Delayed Baggage

[excited family]

As I posted in the connecting through Calgary thread, my bag has been missing for over a week. We flew on Monday 28th March, came home Tuesday 5th April, and we still have no bag.
I made a claim when it didn't arrive on arrival. The online tracking showed that it was flown on Delta the same day to Orlando, but I received an e-mail saying that it would arrive on March 30th. When I called they said the same thing, that the bag would be there on March 30th and would be sent to the hotel.
It never showed up. Lots of phone calls, visiting bell services frequently, commando laundry every 2 days. As of March 30th we were told that it was in Orlando and would be sent to the hotel urgently that day. Never happened.
I was told originally that i could spent $100 US, then after 4 days of this my Dad told me that it was now $250US.
The problem was that I kept assuming that it would show up and didn't spend anywhere near that. I also have a lot of allergies and can only wear cotton. I also need to wash new clothes a lot before I can wear them. So it was not like I could easily but something to wear.
Who has gone through this kind of ordeal and what compensation did you receive? I have found this info since getting back home:

• The airline is liable for your reasonable interim expenses caused by delay of your checked baggage up to a certain amount:
  • CAD$2,300 (approx.) on itineraries within Canada and international itineries, including to the US; and
  • US$3,500 on domestic itineraries within the US.
• You can claim more than these amounts if you can prove that the delay was a result of willful misconduct of the airline and/or its agents.

I see doing absolutely nothing with my bag in Orlando for days as willful misconduct. They always knew where my bag was, they just couldn't be bothered to get it to me.
While we had a wonderful time in the parks, our evenings were completely focused on trying to sort this out and doing frequent laundry.
It was so hard to actually talk to someone. My Dad was on hold for hours back in Canada trying to help me. While he was always told good things, nothing good happened. I feel like I will never see my bag again.
What course of action do I have and how much money can I claim? Can I still buy replacement clothing even though I am home but still without my bag?
I am so angry about all of this.

 

[Sue M]

Unfortunately Delta is notoriously bad. Their customer service is a joke. I see not much has changed. They are the only airline in Ft Lauderdale that doesn’t deliver luggage after mid night. I was in a hotel for one night and was promised they’d put urgent on luggage and be first delivery in the morning. I had to pay another night because we had to wait, luggage wasn’t delivered until 6pm. They did nothing for compensation.
I won’t fly them unless it’s a last resort.

I believe there is a monetary value for lost luggage they have to pay you. It doesn’t surprise me that they haven’t reached out to you. The info must be on their web site.

 

[Starwind]

THe amounts the airline is liable for are maximum amounts, but are still based on actual damage or loss, so the amount has to be proven (eg through reciepts).

Some links that may help you:

A good article on what to do if your luggage is delayed or lost (including what to do when it appears to be really lost): https://thepointsguy.com/guide/lost-delayed-luggage/

Delta: https://www.delta.com/us/en/baggage/delayed-lost-damaged-baggage

Department of Transportation: https://www.transportation.gov/lost-delayed-or-damaged-baggage

 

[Sue M]

THe amounts the airline is liable for are maximum amounts, but are still based on actual damage or loss, so the amount has to be proven (eg through reciepts).

Some links that may help you:

A good article on what to do if your luggage is delayed or lost (including what to do when it appears to be really lost): https://thepointsguy.com/guide/lost-delayed-luggage/

Delta: https://www.delta.com/us/en/baggage/delayed-lost-damaged-baggage

Department of Transportation: https://www.transportation.gov/lost-delayed-or-damaged-baggage

Wow I just read the article by the Points Guy. How can you possibly remember everything in the luggage and how much it cost! And provide reicpts. Clearly I pack too much! Lol.
I’ve learned after the first time my luggage was delayed to always bring a carry on with things to last me 48hrs! Those who gripe about people bringing carry ons have never had this happen

 

[a1tinkfans]

Omg I am so sorry to hear this debacle it’s AWFUL service. Have you POSTED their AWFUL service on Instagram, Facebook ? Do it, be brief and Factually accurate and perhaps some CONSIDERATE airline rep with a Conscience will reach out??No company wants their Negative stuff told!!!!
Grab some paper n pen write Everything down now as best u can. Every FAILED promise. document! Document! And then put in ur claim.
I hope you get this resolved.and Soon
.personally, it would have ruined my vacation .. all the unnecessary time efforts and stress. So sorry.
Hope you’ll be able to Update us with a Good result!!
I won’t be booking with delta…

 

[wdwmom3]

Wow I just read the article by the Points Guy. How can you possibly remember everything in the luggage and how much it cost! And provide reicpts. Clearly I pack too much! Lol.
I’ve learned after the first time my luggage was delayed to always bring a carry on with things to last me 48hrs! Those who gripe about people bringing carry ons have never had this happen

If I don’t have a couple changes of clothes in carryon then i will make sure everyone has a couple outfits packed in someone else’s suitcase. That way if one of our suitcases goes missing everyone has at least a couple outfits.

 

[Prince John Robin Hood]

You can file a complaint here if needed https://rppa-appr.ca/eng/air-travel-complaints

 

[Starwind]

Wow I just read the article by the Points Guy. How can you possibly remember everything in the luggage and how much it cost! And provide reicpts. Clearly I pack too much! Lol.
I’ve learned after the first time my luggage was delayed to always bring a carry on with things to last me 48hrs! Those who gripe about people bringing carry ons have never had this happen

Many years ago I had a checked bag decide it wanted to take a little trip without me. It was delayed for about two days in reaching me at the hotel I was staying at at my destination. Fortunately, it was a week-long trip.

At the time I traveled with photos of the outside of my suitcase on my phone (this was actually helpful when working with the airline agent to complete the "delayed baggage" claim at the airport).

Since then we take pictures of everything that goes into our luggage, both checked and carryon. I take them as part of the packing process. I also always *start* a written list, but to be honest in the end about half of the items just get pictures and not also put onto the written list as we are in a time crunch. Although it adds a bit of time, I not only know what we have, but which bag it is in, which came in handy on another trip where one of our party's four checked bags decided to take the next flight, with a connection, instead of our nice direct flight, and wasn't going to join us until several hours later. We had to figure out if a few things needed to be bought in the meantime, and the pictures let us know that only one thing did because the others were safely in the bags that came with us. Also, we use packing cubes, so I pack the cube and take a picture of it, making sure everything is visible - much easier than one photo per shirt for example; I know from the colour etc which shirts they are and don't need a photo of the whole thing.

 

[Sue M]

Many years ago I had a checked bag decide it wanted to take a little trip without me. It was delayed for about two days in reaching me at the hotel I was staying at at my destination. Fortunately, it was a week-long trip.

At the time I traveled with photos of the outside of my suitcase on my phone (this was actually helpful when working with the airline agent to complete the "delayed baggage" claim at the airport).

Since then we take pictures of everything that goes into our luggage, both checked and carryon. I take them as part of the packing process. I also always *start* a written list, but to be honest in the end about half of the items just get pictures and not also put onto the written list as we are in a time crunch. Although it adds a bit of time, I not only know what we have, but which bag it is in, which came in handy on another trip where one of our party's four checked bags decided to take the next flight, with a connection, instead of our nice direct flight, and wasn't going to join us until several hours later. We had to figure out if a few things needed to be bought in the meantime, and the pictures let us know that only one thing did because the others were safely in the bags that came with us. Also, we use packing cubes, so I pack the cube and take a picture of it, making sure everything is visible - much easier than one photo per shirt for example; I know from the colour etc which shirts they are and don't need a photo of the whole thing.

Excellent idea! I love packing cubes! Best invention ever. Never thought of taking pics. I have taken pics of luggage for identification.

 

[excited family]

Thanks for all the advice and sympathy. It is westjet who have lost the bag. I am on hold again to see where my bag is now. It is my new daily routine! I've now been chasing my bag for 13 days. I do want to complain somewhere as this is ridiculous.
I had packed 2 days worth of underwear, 2 t-shirts and 1 pair of shorts for my daughter and I in my carry on. We were also wearing underwear for the flight obviously. I can't imagine if I hadn't had those clothes with me.
I now doubt I will ever see the bag again. I want to get mad and yell at someone but the phone reps are so nice and want to help. They just don't seem to be able to!
Hopefully I will have a good update soon.

 

[cdnSpinalTap]

I sympathize with your plight and obviously hindsight is 20/20, but on our last trip we threw an Apple AirTag into each our suitcases. We connected through Atlanta and it was somewhat comforting when we could detect the luggage within 5 feet and below us on our connecting flight.

This would obviously not help with poor customer service, such as you are experiencing, but at least you could tell them where you luggage actually is.

 

[excited family]

Well my bag finally showed up yesterday afternoon. The person I spoke with at Westjet yesterday morning told me that it had just arrived in Nanaimo and would be delivered asap. I was so happy.

They also supposedly put some notes in my file requesting some sort of future travel credit because of all we went through. Lost bag claims are supposed to be forwarded to a client specialist after being lost for 5 days, which ours wasn't. Everything was handled badly and everyone I spoke to this week recognized that and apologized profusely.
So hopefully we receive something to put towards our next trip, cause I sure need a vacation after this!

 

[ottawamom]

With carryon luggage only! Glad you bag is back safe and sound.

 

[CanucksRock]

Always so stressful when your bag is not on the carousel. I have only had it happened twice, both over 10 years ago - and still stress every single time that it won't turn up.

My aunt outright lost hers once - she now takes photos of everything in it when she travels.

 

[a1tinkfans]

GREAT NEWS … ur bag was located. WESTJET owes you and despite the repeated apologies for the very poor service and follow up. I truly hope they will step up and Do what’s Right by you. Glad this worked out!!!!