bonniebroad

Am I wrong here, or is a lost bag a lost bag, whatever is in it? Unless you have some special insurance, if there is such a thing? How do you prove what was in a bag? Does it matter to Delta, insofar as reimbursing you? As you can tell, I've never experienced the loss of a bag......... late, yes, but only by a day, I think.

indie

Dunno about Delta, but American lost my hubby's bag and they reimbursed him $800, including the cost of the bag and the stuff in it after about 6 weeks.

The form asked for an itemized list of what we lost, and recipts to show the price, we did not have any receipts, so we were really thinking we would get the bare minimum, but they paid full cost and we remain very loyal AA customers to this day.

It's been several years, the whereabouts of the bag remain a mystery.

travel_gal

I don't know gracieb and what she has again me. I can only assume she works for Delta. I was only trying to get some help not attacked for my lifestyle.
First of all, it's supposed to be per ticketed customer, not per bag and there were four of us. Two, Delta has offered me nothing, so I haven't declined anything because they haven't offered me anything. Every time I call they say it hasn't been processed yet. I just think it's too long of a time. Gracieb, I would appreciate it if you didn't post here again, because I'm just looking for advice, not attacked. No matter what ones financial status is, noone likes to go and spend an extra $2500. for things they already have. And yes Delta admitted their baggage calls do go to India and they've had several complaints and are not renewing their contract. It's not that there is anything bad about it, it's just that they were very hard to understand and they had trouble understanding me. That's all!

MikeT

Travel gal, is it possible that your own hostility and attitude have shaped the response you have received?

gualalalisa

Judy24: Thank you for posting what I was thinking re financial status.

Gracie: I am one very dedicated Fodorite who also favors upscale travel at this point in my life. I find this site to be invaluable in trip planning -I used it constantly to plan my last trip to Europe where I, too, stayed in hotels such as the Four Seasons.

Every single place I stayed was from a recommendation on this board so I know there are others out there like travelgal and me!

gracieb

I enjoy Four Seasons hotels as well. Ritz too. My point was missed but I can understand why and accept responsibility for that.

bonniebroad

travel_gal, I am not attacking - just trying to sort out the facts!

When.......... after how many days/weeks/months, is a bag officially LOST? Why was yours' not declared lost before three months? Did Delta ever ask you to make a list so they could reimburse you, stating that the bag was LOST?

When they offered you $22 per day for X number of days, for necessities that might be in the bag, did you refuse that, and if so, why?

Finally, when one loses a bag, except for the "necessity" money for a few days, aren't you expected to fend for yourself until the bag is declared LOST ........ or not, and you get reimbursement?

I honestly don't see what your buying new clothes has to do with your lost bag, as far as Delta is concerned. You didn't HAVE to do that (not saying you shouldn't have, that's your choice but nothing to do with the airline, but your bag could have arrived a few hours later, and then you have two sets of ski clothes!)

Let's say, I'm flying to be in a wedding as a bridesmaid, and the luggage with my dress could be lost if I checked it........ so I would carry it on, just to make sure because that dress is SO IMPORTANT to me. I'm not being mean; I just think you have to think about that when you check things that are so vital to you because the airline doesn't differentiate one lost bag from another in importance!

My main question: why wasn't your bag declared lost BEFORE three months went by?

Hope this makes a little sense.....

ncgrrl

travel_gal, does one of your local tv stations have a consumer reporter? Since you have the receipts and copies of correspondense (well, I hope you do) you might just need someone with a tv camera in the face of a Delta person. Nothing like a little bad publicity to get the ball rolling.

"They thought there were going on a fun-filled ski vacation over spring break, but the travel_gal family of Atlanta soon learned there were more downhills to this vacation than on the slopes."

gualalalisa

Gracie: Right on and I think I do get your point, especially about donating the clothes to charity.

bonniebroad

P.S. When I say I don't see what buying new clothes has to do with your lost bag, I mean that usually people do not go right out and spent $2400 on clothes the first morning they don't have their luggage....... I mean that Delta doesn't care that it was ski clothes and that you felt you must have them right away...... to them, just another lost bag!

gracieb

Hmmmm....yep, this is one that Clark Howard will jump right on! A family of 4 buys $2500 in ski clothes first thing the next morning because they don't have the time to shop for sales or wait to see if the luggage in en route and might be delivered within hours (MY personal experience with Delta - not this situation).

Check out www.clarkhoward.com - He's our local consumer/Friday Friendly Flyer guru.

You know, I've been wondering myself why this has bothered me so much and I think it's as an Atlantan listening to someone blast the hometown airline. I don't want any company to go bankrupt, much less want to add to the company's and community's economic woes. I am a Delta Frequent Flyer and do not work for Delta. But, as I've said on many of the check/carryon posts, I've traveled Delta regularly (for many years weekly) for 20 years and have never had a lost bag and when a bag was delayed it showed up within hours and was delivered to my hotel. I do wonder if ID and contact information was inside the bag for easy recovery if outside tags were torn off (as Clark Howard recommends).

I have ABSOLUTELY NO idea why this has not been resolved in several months, but based on what I have read I would lean more on trusting my prior knowledge and first-hand experience with Delta than the confusing posts I've read here.

gojacks

travel gal, You have my sympathy. Delta screwed up, ruined your vacation and will not compensate you accordingly. Pay no attention to the miserable souls who are lecturing you as if they have all the answers. It is quite common on this forum.

I'm sure if Bonniebroad has had her bags lost on an important vacation, she would be upset as well.

Indie posted that American had compensated her hubby,so why is it so crazy to expect Delta to do the same.

Explain that,gracie and Bonnie.

bonniebroad

gojacks, I am NOT attacking travel_gal! I am asking questions that, if answered, might explain why Delta has not been forthcoming as we all think they should be, if they are totally in the wrong. I will await travel_gal's answers. I have not lost luggage, but have friends and family who have on rare occasions. I'm simply asking why wasn't it declared lost before the three months time when it was found?

gracieb

As I have said before, gojacks, I can't explain it. As I have said before, gojacks, Delta should (and I am sure will) compensate to some degree. As I have said before, gojacks, the fact that it has taken months for this to be resolved does not match up with any prior experience with Delta.

I can only assume that there is some missing piece of this puzzle, but as much as I have tried, cannot figure out what thay might be.

Dunno.

Shea

bonniebroad & somne of the others commenting on this post, you all have your theories, you all think you know the motivations of someone that posts a brief description of a problem on the web requesting advise. You all have not done anything except criticize. I bet you all sit around & gossip about your next door neighbor & others like a bunch of crackling hens in the barnyard - that's the picture I get about you guys. That's my theory about you reading your posts. It's correct that Delta doesn't care what's in the bag nor should they care. If they lost it then they should pony up - period. Also I don't believe in my wildest imagination someone thinks that a person can carry on all the clothes required for a ski vacation in their carry on. baggage.

gojacks

I'll tell you exactly why Delta has not been forthcoming, it's called bankruptcy. And to them every penny counts.

travel_gal

To Bonnie: I'll try and answer your questions.
I don't know when a bag is officially declared lost. That's what I'm asking. I guess it was lost because it didn't show up for 3 months. I itemized everything in the bag that night at the SLC airport when I reported it missing. I had just packed it so I knew what was in it.
They told me they allow $22 per day after 24 hours if they don't find they bag. They told me this at the SLC airport that evening. Of course, they didn't offer it yet because it had not been 24 hours. I had just gotten off the plane. They assured me though that they rarely lose luggage and they were sure it would turn up. I gave them the hotel name and they gave me a claim number and that was that.
Yes, I did have to buy new clothes because you just cannot ski in regular clothes. Maybe a shirt but thats about it. You need ski pants, gloves, hat goggles, etc. The next morning I called Delta right before we went to buy things and they told me they did not know where the bag was so it wasn't going to be in SLC soon. We only had a few days there to ski.

Ski clothes are very bulky. There is no way you can carry on ski clothes for four people. These clothes were in a very large duffle bag my son used for a class trip. I wasn't even changing planes and I never lost a bag before. I thought if I put everyones ski things in one bag, my family would stop asking me where this was and that was. Have to have kids to understand that one. Anyway all the clothes we vital, I just couldn't carry them one, it just wasn't one item.
Delta never offered me any compensation. Like I said, I had a very hard time understanding the baggage agents but they just told me to rent the clothes and file the claim when I got home. I could not find any place in Deer Valley(I asked everywhere because I really didn'twant to buy clothes)that would rent clothes. I think they declare your bag lost after 5 days but they haven't even offered me anything to decline like gracieb thinks.I did call them several times during our vacation to see if they located it and they didn't even know where it was. Sometimes they can tell, oops it went to Vermont and it's on the next plane to SLC but they had no idea where it was. As it turns out, the bag never got on the plane and it was sitting in Atlanta the whole time. that's just not my fault.

gracieb

Gee, Bonniebroad. What a day for you! You have consistently been one of the nicest and most supportive posters on this forum. For your comments to be interpreted the way they are is a shame.

Me? I know I can veer into smart-aleck country. But, not you. I'm sorry that in this post you and I happen to be on the same wavelength and some of the ire directed to me is coming your way.

I'm outta here. Hope to enjoy your pleasant company elsewhere on another thread. Have a great evening!

gracieb

You know, travel_gal. Your post came up at the same time my message to Bonnie did so I read it.

I was really impressed at your last post. You gave a sequence of events in detail, didn't rant against Delta or its employees, and didn't use any exclamation points. I can understand being upset by the events. (There is no sarcasm intended at all - this is VERY sincere)

I know that if I had read your last post first, I would have had a completely different impression of you and understood the situation better.

I know you don't care at all, but I don't spend time on this forum looking for someone to attack. I've never been accused of that before. Yes, I can be a smart-aleck and I'll take the heat for misunderstandings that may cause.

Bonnie's a dear. Thanks for politely answering her questions. Good luck with Delta. I hope you get a reimbursement of some amount soon so you can continue your efforts with Amex.

bugswife1

This has happened to me twice, and both times I was compensated with no problem. Continental and British Airways. In fact, on 2 separate trips to Italy I had luggage lost. On my first trip they lost EVERY piece (and it was my honeymoon). Got it back 2 days later. Then they lost one piece on the way home. I guess some of us are just magnets for this.

Anyway, I HAD to go by clothes the next day, whether or not my luggage showed up. I had been traveling for 24 hrs in the same stuff and it was gross. Plus, we had no bathing suits or suitable sandals for the rocky beach. No sunscreen, toiletries, or sunhats. We also needed to get something to wear for dinner because if the luggage didn't show up we were screwed (all shops closed early on Sunday). The next day we needed shorts for sightseeing, fresh undies, etc. etc. You can't believe how that adds up when you have to do your shopping at a tourist destination during peak season. A swimsuit was $70 US.

So, travel_gal, I sympathize with your plight and suggest you call out the big guns if you have to-have a friend who is a lawyer send them a letter on his stationery and include all the supporting documents. you should get some response.