US Airways Dividend Miles - My Personal Belongings Were Stolen From My Luggage

Hi guys,

I need some advise on what to do. I had a flight from London to Philadelphia with US Airways. When I arrived at Philadelphia, I stupidly misread the screen and assumed that I can reclaim my checked bag at the gate. However, I realized that I missed the baggage claim after I passed custom and they won't let me come back in to get the luggage. The airport staffs and US Airways workers assured me that my bag will be picked up and send to my final destination. I arrived to Denver with US Airways and then Denver to San Jose with United Air. Fast forward, when I came back to get my delayed bag the next afternoon, I found that many of my belongings were missing. Many of them were expensive clothes that I bought as well as souvenirs, a camera, and Ray Ban sunglasses. I also noticed that my TSA lock was opened and left unlocked(so only TSA has access to this). The theft seems like he had time because he selectively choose items that are more casual than dressy clothes as well as had time to take my camera as well as its battery that I kept separately in another compartment. I was told to file pilferage claim with United Airline(as they are the one that take me to my final destination and not US Airways). I am so devastated as many of these items are sentimental to me. Anyone has experience with stuffs missing from their luggage and how is it solved? Is this considered under Montreal Convention or Domestic? Please help!:confused::(

Hi guys,

I need some advise on what to do. I had a flight from London to Philadelphia with US Airways. When I arrived at Philadelphia, I stupidly misread the screen and assumed that I can reclaim my checked bag at the gate. However, I realized that I missed the baggage claim after I passed custom and they won't let me come back in to get the luggage. The airport staffs and US Airways workers assured me that my bag will be picked up and send to my final destination. I arrived to Denver with US Airways and then Denver to San Jose with United Air. Fast forward, when I come back to get my delayed bag the next afternoon, I found that many of my belongings are missing. Many of them are expensive clothes that I bought as well as souvenirs, a camera, and Ray Ban sunglasses. I also noticed that my TSA lock was opened and left unlocked(so only TSA has access to this). The theft seem like he has time because he selectively choose items that are more casual than dressy clothes as well as have time to take my camera as well as it battery that I kept separately in another compartment. I was told to file pilferage claim with United Airline(as they are the one that take me to my final destination and not US Airways). I am so devastated as many of these items are sentimental to me. Anyone has experience with stuffs missing from their luggage and how is it solved? Is this considered under Montreal Convention or Domestic? Please help!:confused::(

File the claim with the carrier. I assume you have no insurance (credit card or travel insurance?--if you do file with them)

Little too late to say it now, but never put things like cameras and expensive sunglasses in checked baggage. Those should go in the cabin with you as hand luggage

I'm sorry for your loss.

I'm not knowledgeable about the various baggage-related conventions, but I suspect the answer may depend on where you reside, where your trip originated and/or where you purchased the tickets. That information may help others answer your question.

Contrary to popular belief, TSA is NOT the only ones who hold copies of those master keys. Just Google TSA lock master key (https://www.google.com/search?q=tsa+lock+master+key&aq=f&sugexp=chrome,mod=9&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8).

Welcome to Flyertalk, Khai Tran. I am moving your thread to the US Airways Forum.
Please follow there..
Thanks..
Obscure2k
TravelBuzz Moderator

Before the bag got to TSA, it would have been inspected by CBP. In addition to TSA & CBP, it would have been handled by US in LHR and PHL and by UA along the way to SJC.

A TSA lock is less than meaningless and an invitation to someone to break it because they think that you are storing valuables (which you were).

You can file a claim with your insurer or with UA (your final carrrier). Neither will reimburse for items expressly excluded from the contract (valuables such as cameras).

Good luck.

Claim quickly. Usually it's best to claim at the airport. If you don't notice what's gone when you are still in the baggage hall, then there are always time limits to raise a claim which can be very short. Take a look at the airline website before you make out your claim to check any excluded items, etc.

Personally I'd claim on both US and UA and see which one rejects the claim. They can't both reject it. Watch out for lots of bureaucratic obstacles and delays when they process your claim, and push it.

Your experience revives some bad memories of my own transiting through Philly late last year with US Air where a similar thing happened to me. A luggage delay. When the luggage was finally delivered to me, TSA locks missing, and only all the best stuff carefully stolen out of my luggage. Gives me a creepy feeling. Someone must have had lots of time to pick and choose their way through all my stuff. Really puts me off transiting in the US now.

You actually need legal advice, since it can go ten different ways. Liability for loss on domestic itins is determined by the CoC. On int'l ones - by the int'l convention. However, I believe that they determine liability for loss between two points (say, from the moment the agent takes your luggage from your at the check-in / bag drop to the moment your bags are unloaded onto carousel). So, your forgetting to pick up your luggage may mean that the local tort law applies, and then the question is how well the airline has to guard the bags your forgot to pick up at the baggage claim.

If the clothes you lost were really valuable, I would engage an attorney. If not, then file a claim on your own with every entity that came in contact with your bags (UA, US, CBP, TSA) and see what happens. As others said, nobody will reimburse you the lost valuables, because every piece of paper you receive in connection with your flight says not to put valuables ( money / jewelry / electronics / etc ) into the checked luggage.

Loss limitations in the COC (which incorporates intl. convention for intl.) coupled with OP's leaving the FIS without presenting his bags for inspection, mean that UA will either deny the claim or payout very little).

As the final carrier under an interline agreement, it's UA's job to sort this out with the preceding carrier(s).

In the end, another good reason to carry decent insurance. While I've nevere seen insurance which covers excluded items such as cameras, there's a lot less stress and time in submitting an insurance claim and letting them deal with UA, than the other way around.

I had the same thing happen twice. In both cases the TSA lock was in place but the "TSA has been here" card was in my bag. I filed claims with both TSA and US and did receive responses. Both said essentially, how sad, drop dead.

The lesson is never, never and I mean NEVER, put valuables in checked luggage. I know that this does not help you now. I both sympathize and empathize with you loss and hope that you find a satisfactory resolution.

. . . I filed claims with both TSA and US and did receive responses. Both said essentially, how sad, drop dead. . .

You can appeal, and if you lose that, take them to court.

I just got a few golf clubs (Callaway Razr Black) on my flight from GIG to CLT stolen a few weeks back. I filed with my receipt (for the whole set of clubs) as I was told by US Air and a few weeks back they sent me a check with the amount of the missing clubs.^
I hope you filed it right as you got to your destination...

Little too late to say it now, but never put things like cameras and expensive sunglasses in checked baggage. Those should go in the cabin with you as hand luggage

Yes completely agree with that statement, never put things you can't afford to lose in the checked baggage, and then put a lock on it.

Sorry to hear about what happened to you but this could be a lesson for everyone else reading this.

Y... this could be a lesson for everyone else reading this.

Reminder note to self... any value = carry on.