Lost Luggage Return, but we have to pay?

[nezy]

In Dec. we cruid 3-day Wonder. When we got back to port my husband's one suitcase was not there. We filed all of the necessary "lost and found" paperwork, then proceeded to drive home to New York without the luggage. When we arrived home the next evening we red'c a message from Newark airport that "we must have taken the wrong luggage" and that we should call this #. Next day I called and was told that for it to be delivered or rec'd in any way we would have to pay for it.

I called DCL to see if they would reimburse us. I was told by the woman that her boss was on vacation until next week and she could not make that decision. I was not about to wait, so I ahd the liggage delivered and paid. I was later sent a letter from DCL lost and found saying that they do not reimburse for such things.

I have not written back or caontacted them yet, but I was wondering if there was any suggestions or advice out there. The way I figure it is if the suitcase went to Ohio or someplace not as close to my home, DCL would have had to pay for us to get it.

I am also disturbed by the fact that someone got on a flight with a suitcase that was not his!! we were not even near the airport.
I ahve no way of knowing if it was transported via Disney or a passenger to the airport.

 

[nezy]

bump!
Any ideas?

 

[peg2001]

nezy,

You may not be getting any responses because it is a bit confusing. Can you clarify? It sounds like this:

You and DH got off the ship and one of your pieces of luggage was not waiting for you. You filed a lost report with DCL and fly home.

Newark airport called you the next day to say that they had your suitcase and that you would have to pay (what for and for what amount? to deliver it?). Did you fly into Newark?

I guess I'm confused as to whether some other DCL guest picked up your luggage by accident and flew home with it before realizing their mistake or whether DCL found it and flew it home to you.

Peggy

 

[nezy]

Thanks Peg-I"ll try to clarify.

When we got off the ship one suitcase was not in the ship terminal.
We DROVE him , did not even go NEAR the airport.
Either a passenger picked up the wrong suitcase or DCL transferred it to the airport. The suitcase got on a Continental Airlines flight w/ a passenger to Newark. DCL did not know it was in Newark until I called them. There was not an "extra" leftover piece of luggage either that someone (took my husband's and) left theirs behind.

We paid for the delivery of our suitcase to our home.

We simply got off the ship, had missing luggage, drove him. Luggage is in Newark. We pay (over $50) for delivery to our home, although we had nothing to do with its lossand subsequent airport journey.

 

[fortierv]

Not exactly the same but here's what happened to me.

Flew into Orlando and someone picked up my bag and left theirs behind. AA told me they would have to pay for courier to have my bag sent back to the airport since it was their mistake. I did not have to pay for the delivery to our hotel.

Make sure the Airline and Disney understand this was someone else's mistake and not yours. It sounds like they think you picked up the wrong bag.

Hope this helps

 

[nezy]

The airline wants nothing to do with it and DCL told me that "it is not something they normally do" because the airline usually pays for it!! It is frustrating-noone wants to assume responsibility. I do not even know who took the bag in the first place!

 

[mausmu]

Not that my opinion means anything, but...
At first I was thinking that there is no way Disney could not pay for this, but then I thought that if someone took your bag by mistake then there is really nothing they could do about it. It seems as though someone would have had to take it bcause I dont think an airline would put a bag on the plane that didnt have passenger with it.That being the case, I think the airline should be able to track the ticket and find out who was carrying your bag, and I think the airline should have delivered for free because of the circumstances.

 

[Cruise]

nezy,

Were there any flight tags still attached to the luggage that would indicate the name of the passenger under whom the bag was checked into the flight? If nothing else, you could take this person to small claims court to get your fees back.

Julie

 

[Señor Ferrari]

I can't imagine that DCL put your bag on a plane. That's not to say that they don't have some kind of responsibility here, but your collect your luggage and carry it past the Customs officer. It's no longer in their control. They wouldn't check it at one of the airline desks, as they agents there would look at your tickets first.

Someone obviously took it by accident, although it's strange that they didn't leave a bag behind in its place. Did you purchase travel insurance? If so, I would think this would be covered under the "lost luggage" provision. And yes, if there is still an airline baggage check tag on the luggage they should be able to figure out who checked it through to Newark. I don't know if it's something you really want to pursue for $50.

If nothing else, it may make DCL re-visit their luggage claiming procedures, although it isn't that different than most airports. I rarely have my claim checks compared to the tags on the luggage at airports.

 

[nezy]

The only luggage tags on the bag were my husband's own; no airline tags were on it when the suitcase was returned.

I understand what you are saying re: it not REALLY being the fault of DCL, however whose responsibility is the luggage when it is off the ship, prior to a passenger picking it up?

We did not have insurance through DCL, which I am sure would have been alot more than the $50 I paid for the return of the suitcase. I guess what really bothers me is the lack of a favorable response from DCL, which is so unlike them.
My husband, who is a fireman in NYC was furious at the lack of security and related it to the loss of over 300 of his fellow firemen.

In any event I am going to write a letter to DCL to voice my opinion re: the lack of security, as well as to Continental Airlines for the same reason. I will not persue it vigorously, but if there is a complaint or concern, someone should here about it.
From now on I am marking the bags with ugly, orange, flourescent, tape!
I am sure that for those in the business this is something that is common, but it is very disconcerting that a suitcase not belonging to a passenger did get on a flight.
Thanks to all who responded and helpt to put things isn perspective.