Originally Posted by
s0ssos
How is it not the OPs fault? The bag was late. They were within their rights to not accept it. This is all per the OP's report.
As for damage from liquids exploding, I always think that is a possibility. If I have stuff like that I try to use a case. I don't know if this bag is soft but it sounds like it. I don't know what is considered normal. I do know when I checked a bicycle in a soft case before there are usually issues (gears get messed up, steering crooked, etc), but that would be my fault (for not using a hard-shell case).
But they did accept the bags making it Delta's responsibility to put it on the flight. They could have told the OP that they wouldn't be able to guarantee it would make the original flight and they would put it on the next flight out. I'm saying OP may potentially have a case for having Delta pay for some of the damage to the bag and things inside the bag. It likely could have been related to pressure, but we've all seen how some baggage handlers treat bags. It's probably unlikely that Delta will take responsibility for that. It has nothing to do with whether the bags were delayed, I am putting them as 2 separate issues.