Beckles

Sometimes I like to check my bags, especially if I'm going to a smaller airport where I'd have to valet check them anyway ... yesterday I had bought some presents for my kids and my bag was way to fat to fit in an overhead, so I checked it ...

So, my last four times checking bags on AA/US:

February 11 - MCI-ORD-FNT, they lost my bag and despite a phone call that my bag 'had arrived' in fact it was still in ORD, it literally made it on the flight coming in to FNT that was the aircraft I flew out on, so the agent was able to tag my bag to return immediately home. AA's phone notification system called me approximately 30 times to give me updates that provided no information over the next few months, first as they tried to find my bag, then as they processed a reimbursement for some clothes I had to purchase (it was February in Michigan and I had no coat).

May 25 - MCI-DFW-LIT, thunderstorms rolled through DFW and LIT and I ended up spending the night in DFW, my bag did not arrive with me in LIT but came later in the day. AA's phone notification system provided several useless updates throughout the process, though not as many as in February. This one is understandable admittedly on its own, but still part of a problematic pattern.

August 11 - FNT-ORD-CLT-ORF, spent two hours each in ORD and CLT (CLT-ORF flight was delayed), arrived in ORF and no bag. Received this delivery notification overnight:
The information is nonsensical and false, so I contacted them immediately because my hotel assured me the bag had not been delivered. Their response was:I called US Airways and they connected me with a lovely woman in the baggage office who said my bag was sitting in front of her, and she could have it delivered immediately. You could probably understand why I wanted nothing to do with the fraudulent baggage delivery service, so I told her I would come pick it up in person, she provided me the direct phone number so that she could bring my bag to me at the curb and I didn't even need to park. ^

August 12 - ORF-CLT-ORD-MCI, You might think I should have learned my lesson by now. But as I mentioned, I had bought some gifts that had my roll aboard fully expanded and there was no way it was fitting in an overhead. Besides, what are the chances they lose my bag two nights in a row? The flights were uneventful, my layovers at each airport were over an hour, sufficient time for a bag to make a connection. They still have not found my bag ...

I'm at my wits end. My most recent trip was a in part to help me requalify for Platinum this year, but now I'm questioning if I should even be flying AA/US at all if they can not be trusted to check bags.

AtlanticX

It's due to your username. At least, I assume it's pronounced Bag-less?

Beckles

Groan ... don't quit your day job!

As a follow up I only got one useless phone call from AA, a call telling me my bag was scheduled to be picked up for delivery to me ... the call came after my bag had already been delivered.

fotographer

My rule never check a bag unless you are ready not to see it again

3Cforme

Look for years of data on poor baggage performance by American Eagle/Envoy. Lost/delayed bags isn't at all a new phenomenon.