Originally Posted by
DLASflyer
Flight arrived at gate 11:26 pm, baggage arrived at claim 1:34 am. Issue was mechanical with cargo hold door. International flight. Told we could not leave customs area without checked baggage. Meanwhile all rental car agencies closed for the night. Lost my hotel I had paid for an hour away. Paid for new hotel at the airport and got rental car the next morning. Odds of Delta reimbursing me for the airport hotel?
Why did you lose hotel? If it was paid, it was yours regardless of time got there.
Also who said had to stay? Yes in general one must clear bags through customs. However there is procedures in place for when bags don't appear.
File a missing bag report. This doesn't even need be done at airport, if agent refuses/line too long. You can call reservations the next day and get transferred to baggage.. They can open report.. Your bags will be treated the same as if they hadn't been loaded on the flight..