How to File a Claim If Your Baggage Is Damaged After a Flight
Last year, an American Airlines passenger received $ 3,500 in compensation after discovering her suitcase was damaged; upon claiming her luggage, she discovered that some of her clothes had been torn, half of her belongings were missing, and her suitcase was covered in grease and toothpaste. Meanwhile, in more unpleasant news, a passenger on a United flight discovered what looked a lot like blood stains on all of his checked-in luggage, according to one Reddit thread.
While we may never know what happens to our bags after we leave them at check-in, if you find your suitcase damaged, you should definitely file a claim with the airline. We warn you: the process can be tricky, but at least you may be provided with a replacement bag or offered a partial refund for a new one.
Take pictures of your luggage before and after your flight.
Before heading to the airport – and for your protection – you should always take a photo of your suitcase; This will help provide evidence that your suitcase was not damaged prior to the flight. You should record a video demonstrating that your bag’s wheels and handle also work.
“I recently flew in with a new (and expensive) suitcase,” u / blackdog_86 wrote on a Reddit thread . “When I picked it up from the carousel, it was really badly damaged … I went and complained and they said that without photos of the case from the day of registration, they could not do anything, because there is no way to prove that they screwed up the case.”
If you are at check-in, take a photo or video of your bag with your boarding pass to show the time.
If the airline loses your luggage, it will be useful for the search engine to take a photo of your suitcase, especially if it is a black bag that might not be seen in a sea of similar luggage. “If you can’t find your bags, it’s much easier to just show the baggage claim representative a picture of your baggage and then try to describe it to them,” u / frenchjello wrote on another Reddit thread .
Here’s the thing: Depending on the airline, you are generally not eligible for normal wear and tear compensation. In other words, if your baggage arrives at a baggage claim with scuffs or stains, you probably won’t be able to claim a refund. (Airlines such as United and American state on their websites that if your bag is “low quality” or overfilled, you are also not eligible for compensation.) On the other hand, large holes, cracks, or wheel damage are likely will be covered.
Go to the airline counter immediately to file a claim.
As soon as you realize that your baggage is missing a wheel, take another photo of the damage and head to the airline counter when claiming your baggage. Usually at the check-in counter, an airline representative inspects the bag and gives you the claim number. The airline may also require you to complete an application form.
You must provide the flight attendant with photographs or videos that you captured on business prior to your flight. If you have it in your mailbox, you must also provide a copy of your baggage receipt; According to USA Today ‘s Dawn Gilbertson, if your claim is successful, they will likely reimburse you based on price and age. At the very least, you must inform them of the store from which you purchased your luggage, which may affect your compensation.
It is important to remember not to leave the airport with a damaged bag; almost every airline recommends filing a claim in person so that service personnel can verify it. Some airlines also set a time limit on how late you can report a claim; Southwest , for example, will allow up to four hours after your arrival, while United will allow up to 24 hours for domestic flights. (You can still contact them by phone after leaving the airport, but the process will be difficult without the airline being able to check your bag. In this case, you may need to provide additional photographs of the damage.)
If you are flying overseas and have left the airport, you may have a little extra time; Both American and United allow you to travel abroad within seven days of your arrival. In these cases, if you have already left the airport, you should telephone your airline’s baggage clearance center to report your claim.
Follow up the claim
Technically, according to the US Department of Transportation , you are eligible for up to $ 3,500 in compensation for damaged or lost baggage on domestic flights, but it is very, very unlikely that you will receive anything close to that amount.
If you are lucky, the airline can correct the situation in person and even before you leave the airport. According to USA Today , some airlines, such as American, have “storage” bags at baggage claim centers; if your baggage is seriously damaged, they will offer it as compensation, but you can decline this offer.
What you are eligible ultimately depends on the airline and the damage, but there is no exact figure. (However, if you have receipts, photos, and videos, you are likely much more likely to get a better deal.) Typically, the airline may offer part or all of the cost to repair or buy a new bag; you will have to send receipts, so the process will not be quick. But before you do this, you must confirm with the airline that they guarantee a refund and write down the names of all airline employees you speak to.
With the claim number in hand, you should also contact you if you do not receive a response within a week. Using the claim number, you should contact the airline and submit any receipts or photographs you have if you were unable to provide them at the baggage check-in counter.
Finally, check if your credit card offers any protection against bag damage. And when all else fails, post your case on social media such as Twitter; It won’t hurt to draw more attention to your claim, especially in egregious cases of bag damage.