"Free" baggage check with Southwest

[Donnainnj]

We have something like this from Costco, http://www.costco.com/Browse/Produc...atchallpartial&Nty=1&topnav=&s=1#BVRRWidgetID and have done pretty well with them. Good for the money.
Donna

 

[MineMail]

Now then, the fix. See if any of the shoe repair shops in your area repair luggage. My guy will replace a full set of wheels for $20. Interestingly, he also has a selection of bags for sale in his shop that people have not shown up to claim; he will usually sell them for the price of the repair; normally $15-20.

Great tip! Thanks! I'll bet they could ADD wheels to a non-wheeling case, too.

PS: Since 3 bags belonging to one person were all damaged, my money is on a machinery malfunction, probably one that resulted in the bags dropping from a height, as that is the easiest way to fracture a wheel housing.

Interesting

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

You did not report this to SWA? They would pay for the damage.

Here is the info from their website

Liability:
Southwest Airlines' liability for lost, damaged, or delayed baggage is limited to $3,300.00 per fare-paying Customer.


Claims:
Damaged or lost baggage must be reported, in person, within four hours of Customer's arrival at destination.

This is absolutely incorrect. The damage reported by the OP is considered normal wear and tear by all airlines. Unfortunately, SWA isn't going to give her a dime. It is amazing the amount of damage the airlines can do and call it "normal wear and tear." Plus OP posted she did complain and SWA did not compensate her.

Just something to think about. I don't know what kind OP had, but I've seen a LOT of people with the cool 360 wheels at check-in that don't have them at landing.

 

[Emilysmom]

We got a really nice hardsided set of 2 suitcases with 360 degree wheels for around $119.

 

[Angeni11]

I am so sorry to hear about the luggage. I had a friend in college who's father was an airline pilot for Delta. They destroyed one of her bags one time and even back then they gave her a hard time about giving her money to replace it even though her father worked for them and they admitted it was run over by a few planes (you could see the tire tracks).

So far I have been lucky although I have had luggage not make it before.

I hope you daughter enjoys her trip to Goucher. They have a wonderful dance program there (I was not in it but had many friends that were dance majors). The campus is beautiful although it has changed quite a bit since I graduated from there.

 

[clanmcculloch]

I'm feeling pretty lucky right now. The only time we've had luggage destroyed by an airline (we're assuming the airline anyway) was also a SWA flight originating in MHT. Hmmmm... Anyway, our flight was to WDW and we use DME so we didn't see the damage until the bags were delivered to our room. Here's the lucky part. The CM who delivered the bags looked at the bag as he unloaded it from the cart, said that's just unacceptable, made a phone call and got a credit put on our account for the amount of what he was told was the most expensive suitcase they sell at WDW stores. We did tell the CM that we were sure it was the airline and not Disney who was responsible but he said it didn't matter and that Disney would take care of us. I love WDW. You know, I wonder if it made a difference that it was a Disney suitcase that was broken? I bet the fact that we were staying club level made a difference as well but I suspect that the Mickey head on the front of the bag didn't hurt either. Anyway, you just can't beat Disney's customer service, even for problems that aren't their fault.

The damage described by OP sounds like exactly the same damage we experienced. It wasn't just broken wheels. The entire frame around the wheel was broken to pieces with bits of plastic shattered inside the suitcase and a hole where the wheel had ripped out. It was not repairable.

 

[ilovemk76]

I just took DD from MHT to BWI for a 2 week dance intensive at Goucher College, flying Southwest nonstop from Manchester to Baltimore. Three suitcases, all softsided, none weighing more than 40lbs. Southwest destroyed the wheels on all three! The rolling duffle arrived at BWI with the inner, hard liner in a million pieces and the wheels bow out and don't really roll anymore. The matching large suitcase only had part of the lining broken, but one wheel is totally splayed out sideways. These two weren't incredibly expensive, but they were American Tourister and fairly new; the rolling duffle had never been use before! The third suitcase has one wheel half broken, so it's half wheel, half metal axle; the other wheel in just metal axle. Southwest says it's not their responsibility. DD has no functional luggage (we can't carry these suitcases) and in two weeks needs to get to NYC.

I need to buy new luggage, which ISN"T in the budget... and especially don't want new suitcases for the baggage handlers to destroy again!!! Any suggestions on moderately priced luggage with tough, well-built frames and wheels?

I would consider a folding luggage cart that you can put the broken luggage on and just take the cart on the plane with her.

We have a large suitcase that they broke the adapter off that one uses to hook a second bad. Another had the pull for the zipper gone.

Baggage handlers are not the most gentle bunch.

 

[DisneyAndRedSox]

The llbean rolling duffle bags are the best! We each have one in our family they hold a ton and they have been on several flights and still look brand new. They are super tough and I have watched them load them on the plane and they are not nice to our luggage (it is easy to be seen because of the vibrant color choices they have at llbean). Everytime they come off the plane the same as we gave it to them. Love that luggage

I second this! DCL splattered bright yellow industrial paint on 2 of our LL duffles (they said they were at fault, but b/c we didn't purchase insurance they only offered $9 a bag, well I read the cruise contract and got reimbursed 100%) and we are replacing them with the same thing! I just recommend investing in packing cubes to keep things organized inside.

 

[NotUrsula]

I would consider a folding luggage cart that you can put the broken luggage on and just take the cart on the plane with her.

We have a large suitcase that they broke the adapter off that one uses to hook a second bad. Another had the pull for the zipper gone.

Baggage handlers are not the most gentle bunch.

Good point re the cart, but for three large bags it will take some juggling; as long as the bags still close securely, the cheapest option would be just generously tipping skycaps and cabbies.

Just FYI, the breakage of zipper pulls and piggyback latches are both commonly caused by the rollers on the bag room sorting machinery. Most of the time those are not going to happen due to rough handling by a human.

That bagroom scene in Toy Story 2 really wasn't exaggerated all that much; there are an enormous number of belts and rollers in there. Since bags are sent down to the bag room via conveyor belt in the order that they are checked, I'm guessing that what happened in the OP's case is that a backup of some kind caused bags to start to pile on a belt until they couldn't anymore, and they started falling off the side. Here is a video advertisement for a baggage-handling system (though of course it has a small number of bags on it and is operating PERFECTLY, LOL); notice how high some of the belt drops are; in some cases the bags are heading down a ramp that can easily be 50 feet long: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5RJKfK45Mk Also, note that that is a modern and very fancy system; the old ones in most airports still use a lot of exposed squeeze rollers.

 

[MineMail]

They destroyed one of her bags one time and even back then they gave her a hard time about giving her money to replace it even though her father worked for them and they admitted it was run over by a few planes (you could see the tire tracks).

That sentence made my day - "you could see the tire tracks" - ROFLOL

I had a rolling suitcase damaged once by Continental. They dented and bent the frame itself. When I complained, they took me to a backroom and offered my a choice of several comparable bags. I had to move all my things into the new bag then and there, but it made getting home easier. I couldn't believe they didn't just brush me off. I still have that bag, but the handle's not working right.

 

[klmall]

The llbean rolling duffle bags are the best! We each have one in our family they hold a ton and they have been on several flights and still look brand new. They are super tough and I have watched them load them on the plane and they are not nice to our luggage (it is easy to be seen because of the vibrant color choices they have at llbean). Everytime they come off the plane the same as we gave it to them. Love that luggage

I loved my L.L. Bean rolling duffle bag too until Delta's conveyor belt shredded it to pieces in 2009 as well as much of the contents. Delta made the replacement process so impossible I got LL Bean to replace it instead.

 

[MomToOne]

While it's far from budget, I recommend Briggs and Riley luggage if you are looking for something that will last forever. If anything breaks, you just send it back to them and they'll repair it for free. I have several bags that have seen lots of travel that are still in good shape so I've never had to send them in. But my sister has had some damage to hers over time - some things done by the airline, some of them of her own doing, and some of them just the luggage breaking - B&R has repaired them each time, no questions asked. She says when she's sent them in, they've also repaired several items that she didn't even know were broken!

While they seem expensive at first, if I add up all of the cheaper luggage I would have had to buy for the same amount of travel, the B&R really aren't bad!

 

[SDSorority]

I just took DD from MHT to BWI for a 2 week dance intensive at Goucher College, flying Southwest nonstop from Manchester to Baltimore. Three suitcases, all softsided, none weighing more than 40lbs. Southwest destroyed the wheels on all three! The rolling duffle arrived at BWI with the inner, hard liner in a million pieces and the wheels bow out and don't really roll anymore. The matching large suitcase only had part of the lining broken, but one wheel is totally splayed out sideways. These two weren't incredibly expensive, but they were American Tourister and fairly new; the rolling duffle had never been use before! The third suitcase has one wheel half broken, so it's half wheel, half metal axle; the other wheel in just metal axle. Southwest says it's not their responsibility. DD has no functional luggage (we can't carry these suitcases) and in two weeks needs to get to NYC.

I need to buy new luggage, which ISN"T in the budget... and especially don't want new suitcases for the baggage handlers to destroy again!!! Any suggestions on moderately priced luggage with tough, well-built frames and wheels?

Southwest is a great company and the only airline I will fly. I'm very surprised that this happened to your luggage!!!! There have been some really good sales at Target and Kohls lately, so you might want to check there and Stein Mart (if you have one in your area). I would totally call SW and tell them what happened. I haven't read the other posts yet... but I really bet that they would do something. To me, Southwest and Disney go hand in hand with their customer service

 

[SDSorority]

I did report this to SW, as soon as I retrieved the bags. They showed me the fine print that says they are not responsible for what is considered "everyday wear and tear," including damage to wheels. Apparently it's your choice to check your bags so you assume some damage may incur.

As a PP said, at least I didn't have to pay for the honor of having the wheels damaged! It's craziness! I think I will order suitcases and have them delivered to DD if there is time... otherwise, perhaps I'll have to go to the mall in MD; there is a HUGE one right next to Goucher. Hey debbi801, wave as you drive by Goucher and say, "Hi Beeswax!" for me! This is harder than I thought it'd be, leaving my 17 year old at college. What WILL I do next fall???

Ugh that's annoying.

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

I loved my L.L. Bean rolling duffle bag too until Delta's conveyor belt shredded it to pieces in 2009 as well as much of the contents. Delta made the replacement process so impossible I got LL Bean to replace it instead.

This is totally off topic, but I really enjoyed your Washington State pictures that you have linked in your signature!

 

[brekin67]

Never had a problem with SWA. Had this happen with AA and they gave me a $50 voucher for each piece of luggage that was damaged.

 

[iheartdisney]

Before bashing SW, keep in mind that most of that damage was probably caused at the airport, not on the plane.
AS far as replacements, I get all of my luggage from the thrift stores in my area. I paid $9.95 for a huge rolling suitcase, all zippers working, all whells working, etc. Can't beat that deal! I'll even go one step further- my dad likes buying his suitcases at the thrift stores and picking the most off the wall colors so that he can spot them from his window seat to make sure that it gets on the plane!

 

[NotUrsula]

Before bashing SW, keep in mind that most of that damage was probably caused at the airport, not on the plane.

AS far as replacements, I get all of my luggage from the thrift stores in my area. I paid $9.95 for a huge rolling suitcase, all zippers working, all whells working, etc. Can't beat that deal! I'll even go one step further- my dad likes buying his suitcases at the thrift stores and picking the most off the wall colors so that he can spot them from his window seat to make sure that it gets on the plane!

'
Be VERY careful on this option when buying a large bag. Many bags that are now in thrift stores were donated because they are now too large for the airlines' baggage size limits. When a bag is overweight you can take things out and pay for a second bag, but when it is oversized you have no choice but to pay the oversize fee, and that is WAY more expensive than paying to take a second bag. SWA's fee is pretty cheap at $50 each way; Delta charges $175.

Again, always take your own measuring tape, and include the wheels and handles when measuring. Remember that filling any outer pockets can add up to around six inches to the size of a packed bag. My personal limit is 60" when I'm buying; the usual airline limit is 62", but it isn't the best idea to cut it too close.

 

[Twende]

I flew SW into RDU this Jan with a brand new bag I had received at Christmas as a gift from my children. It was the first time it had been used. When I went to luggage pick up there was my new bag with a large tear on the front surface.

I immediately took it to the SW customer service office and was given a voucher for a future flight in the approximate amount of the cost of the bag. I would have rather had money for a new bag but a flight voucher will be used in the future.

I felt the treated me fairly and quickly. It was obvious that it was a new bag and also that it had been caught on a belt or some kind of mechanical device that was not human error.

A few years ago I had a bag lost and then returned damaged from US Air. I showed the tear to the man who brought the lost bag to my home. He gave me a number to call. The hole in my bag was large enough that several items were missing like one of a pair of my favorite lime green Crocs. They had me write up an email of what was missing and the value to replace the bag. About 4 months later I received a check in the mail. Again fair treatment just not so timely.

 

[SDSorority]

OHHH and be careful with thrift store luggage (or thrift store anything) (here we go... )

...you don't want to bring home any bed bugs.

I LOOOOVE thrift stores, (seriously.) However, I have been very concerned with them lately because of the bed bug thing. That and garage sales. I cringe when I see matresses out by the curb for trash pickup (shudder). I know I know, you can get them from anywhere... even in the luggage area on planes... yaddy yaddy. But still. Be careful.

No tomatoes please