Pay those bag fees, expect refunds when your bag goes missing?

[testifyoncruises]

HA!

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/travelwise/2011311111_trpucci14.html

I just love American Airlines arrogance in their response:

"It's a service charge for the handling and carrying of a checked bag," says Tim Smith, of American Airlines. "That does not imply any other promise."

 

[Imzadi]

Exactly what does "handling and carrying of a checked bag" entail? That's ridiculous that they accept no responsibility for the loss or damage while they are "handling & carrying" the checked bag.

 

[OceanAnnie]

That stinks! If they lose the bag(s) the least the airlines should do is refund the bag fee. A service charge for the handling and carrying of a checked bag, should include the service of getting the bag to the owner.

 

[eliza61]

That stinks! If they lose the bag(s) the least the airlines should do is refund the bag fee. A service charge for the handling and carrying of a checked bag, should include the service of getting the bag to the owner.

Wouldn't you think that would be automatic OceanA. Who actually checks a bloomin bag without the expectation of getting it back?
Does Mr. Smith think people actually say "hey, I'm going to Orlando but it's not a problem if my bag ends up in Ontario, they both start with O's and Ontario's a pretty nice town".

Obviously if my bag is not with me when I get off then the person handling said bag did a lousy job.

 

[ElliePeters]

I would expect a refund.

 

[Mrs. Charming]

I would certainly expect a refund!

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

We'll have some airline apologists along soon to explain how this is really fine and in your best interests...

 

[diznygirl]

I'm sorry. Returning the bag to you will cost extra.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

I'm sorry. Returning the bag to you will cost extra.

 

[bicker]

The point is that the carriage of baggage already has an explicit description of how much you get compensated in case of loss. Expecting more than you're explicitly promised is unreasonable.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

The point is that the carriage of baggage already has an explicit description of how much you get compensated in case of loss. Expecting more than you're explicitly promised is unreasonable.

Not if the baggage was not handled properly. The airline has a responsibility, too. When they do not follow their own rules, all bets are off. I was lucky, as I was able to demonstrate that they did not follow their own rules.

Most are not as lucky, and their bags end up in the back of an airline employee's truck. There is more theft in this industry than most would imagine. If your bag is lost and never found, with you stopping in and physically checking at the airport baggage claim office, it was almost certainly stolen, and almost certainly by a baggage handler.

 

[lacrosse_lady72]

Um yeah... I don't check bags if I can help it. If I have a bunch of stuff, purchasing too much from WDW for example, then I will send my clothes home via FedEx with insurance added.

I've given up on trusting baggage handlers. Not that the individual is untrustworthy in general, I just don't want to risk losing my stuff and dealing with the headache of retrieving it.

 

[Imzadi]

I'm sorry. Returning the bag to you will cost extra.

Yes, that will show up in the fine print, next.

Heck, it's not like we have an option of paying or not. I can't say, "Just leave the cargo hold door open & let ME throw my bag into the hold, so I can save the $25.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Yes, that will show up in the fine print, next.

Heck, it's not like we have an option of paying or not. I can't say, "Just leave the cargo hold door open & let ME throw my bag into the hold, so I can save the $25.

That requires a special security line with triple extra screening. The fee to d o that is $150.

ETA: I'm not sure how many bags are process per flight--but let's say the the plane holds 150 passenger and figure 1 bag per passenger on average is checked--that's $3750.

My BIL is a baggage handler for Delta (formerly NW until the merge). Unloading bags and loading bags and transferring them to and fro, doesn't take long---at all. Not sure how many ground crew there is each flight....BUT--figuring they process maybe 3 planes an hour or so...that's $10,000 just in baggage fees PER HOUR. I think he needs to talk to his union leader about that raise for handling all that luggage. LOL! He has other duties as well--inlcuding deicing the plane. Thankfully there is no surcharge for that option.

 

[pilotwife_02]

WOW!! When I read this to DH, a commerical airline pilot and said "and airlines wonder why people hate them" DH said "I don't wonder why!"

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

...He has other duties as well--inlcuding deicing the plane. Thankfully there is no surcharge for that option.

Imagine - the passengers opt not to go for the deicing on a snowy day.

 

[FINFAN]

I have a friend from high school who has worked baggage for 25 years at American , he has some stories let me tell you.. right down to the lack of security on the tarmack and employee entrances/parking. He just laughs and shakes his head at the methods that passengers are out thruI know no airline is perfect, but after a few stories from him, I am glad I fly SW. Actually , I am glad we drive!

 

[dakcp2001]

I lost a bag once, and after MONTHS of fighting I got 200 dollars from the ariline. FOUR YEARS LATER the bag was returned to me by fed ex with no explanation. ? It was Fed Ex'd by the airline, but it traveled to Mass from North Carolina, so apparently it landed there and then literally sat somewhere for years before anyone decided to send it back to me. lol. Everything was still in it exactly as I had packed it for my trip to Miami. It was very clearly marked with my name and contact info. I really do wish I knew who the emplyee was who actually got it back to me.

 

[Bluestars]

We take carry-on only when we fly now. If the plane is small, we will just gate check the carry-on. We take one for each family member. That way, we don't have to worry about luggage fees, lost luggage, or stolen items.

I've had my luggage delayed two times when I used to check my bags. My father recently had something stolen from his checked bagged. Luckily, the airlines are paying him for the stolen item. I think it's only because he flies all of the time though.

 

[LuvOrlando]

On our way back from a recent trip to WDW our bags were savaged by a vandal while in Continentals care.

I know this because I saw other people's bags that were looked at by the FAA and they all were clearly marked with stickers that they were searched. Mine had no such marking anywhere, not a sticker and not a tag.

Second I had the same plain Jane FAA approved Samsonite locks with the standard keyholes in the bottom for years.

To look at my brand new Samsonite luggage you can tell someone brutally twisted off the locks because all the holes are twisted to the point where I can never get another lock in there again. Yet, when I opened the luggage up not a single thing was out of place. Nothing was moved so much as a hair. Some one did it just to be destructive.

So I called Continental and they told me it isn't their policy to cover anything to do with the zippers. My feelings are that they could get away with the 'use at your own risk' idea when it was free but if they are going to charge me $40 each way for the stuff they had better be sure it isn't damaged. When you charge it becomes your responsibility to make sure your employees take care of my stuff.