had to visit doctor again and alter travel plans and spend considerable sums on additional travel changes due to delays. Have heard from the airline once saying that they found my luggage, but they gave me the incorrect baggage loss number.

Finding luggage at this stage really is of no importance as I have had to replace and change all my plans because of this incident. Extremely unhappy with any dealings with Aerolineas Argentinas with any communication over this problem.

AirSafe.com suggestion As discussed on the Baggage Basics page, you should never put critical, hard to replace items in checked bags. That would include prescription medications and other items that you need to use immediately after arrival.

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Airline: Singapore Airlines
Date: 10 August 2013
Location: San Francisco
Flight: SQ0016 (Seoul, South Korea to San Francisco)

I have checked in eight bags from VTZ-SFO on Singapore Airlines and when I landed in SFO on August 10th, one of the bags did not arrive in SFO. I was told that this bag was missing and will be traced and provide status to me. They provided me with a Property Irregularity Report form and asked me to follow up with them regularly. I called on 11th August and they told me that the bag has been traced and will be sent to my home that night. Until now, I have not receive that bag and whenever I call them no one answers the phone and when I leave a voice mail no one calls me back. It has already been 10 days since I landed in SFO, and I do not know the status of my bag .

Delta promises free checked bags but does not deliver

Date: 21 June 2013
Airline: Delta/Alaska Airlines
Flight: 7470

The most disappointing flight I ever had! Before my trip, I called Delta SkyMiles representatives to ask whether I could get a free check-in bag with the Delta Gold credit card. The representative said yes, and encouraged my family to carry bags for free check-in. I gave her my confirmation number and she said my itinerary was eligible for this offer. All the flights on my itinerary had Delta flight numbers.

Then, on my way back, I had Delta flight number, but it was operated by Alaska Air. Then Alaska said I had to pay for check-in bags! This is totally different from what Delta SkyMiles told me. After I came back, I called Delta customer care and asked for refund, they refused to take the responsibility of telling me the wrong information!!! I couldn't believe it.

Suggestions on flying with expensive luggage

Date: 5 September 2011
Airline: Delta, flight DL1923
Location: Atlanta, GA

I am writing to complain about damage caused to my Louis Vuitton luggage which occurred on my journey with Delta Airline on September 5, 2011 from New Orleans to Atlanta on Delta Airlines flight DL1923

On arrival at my destination in Atlanta airport, I discovered damage to my luggage. I express total disappointment in the way my luggage has been handled by Delta Airline. I declared the cost of my luggage at $4,700 and asked your staff to take good care of my luggage when I checked in.

My luggage was badly damaged during a recent flight on your airline and I have been unable to obtain appropriate compensation. Dona Stopper who is claim manager called me on May 7, 2012 asked for the original receipt and I did fax to her on May 14, 2012. However, Dona called me again and asks for more documents. I believed that she just want to run me around until I give up for this claim.

-Phillip

Suggestions from AirSafe.com
While nothing can prevent damage or loss to luggage and its contents, there are several things you can do to protect yourself:

- Buy insurance for your expensive travel items
- Consider packing expensive luggage within a larger piece of luggage
- Review airline baggage damage policies to find their reimbursement policies
- If you have a claim, be sure to keep all documentation
- Photograph the condition of expensive luggage before your flight

Soldier on TDY Leaves Keys in Checked Bag

This complaint was sent in by Tamara in early November 2009, but the lessons here are timeless:

The airline did not have my bag when I came back from a military TDY trip. I explained to them at the desk that all of my car and house keys were in that bag and I needed it, and would have no way to go get it. They told me that they would bring it to me. They said they had another flight coming in this morning and would make sure my bag was on it. They took down my address and number and said they'd call me before heading out to bring me my bag. Then today when I called they said they wouldn't bring it to me because I was outside of Manhattan city limits, and that if I wanted it I could either pay for a cab myself or they could FEDEX it to me, but they would not be paying for expedited shipping and it would not be going out until Monday.

I'm Active duty Army, just returned from a mission and Great Lakes will not drive 15 miles to bring me my bag with my car keys and mission essential items. I do not have $100 to spend on cab fare.

AirSafe.com Responds
If you fly often enough with checked bags, eventually you will have one lost, delayed, or stolen, so prepare for that possibility when you pack. AirSafe.com recommends that some things should never go in checked luggage, and should always stay with you in a carry-on bag. The kinds of things you should not put in checked bags include medicine, computers, electronic files, legal documents; credit cards, checks, or other financial documents; cash, jewelry, keys, and items of great sentimental value.

As for the airline rules on returning bags, remember that each airline has their own rules for returning bags, and those rules will often depend on what resources the airline has at your destination airport. Unfortunately, you usually don't find out what rules will apply to you until you have a lost bag.

For more advice, check out the following pages:
Baggage Basics for Checked and Carry-on Items
Carry-on Baggage Advice
Top 10 Baggage Tips
Top Ten Tips for Dealing with Security