Continental Breaks Printers
 

Flew lax-pvd a few weeks back. I wrapped a computer printer in 4 layers of bubble wrap, 2 trash bags, and a bag over all that. When I arrived, the printer was busted into at least 50 pieces. Despite this, CO is weasling out of any liability, saying they dont take liability for electronics. I did my part by wrapping it correctly. I don't think it's fair for CO to say "tough luck" when one of their employees must have REALLY thrown it hard for all that damage to happen. Anyone have experiences with similar?

No you didn't.

Outside of the original manufacturer's packaging it isn't prepared for shipping. Period. UPS or FedEx also wouldn't take responsibility for it as you prepared it.

Continental website
 

The continental website states they they will not accept liability for computers or computer related equipment when accepted as checked baggage. Next time I would send it fedex .

Please tell me you at least put it in a box... Bubble wrap and trash bags are hardly even reliable packaging to transport a printer by car.

Wait for it....






















:rolleyes:

This wouldn't be any different elsewhere
 

I recently got back from a trip where I took some wine with me as one of my free checked bags (thanks CO elite status!). At the airport I was not only reminded that continental does not accept liability for damage outside of neglect, I was also required to sign the waiver on the baggage claim ticket. With or without signing the waiver, CO isn't going to be liable unless they completely went above and beyond to mishandle your bag.

Oh, and since I packed my wine in a proper container as advised by the UPS store my wine made it back home in perfect condition (aside from any potential temperature shock).

Even then, I was willing to take the risk and understood that my wine might not make it.

You shouldn't have made it so hard for them to break. A paper bag would've been sufficient :P

In all seriousness, at minimum it should've been padded and boxed.

At least you didn’t end up like this guy at IAH two weeks ago who had to do the walk of shame away from the baggage carousel with a trail of red wine following his suitcase. :D

oops key fact
 

all of the above packaging was INSIDE a sealed cardboard box

Thanks for laughing at my misfortune, sporto.

PC LOAD LETTER.

What the eff does that even mean?

Still not appropriately packed.

Was the exterior of the box damaged? Were the bubbles popped? Big bubbles or small ones? And what type of printer (how heavy)? These will all play in to how to pack it, but really only packed in the heavy foam that the manufacturers use is going to keep it safe from something like a flat drop (on a box face rather than on a corner) from 3 feet.

I had Alitalia lose a printer one time. They paid.

I always wondered, though, if they actually broke it into a thousand pieces; but somebody decided it would easier to just disappear it rather than deal with a potentially freaking out customer at baggage claim. (Not that FCO doesn't have enough of them already!)

You're kidding, right? This is why the airlines charge bagagge fees to offset liability for occurences like this.

You put a piece of electronic equipment (albeit shrouded in bubble wrap) LOOSE inside a cardboard box without any blocking to keep it from shifting around, and flew it CROSS-COUNTRY in the cargo hold as checked baggage expecting it to arrive intact? Was it even marked FRAGILE??

This is a good reason to keep the original boxes equipment is sold in. I have shipped computers in their original retail boxes with the manufacturers' styrofoam blocking (NOT 'popcorn' or 'peanuts') halfway around the world without a problem. The outer cardboard might get scuffed or gouged, but the equipment inside arrived without any damage.

If you're ever in doubt about packing for shipment, check with the professionals at UPS or FedEx/Kinko's. Better yet, let them handle it so it's one less thing to lug at the airport.