Stolen baggage claim denied - BA Gold
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: London, England
Programs: UA GS, BA Gold
Posts: 1
Stolen baggage claim denied - BA Gold
Had a bag stolen from the LHR T5 carousel two weeks ago: by the time I cleared passport control, it had been taken. BA lost baggage confirmed that the suitcase made it to the carousel, then disappeared from tracking, so I filed a report. Airport police recovered it in T5 four days later, broken into and a £700 jacket missing. I filed a compensation claim with BA: denied and no reason given, only "I'm afraid we can't reimburse the cost." Am pursuing of course but no replies yet from BA.
What am I missing here, Flyertalk community? (Pause for cynical replies to stream in.) I give a steady amount of transatlantic business class travel to BA (1900 tier points thus far this year), and I get a quick brushoff. I'm determined now to shift as many flights as I can to UA. Thanks, needed to vent.
What am I missing here, Flyertalk community? (Pause for cynical replies to stream in.) I give a steady amount of transatlantic business class travel to BA (1900 tier points thus far this year), and I get a quick brushoff. I'm determined now to shift as many flights as I can to UA. Thanks, needed to vent.
#2
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,624
From what it seems, BA completed its obligations when it delivered the bag to the carousel. It isn't responsible for the bag beyond that or for its theft
This would seem to be something that travel insurance may cover
I don't suppose UA would be any more generous in the same situation
This would seem to be something that travel insurance may cover
I don't suppose UA would be any more generous in the same situation
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Brighton. UK
Programs: BA Gold / VS /IHG Diamond & Ambassador
Posts: 14,203
Not good but not sure what BAs liability to you is here. They didn't loose your bag it was stolen from the carousel
Your status doesn't make any difference and your threats to boycott BA won't worry them one iota. Sorry but that's the reality of it.
Contact your travel insurance with the police report. If they want to claim from BA that's down to them.
Your status doesn't make any difference and your threats to boycott BA won't worry them one iota. Sorry but that's the reality of it.
Contact your travel insurance with the police report. If they want to claim from BA that's down to them.
#5
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Wassenaar, NL
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 709
That's a depressing story. I'm also amazed at the sheer nerve of people to pick up someone else's case when any moment the owner could come along! Shocking.
I'm personally not sure what BA's responsibility is here, as opposed to HAL's? I'm sure someone on here can help though.
Have you contacted your travel insurance provider to claim the value of the stolen goods?
I'm personally not sure what BA's responsibility is here, as opposed to HAL's? I'm sure someone on here can help though.
Have you contacted your travel insurance provider to claim the value of the stolen goods?
#7
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 143
I'm not sure how BA are responsible here, they have delivered the bag to the carousel.
Neither do I see why your gold BA status matters, a stolen bag is a stolen bag irrespective of the status of the owner.
I have always thought that there was a security issue around baggage reclaim. There are never any check made that the person leaving the baggage hall is the owner of the bags they are carrying. One solution to this would be having to show a bag tag receipt for every bag carried out of the hall. Obviously this would mean more queues at airports and problems with the inevitable lost receipts.
I think stolen bags are covered by insurance.
edit.
Rats!!! Everyone added the same update as me but beat me to the submit button
Neither do I see why your gold BA status matters, a stolen bag is a stolen bag irrespective of the status of the owner.
I have always thought that there was a security issue around baggage reclaim. There are never any check made that the person leaving the baggage hall is the owner of the bags they are carrying. One solution to this would be having to show a bag tag receipt for every bag carried out of the hall. Obviously this would mean more queues at airports and problems with the inevitable lost receipts.
I think stolen bags are covered by insurance.
edit.
Rats!!! Everyone added the same update as me but beat me to the submit button
Last edited by bricksoft; Aug 3, 2015 at 5:30 am Reason: simultaneous updates
#9
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Bristol
Programs: BA GGL, UA Plat, DL Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,380
I seem to recall there was a court case re an organised gang doing this sort of thing at LGW (can't find the report online so was maybe 15ish years ago ?).
They would buy cheap SH tickets into LGW, travelling smartly dressed, and would hang around in the arrivals haul spotting likely candidates (LV logo, Priority tags etc.).
They would then grab a couple of cases and stroll out.
If challenged, they would politely smile and say "I'm terribly sorry, I must have confused it with my own case !" and give it back to the rightful owner.
I seem to remember from the newspaper reports that they even checked the stolen luggage back in for their return leg
A couple of observations I would draw from this:
1. Use cheap luggage and refuse Priority tags (we know they're useless anyway !!)
2. A sharp suit and a winning manner will get you out of all sorts of sticky situations
They would buy cheap SH tickets into LGW, travelling smartly dressed, and would hang around in the arrivals haul spotting likely candidates (LV logo, Priority tags etc.).
They would then grab a couple of cases and stroll out.
If challenged, they would politely smile and say "I'm terribly sorry, I must have confused it with my own case !" and give it back to the rightful owner.
I seem to remember from the newspaper reports that they even checked the stolen luggage back in for their return leg
A couple of observations I would draw from this:
1. Use cheap luggage and refuse Priority tags (we know they're useless anyway !!)
2. A sharp suit and a winning manner will get you out of all sorts of sticky situations
#11
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,492
I would not see how any airline could be held responsible for that
#12
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 8,774
Agree that this is not a matter for BA but one for the police and Heathrow.
The police really should be inspecting the CCTV (which should certainly exist) of the theft and trying to identify the culprits and ultimately bring charges. However the likelihood of recovering anything from them is negligible.
As others have said travel insurance - if you have it - is your best recourse here.
The police really should be inspecting the CCTV (which should certainly exist) of the theft and trying to identify the culprits and ultimately bring charges. However the likelihood of recovering anything from them is negligible.
As others have said travel insurance - if you have it - is your best recourse here.
#13
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 2,286
I'm not sure how BA are responsible here, they have delivered the bag to the carousel.
Neither do I see why your gold BA status matters, a stolen bag is a stolen bag irrespective of the status of the owner.
I have always thought that there was a security issue around baggage reclaim. There are never any check made that the person leaving the baggage hall is the owner of the bags they are carrying. One solution to this would be having to show a bag tag receipt for every bag carried out of the hall. Obviously this would mean more queues at airports and problems with the inevitable lost receipts.
I think stolen bags are covered by insurance.
edit.
Rats!!! Everyone added the same update as me but beat me to the submit button
Neither do I see why your gold BA status matters, a stolen bag is a stolen bag irrespective of the status of the owner.
I have always thought that there was a security issue around baggage reclaim. There are never any check made that the person leaving the baggage hall is the owner of the bags they are carrying. One solution to this would be having to show a bag tag receipt for every bag carried out of the hall. Obviously this would mean more queues at airports and problems with the inevitable lost receipts.
I think stolen bags are covered by insurance.
edit.
Rats!!! Everyone added the same update as me but beat me to the submit button
BA and/or HAL might have failed in their duty of care towards the passenger by not having a similar system in place to prevent thefts. When you think about it, delivering bags to a public location which the owner may not have access to at the time of delivery (through no fault of their own), does leave one rather prone to theft.
#14
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: London (LCY)
Programs: BA bronze, Hilton gold, Marriott gold, IHG plat, Meliá gold, Radisson gold, Hyatt disc, AmexPlat
Posts: 977
A large amount of the blame here lies with the UK Border Force, who unreasonably compromise the security of passengers' baggage by delaying passengers at immigration controls. The UK Border Agency needs to have stricter standards whereby passengers are not normally prevented from reaching the baggage reclaim carousel before their baggage does.
I would raise a complaint with UK Border Force, just to make a point, although it's unlikely to get anywhere.
I would raise a complaint with UK Border Force, just to make a point, although it's unlikely to get anywhere.
#15
Some airports (I'm thinking of LGA off the top of my head) won't let you leave the baggage reclaim area until you've produced the baggage receipt that matches the bag you are carrying.
BA and/or HAL might have failed in their duty of care towards the passenger by not having a similar system in place to prevent thefts. When you think about it, delivering bags to a public location which the owner may not have access to at the time of delivery (through no fault of their own), does leave one rather prone to theft.
BA and/or HAL might have failed in their duty of care towards the passenger by not having a similar system in place to prevent thefts. When you think about it, delivering bags to a public location which the owner may not have access to at the time of delivery (through no fault of their own), does leave one rather prone to theft.