Everyone traveling by airplane has experienced at least 1 screw-up by an airline at some point. Whether it be the lost, delayed or damaged luggage, non-working seat/audio/video or simply landing in a completely different destination than planned. Sure it's frustrating and traveling would be a much smoother cruise without these occasional turbulences.
Nevertheless, these unfortunate events can end up paying for your next trip or at least for a new wardrobe. :)
I won't go into too much detail concerning lost/delayed or damaged luggage since most travelers are aware of the particular rules in place. Obviously, when the luggage is damaged,delayed or lost, travelers will head to the baggage claim office of the offending airline - there you will be informed of your options:
DAMAGE
If your suitcase arrives smashed or torn, the airline will usually pay for repairs. In recent years, damage has gotten a new meaning at many airlines - ripped off wheels or zippers are usual wear & tear and may not actually be fixed by the airline. Puncture holes and large rips (away from the seams!!!) are normally handled right away and you walk out of the baggage office with a new luggage. If it can't be fixed, they will negotiate a settlement to pay you its depreciated value and don't expect a major payoff for this. The same holds true for belongings packed inside. Obviously it is extremely unwise to travel with fine crystal or other delicate objects, however you still need to complain and negotiate. If you don't ask, you won't get anything. Remember that flying with Airline partners means that you need to complain in their offices at the baggage claim (e.g. flight booked on United.com but flying Austrian Airlines to Vienna - claim any damage at the Austrian Airlines counter at the Vienna Airport). We have found that international partner carriers are much more helpful and even exchange your bag for high-quality brands (Samsonite, Delsey) compared to US carriers (cheap Made in China bags which are likely to be damaged again sooner rather than later). So, be aware of your choice of claim location!
DELAYED BAGGAGE
If your bags don't come off the conveyor belt, report this to the airline before you leave the airport.
Insist that they fill out a form and give you a copy, even if they say the bag will be in on the next flight. If the form doesn't contain the name of the person who filled it out, ask for it. Get an appropriate phone number for following up (not the Reservations number). Don't assume that the airline will deliver the bag without charge when it is found; ask them about this. Most carriers set guidelines for their airport employees that allow them to disburse some money at the airport for emergency purchases. The amount depends on whether or not you're away from home and how long it takes to track down your bags and return them to you. If the airline does not provide you a cash advance, it may still reimburse you later for the
purchase of necessities. Of course one man's necessities are another man's luxury items so you better ask what purchases will be most likely to be reimbursed, plus KEEP THE RECEIPTS! At a minimum you will score some brand new underwear. You could claim that you need a suit since you have a business meeting that evening - go shop, at a minimum they will need to reimburse you for part of the value.
If you can't resolve the claim with the airline's airport staff, keep a record of the names of the employees with whom you dealt, and hold on to all travel documents (always a good idea!) and receipts for any money you spent in connection with the mishandling. (It's okay to surrender your baggage claim tags to the airline when you fill out a form at the airport, as long as you get a copy of the form and it notes that you gave up the tags.) Call or write the airline's consumer office when you get home. It might take some time to resolve something like this but it's well worth the effort in the end, especially since you might end up with a nice, free addition to your wardrobe.
LOST LUGGAGE
Once your bag is declared officially lost, you will have to submit a claim. This usually means you have to fill out a second, more detailed form. Check on this; failure to complete the second form when required could delay your claim. Missing the deadline for filing it could invalidate your claim altogether. The airline will usually refer your claim form to a central office, and the negotiations between you and the airline will begin. If your flight was a connection involving two carriers, the final carrier is normally the one responsible for processing your claim even if it appears that the first airline lost the bag. Airlines don't automatically pay the full amount of every claim they receive. First, they will use the information on your form to estimate the value of your lost belongings. Like insurance companies, airlines consider the depreciated value of your possessions, not their original price or the replacement costs. Don't go claiming Versace or Gucci items excessively because Airlines will smell that kind of fraud from miles away.
They often ask for sales receipts and other documentation to back up claims, especially if a large amount of money is involved. If you don't keep extensive records, you can expect to dicker with the airline over the value of your goods. Generally, it takes an airline anywhere from six weeks to three months to pay you for your lost luggage. When they tender a settlement, they may offer you the option of free tickets on future flights in a higher amount than the cash payment. Ask about all restrictions on these tickets, such as "blackout" periods and how far before departure you are permitted to make a reservation.
This leads us to the much more lucrative area of Airline screw-up benefits:
Courtesy/Appreciation Rewards/eCertificates = FREE MONEY
On our recent outing to Buenos Aires - we landed in Rio due to a "volcanic ash cloud" in Argentinean air space. This detour cost us 1 1/2 days in B.A. but on the upside we got free lodging and a free ride through the Brazilian countryside and into the mountains east of Rio. Obviously we would have preferred to stay in downtown Rio but oh well, it was better than sleeping in the lounge, which most other passengers had to do since they didn't have a Brazilian Visa or foreign passports like us.
Now, quite unexpected at our arrival in Buenos Aires - Nadia and I were each handed an
eCertificate worth $400 for future travel with United Airlines. We thought that was more than great since the delay did not mess up our itineary too much and $400 could come in quite handy down the road.
Of course, one has to read the fine print VERY carefully. The eCertificate is only valid for travel in the continental US (plus Puerto Rico/US Virgin Islands) & Canada and only on United/Continental flights. Now, coming from a major United hub (San Francisco) we knew we would be able to easily use these certificates. Others may have a bit more trouble of course. In addition, the eCertificate was valid for 1 year since issue so from Nov 2011 to Nov 2012. That kinda forced our hands to plan quickly.
Now, do you only get these eCertificates if you end up in the wrong South American city? The answer is NO! You can get these for a whole host of issues with your flight. The most frequent perhaps may be the non-working audio in your seat, or your personal video screen being broken. A LOT of people do not complain about this to the flight attendants, especially on short flights, thus, the damage goes unnoticed by the airline for quite some time. If you complain about the video/audio and they are unable to fix it (sometimes rebooting the whole plane, just so you can watch an old TV rerun) they SHOULD give you a eCertificate for the missing entertainment value. You paid good money for your seat and flight, which includes the entertainment as well. The eCertificate or little appreciation card you get varies widely in value. Maybe it's $50, perhaps $200 on long-haul flights. Either way, COMPLAIN to the flight attendant, if she brushes you off, ask for her supervisor (Chief Purser, Inflight Service Manager, Cabin Service Manager, etc...) and take it up with him/her. They should give you something for your troubles. I would suggest having this conversation in the galley instead of in your seat - makes for a better, even negotiation environment.
I have been guilty myself of not complaining about video/audio problems on short flights but that was because I was ignorant about these eCertificates & appreciation $s. With airlines charging fees for practically everything right now, it's time for consumers to expect a perfect product & service starting with getting your undamaged luggage at the end of a flight, arriving at the correct destination and being able to enjoy the audio/video entertainment.
So on your next flight remember to keep all this in mind. You will benefit from the knowledge that you are entitled to compensation for a multitude of possible airline screw-ups. ASK of it and you MAY receive. Nothing is for sure but the pay-offs can be quite nice & rewarding.
THE TRAVELBANDITS PLAN OF ACTION
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| Quebec City |
As for us - we used our $400 certificates to purchase 2 tickets to
Burlington, VT, normally $477 each, for a total of $154 ($77 each). Not bad at all. It was between that trip or Alaska but we decided we need a lot more time for Alaska to take in the many sites and natural wonders up there.
We will rent a car and head straight for
Montreal and then
Quebec City. Bonjour Quebec! With plenty of hotel points in our accounts from recent lucrative sign-up bonuses (Marriott 70000pts after first use for example) we will be staying for free in downtown Montreal & Quebec City as well. Thus, thanks to United's decision to chicken out and land in Rio instead (we are being fair, other airlines like Lufthansa, Air France, American Airlines, etc...landed AFTER our estimated arrival time in Buenos Aires) we are able to experience French Canada in the height of summer for practically free!
Merci United!!
Airline eCertificates are a steal !!
