Damage to Baggage
 

At the carousel at LGW today I was horrified to find my checked bag (a large suitcase which I had specifically requested was tagged fragile due to its contents) had been completely whacked out of shape (they'd managed to damage the actual metal frame of the bag, so it must have been treated absolutely terribly.)

Could someone advise the best way to contact BA and seek compensation as the bag is now written off, unfortunately.

Ideally it is best to report it in the baggage area. I suspect the BA desk would not have been staffed, but usually there is a plastic sign up giving a telephone number of someone to call. In the absence of that, you want
ba.com/baggage
and then the link to "delayed baggage" then the damanged baggage form. Take a screen shot before submission, and you need to do this within 7 days of it happening.

First off, it is important you formally report the damage within 7 days of receiving your bag - there are instructions on how to do this published on BA’s website - link here

Thank you both very much indeed!

Unfortunately, some bolshie baggage handlers see a "fragile" tag and treat it as a challenge try to destroy the bag and/or its contents just for the hell of it. Google "video of baggage handler tossing suitcases" and see how many results come up..... I suspect that fragile tags and stickers are counterproductive for this reason.

Someone I went to school with actually went on to become a baggage handler. He wasn't my best mate, but when we did catch up briefly in a larger group, he said the Come Fly with Me skits were undoubtedly 'based on a true story' :o

Make sure you take a photo (or several) of the bag and also the contents (if damaged) to back up your claim

I've done so - ended up having to call BA customer relations as the online form isn't active at the moment (well, at least not for the first part of 'reporting' the incident.)

Also, check your baggage insurance. Even though BA may cover your claim, if it does not, many policies have short time deadlines for reporting, even if you never file a claim. You don't want to be foreclosed from a claim if the need arises.

Not all heroes wear capes!

BA will most likely refer you to a company called K2 Global. They will assess your baggage as to whether it can be repaired or replaced. If the latter they will decide how much your luggage is worth, factoring in significant depreciation. Then you will be given a limited choice of replacements but have to pay the difference between their valuation and RRP. Have a search here and you will find out that your dealings with them may be both prolonged and dissatisfying! Hopefully, you will have better luck! Next time I will use insurance if possible!

Report damage to luggage immediately to the baggage service people at the carousel. Always. That way you start a paper trail. Also report to your travel insurance in case you need to claim there later. Unfortunately a 'fragile' tag is about as useful as a priority tag...in other words it makes the owner feel good without necessarily doing much else. Did the items in question survive?

Back in the dark ages of the 1960s my dad was an engineer with on of the big aerospace companies, in what is now Silicon Valley, working on various space projects. One of their durability tests was to send normal looking bags to and through various airports marked FRAGILE with assorted equipment inside to see how it survived. A very high percentage of the bags were generally pretty well beaten up on arrival. Favorite routes were SJC/SFO via LAX, DEN, SEA to ORD, JFK, DEN, MIA and have them checked out on arrival and then send them back. As I remember it really didn't matter which airline they got sent on as far as the amount of damage that happened.

Thank you all - I'm expecting the worst and have already opened a claim through my insurance which should hopefully cover the costs associated. Sadly, this was my expectation to start with (with respect to a paltry depreciation-affected reimbursement), so I'm hoping the insurance will cover the shortfall.

Yes, the fragile items did survive, luckily, but they were wrapped in clothes and lots of bubble wrap. I get the feeling the bag may have been pushed up against the hold by something rather heavy for the duration of the flight - I can't think what else (apart from prolonged pressure on the corner) would cause the significant indent against the metal frame that it now has. You'd have to have chucked it pretty hard...

Well I was very pleased with the claim process through K2 last year. They decided my bag was not repairable so replaced it with a new one. I think the whole process took about 2 weeks but that was pre-COVID.