On the last leg of our flight to St Thomas today (for our hiking/beach trip to St John), United required us to gate check our Deuter Kid Comfort III backpack frame carrier from IAD. When we arrived at STT it was no where to be found. Finally someone told us to wait at baggage claim and they would be sending it through with the checked luggage (the United desk agents later admitted this should have never happened). When we picked it up it was filthy and the most important part of the entire pack --- the belt clip was broken off.

We spent 2.5 hours with the United desk agent just trying to complete the form to make a claim. We finally left and were told that their computers weren't letting them enter the claim now, but she would enter it soon and call us with the claim number, which we would then contact United to proceed further.

It was a $280 backpack that is now destroyed, but what bothers us the most is that we're now here on our big trip without it. There doesn't appear to be place in St. John or St. Thomas that sells that model or anything even close to it.

Has anyone dealt with a similar situation? How much additional run around should I expect from United and will it result in any compensation or will it just piss me off more?

Thanks,