Is baggage handling getting worse?

Old Apr 11, 2019, 5:51 pm
  #1  
Moderator: Avis and Rental Cars
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Join Date: Oct 2006
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Is baggage handling getting worse?

In the last 60 days, I've had:
  • Bags not properly loaded on 3 different trips when there was no re-routing involved. Sure, the two connections where they didn't make it were tight (<60 minutes) but both legal and reasonable (I easily made the connections). The third time, one bag failed to load at the origin, even though our other bags were loaded. These 3 occurrences don't include the two other times it happened late in 2018.
  • Bags not loaded on 2 different trips where I was re-routed due to MX. Per the AAgents, they can't rebook you on new flights without >60 minutes notice (supposedly, so the baggage handlers have time to move the bags). However, both times they failed to move the bags.
  • Bags destroyed on 2 different trips.
I can't say it's specific to one location as the mishandled bags were done in 4 different hubs plus 1 origin location. The destroyed bags were in different origins/connections/destinations as well.
IAHtraveler is offline  
Old Apr 11, 2019, 8:19 pm
  #2  
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Join Date: Aug 2012
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I have personally not had any issues recently (with 2 bags checked at least twice a week), other than 2 check in agents who refused check in because the cutoff was "1 hour'. AA did break my mothers suitcase last week, however.

IAH still continues to be a complete and utter cluster. From check in to baggage delivery to TSA to horrible lounges to food service, it is, IMO, amongst the worst in the country. If AA launched more service to HOU, I'd never set foot there again.
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Antarius is offline  
Old Apr 12, 2019, 4:45 am
  #3  
 
Join Date: May 2017
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Originally Posted by IAHtraveler
  • Bags not loaded on 2 different trips where I was re-routed due to MX. Per the AAgents, they can't rebook you on new flights without >60 minutes notice (supposedly, so the baggage handlers have time to move the bags). However, both times they failed to move the bags.
I feel like this is so hit and miss and depends on the airport. I got rebooked yesterday to an earlier flight with 55 minutes notice, and they tagged my bag for the new flight, granted this was at international recheck, and they just put a handwritten tag on it to expedite on the earlier flight I was taking. It was also in the priority lane which probably helped. Companion 8 minutes later got refused saying they had to be there 45 minutes prior and there wouldn't be enough time to recheck the bag properly via main lane. Flight ended up delayed 30 minutes at the gate, so I managed to get my companion on the earlier flight as boarding was finishing (way more hassle then needed given 10+ seats were open and flights were covered by a weather waiver, but apparently the agents couldn't see the weather waiver in their system, so I pulled it up on my phone, still refused to acknowledge it, called reservations and they overrode the system). Anyways my bag made it, companion's went on the later one, which ended up delayed 2 hours later. We just went to baggage claim and told them the bag didn't make the earlier flight we were put on, and they used a courier to get it to us.
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Old Apr 12, 2019, 8:44 am
  #4  
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: OKC
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It's all a cycle. Back around 2010ish, I had 3 trips in a row, all with +90 min connections, all with bags delayed. Luckily it was on the way home, so they delivered to the house the next day and I didn't really care.

Last year, I had an AA/BA transfer at LHR, and the bag didn't make it. Final destination was Sofia, where they had NO info except that it would be in tomorrow. (how do they know, if they didn't know where it was?) Since I can't find clothes in my size at any average store, this really represents a problem for me and has led me to almost always do carry on only.

Airlines could solve their carry on problem if they'd fix their checked baggage problem. I'd much rather check it if I knew it would be there vs. having to drag it around the airport all day.
bchandler02 is offline  
Old Apr 12, 2019, 11:25 am
  #5  
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: DFW
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I haven't had any issues lately, but my routings have all be pretty standard. (DFW-LHR-Europe, mostly).
econometrics is offline  

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