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Originally Posted by brahms77
(Post 14264234)
I am really disappointed with AA and OW as a result of all of this year's experiences!
You are correct that AA's international weight limits are lower than some other carriers. While not excusing AA for losing it, if you're carrying a bag that costs more than $400 not including what's inside, you should check on liability limits before traveling and consider additional insurance. |
True: every carrier loses bags, and I do understand that there will always be some chance of losing one's baggage on a given flight. What I encountered to be most annoying is how AA agents handles these cases. Of the three to four times I called and my interactions with the agents at the airport, they never said a word of apology for the lost or delayed bag.
You say why bring a bag worth more than 400 USD... hmmm for an ATW itinerary where we are gone for several consecutive weeks, it's not that hard to pack a bag that's worth more than 400 USD! Let alone the value of the bag! Insurance is certainly what I should have done, but that's irrelevant of airlines losing bags and being rude to customers who are stranded without a bag and providing no assistance (that's what I am angry at!). Compensations cannot match much of the inconveniences we've experiences in the last week (and what we are about to experience in the next couple of weeks if the bag is not found)!
Originally Posted by videomaker
(Post 14264299)
Every carrier loses bags and goes by international liability limits. And if the bag turns up during the trip, it's going to be hard to catch up to you with that kind of itinerary.
You are correct that AA's weight international weight limits are lower than some other carriers. While not excusing AA for losing it, if you're carrying a bag that costs more than $400 not including what's inside, you should check on liability limits before traveling and consider additional insurance. |
Originally Posted by brahms77
(Post 14264234)
4) Question
What should I do? What can AA do for me?! What would be my appropriate action before leaving London? 5) Frustrations! * Lots of frustration with AA (especially with their poor handling of baggage - lost our bag two straight flights) * AA and OW baggage allowance is no where near the benefit I received as *G with *A airlines! - I have had much trouble with my bags that were just 2-3 kg over weight! I had to pay extras for these overweights! * I am much invested in AA this year (LONE4 + 8 1,000 + USD tickets for my wife and I) so I will continue with AA till end of the year and move over to *A... I am really disappointed with AA and OW as a result of all of this year's experiences! On the second part, it is reasonable to be outraged and frustrated. Consider yourself validated. On the first part, there isn't really much that you can do that you haven't already done to make this particular instance better. Keep contacting them and following up is the only thing I can offer, and that will involve a lot of time. If you get ahead of your bags on multi-PNR trips it can be difficult, as AA isn't used to that or set up to handle it. Suggestions have been made that could help in the future. |
If you are traveling on a single PNR, the bag has a much better chance to catch up with you even if you have moved about a lot already.
Last year a friend traveled on an AA award ticket that involved BA and IB on intra-Europe flights. His checked bag did not arrive with me at LHR on AA. Eventually the bag got to MAD 4 days later the night before he was about to leave for another Spanish town by train when he got the phone call. He was able to get IB to deliver the bag at his next stop which was BCN. I am not sure any airline can do much when multiple PNRs are involved on a continuous itinerary and this seems to be OP's case. |
Originally Posted by brahms77
(Post 14264234)
I was typing out a long post and was logged out while doing so... and I lost all the text... :( Oh boy...
So, long story short: 1) Background of our ticket * My wife and I are on LONE4 (ex-ICN, we started in January and we picked up the itinerary again at the end of June) as part of our year-long honeymoon!!! - We used the first portion of the the ticket to head to YUL where I am currently pursuing a PhD at McGill 2) The baggage story * AA lost my wife's bag enroute to ANC from YUL on the first journey back on LONE4 to re-start our honeymoon travels! * We are planning to be in London (2 weeks)/South America (various countries for 3.5 weeks)/Europe and Asia (3 weeks) before heading home to YUL at the end of August * No sign of baggage as of today (July 8: 9 days) * We are both AA PLAT (I am on my way to EXPLT - should reach sometime at the end of this summer) - really tried hard to fly with AA (especially because both myself and my wife have status *G and *S on *A) * We left ANC on the 2nd of July for London (via DFW - this is where we stopped our LONE4 and picked up a new ticket to LONDON) for a 2 week course for my PhD * To add insult to our injury, one of my bag was delayed one day when we arrived in LHR (I had to start with the courses in the same clothes I wore for two straight days without toiletries) * We are heading back to DFW on the 17th of July to pick up our LONE4 journey to South America * Thereafter, we will be moving from one place to another in every 3 days on average 3) Upon contact to Baggage services * AA has authorized 500 USD (after initial 150 USD) for essentials - no cash provided (per their policy - my experience with LH and SA in the last month during our journey in Africa was that they paid 100 USD cash for the delayed baggage that came the following day - quite an interesting contrast in airline policies!) * Upon contacting the baggage services on day 6 of lost baggage, the agent rudely tells me (without me having to ask) that the max compensation for lost baggage is 453 USD per international convention (Warsaw, I believe) -the bag itself is more than 400 USD! * When I mention to her that 453 USD is no where near the value of our bag , she immediately says "don't file a claim if you don't want to!" and starts to say that she gets such calls 30 times a day! - Well, isn't that her job to handle lost baggage issues? :confused::confused::mad::mad::confused::confused: * Now two more days have passed, no sign of luggage * Due to our extensive travels, I am left with maxed-out credit card, and some cash (need to save for emergency cases). I don't have time to go buy clothes as my wife and I are busy with the course! 4) Question What should I do? What can AA do for me?! What would be my appropriate action before leaving London? 5) Frustrations! * Lots of frustration with AA (especially with their poor handling of baggage - lost our bag two straight flights) * AA and OW baggage allowance is no where near the benefit I received as *G with *A airlines! - I have had much trouble with my bags that were just 2-3 kg over weight! I had to pay extras for these overweights! * I am much invested in AA this year (LONE4 + 8 1,000 + USD tickets for my wife and I) so I will continue with AA till end of the year and move over to *A... I am really disappointed with AA and OW as a result of all of this year's experiences! |
This is a bummer all the way around. Hopefully hind-sight will see this more as a footnote "adventure" in your year-long honeymoon than a reason to hate a carrier that you state you're emotionally invested in.
If you make EXPLAT the benefits are significant - including an unpublished/unstated benefit that the airline will often do more to help you out in these situations. I do at least 4 or 5 xONEx trips a year, and I've learned a few lessons the including: - Always carry on what you need to wear for the next stop (usually 3-4 days for me). - Check what you don't need and can afford to lose. - Carry duplicate copies of all PNRs so that they can be quickly handed to staff. - Keep a snapshot of your checked luggage - it's helpful for identification and/or claims of damage or loss. - Smile and roll with the unusual situations. Doing a dozen or so segments a trip, there's a high probability something unexpected will happen. Better luck on the remainder of your trip! |
Originally Posted by Happy
(Post 14265760)
If you are traveling on a single PNR, the bag has a much better chance to catch up with you even if you have moved about a lot already.
Last year a friend traveled on an AA award ticket that involved BA and IB on intra-Europe flights. His checked bag did not arrive with me at LHR on AA. Eventually the bag got to MAD 4 days later the night before he was about to leave for another Spanish town by train when he got the phone call. He was able to get IB to deliver the bag at his next stop which was BCN. I am not sure any airline can do much when multiple PNRs are involved on a continuous itinerary and this seems to be OP's case. Anyway, I needed to vent the frustrations as no one... literally no one at AA apologized about the lost bag and just told me that such was not their job description. No sympathy about the situation was given nor proactive assistance. I was really hoping that people do not read into the emotional issues (our trip has already been ruined... what has happened cannot be undone!) but provide with your sage opinions on how I should go about in discussing compensation/resolution regarding such unfortunate situation with AA (i.e. what is reasonable for us to ask, what have you all experienced in situations similar to this, what can I do in the event that AA cannot find the bag - in more specifics, can I request AA to give us additional purchase approval than what they have approved us now that the bag is missing for more than 10 days!, etc.). I appreciate your opinions and advice. |
Originally Posted by brahms77
(Post 14267832)
literally no one at AA apologized about the lost bag and just told me that such was not their job description. No sympathy about the situation was given nor proactive assistance.
I certainly don't know how you approached the AA employees you spoke with. Often--and I don't know if it's the case here--the attitude taken when starting a conversation can affect how someone else responds. As for what you can expect, AA's baggage liability limitations are clearly outlined here on their website. That's what you can expect. |
Originally Posted by videomaker
(Post 14267911)
The AA employees you spoke with--were they with baggage services, or airport employees where it truly would not be in their job descriptions?
I certainly don't know how you approached the AA employees you spoke with. Often--and I don't know if it's the case here--the attitude taken when starting a conversation can affect how someone else responds. As for what you can expect, AA's baggage liability limitations are clearly outlined here on their website. That's what you can expect. Anyway, thanks for the info. |
if you can swing it.. use an amex plat card.. i use the luggage protection when i know i will be traveling with the wife and checking bags.
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Originally Posted by brahms77
(Post 14267966)
...
Anyway, thanks for the info. From the AA web site page linked to by videomaker, compensation is limited:
Originally Posted by AA.com
Currently, ONE SDR is worth ~USD1.50, so AA's liability is limited to somthing over $1,600 per passenger. |
Originally Posted by brahms77
(Post 14267832)
NOTE: the bag was lost on a single PNR itinerary. We traveled on a separate ticket AFTER the bag was lost in ANC. It would have been fine if AA was able to find the bag within 5 days or so of filing the lost claim then we know that they know where the bag is. In this case, they don't know where the bag is... PERIOD.
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Hi gemac, to be a bit more clear, YUL-DFW-ANC and then to DFW was all on one PNR, which is my LONE4. So, the bag was lost in the middle of my LONE4 PNR and because they were not able to locate/trace my bag by the time I left DFW (respectively ANC on July 2nd), I flew on a second PNR which took me to London. I then resume my first PNR when I return to DFW next week to head to EZE.
The problem is that they can't even trace where the bag is to begin with (starting from when we arrived in ANC to this date). Another issue is that one of the agents I talked to on the phone (baggage services) said that AA don't scan bags... and she continued on to say that the ONLY airline that scans the bags is UNITED. :confused: So, why do AA make an effort to print tags that have barcodes?
Originally Posted by gemac
(Post 14268582)
I know the bag was lost on one PNR, it's the other PNRs you have traveled since that is making it difficult for your bag to catch up with you. It's not entirely clear from your original post (the one that is now post #150 in this thread), but it appeared to me that you flew YUL-DFW-ANC June 30 on one PNR to get back to ANC to pick up your LONE4, then flew ANC-DFW July 2 on the LONE4 (second PNR), then continued on to London on a third PNR (no time was mentioned, so I assumed this was July 3). AA is geared to deliver the bag to the destination that it is checked to. If you have already left that destination on the same PNR, they are pretty good at having the bag follow you. In your case, it appears you were flying on 3 PNRs in 4 days, and they aren't so good at that. Not saying I haven't done something similar, inserting a PNR into the stopover on another PNR - I have - but I know there is a baggage risk there, and I do worry about it when I do it. Right now, I would say your baggage is at YUL, ANC, DFW, or LHR. The baggage tag on it says ANC and references the first PNR. If they haven't matched the bag to your paperwork yet, that's all they have, and that likely is the problem.
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Originally Posted by brahms77
(Post 14269411)
So, why do AA make an effort to print tags that have barcodes?
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Originally Posted by brahms77
(Post 14269411)
Hi gemac, to be a bit more clear, YUL-DFW-ANC and then to DFW was all on one PNR, which is my LONE4. So, the bag was lost in the middle of my LONE4 PNR and because they were not able to locate/trace my bag by the time I left DFW (respectively ANC on July 2nd), I flew on a second PNR which took me to London. I then resume my first PNR when I return to DFW next week to head to EZE.
The problem is that they can't even trace where the bag is to begin with (starting from when we arrived in ANC to this date). Another issue is that one of the agents I talked to on the phone (baggage services) said that AA don't scan bags... and she continued on to say that the ONLY airline that scans the bags is UNITED. :confused: So, why do AA make an effort to print tags that have barcodes? We all wish that AA would scan all bag tags and track them through to the destination (like FedEx does), but they don't see a benefit to them for the cost. |
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