Excellent =)

So driving to the airport did the trick, like the helpful people here suggested? Glad to see you followed option #1, while also partaking in option #2.

Next time you have a DAMAGED bag, there is no need to post here. We will all just reply with CO's policy, then you will get angry, end up doing what people said you had to do (e.g. go to the airport, have your bag inspected, and make sure it is covered by then), get your bag fixed, and yet again accuse us of "CO Lovefest". Just save yourself the trouble now that you know the steps you need to take, and take your bag straight to the airport.:)

Please update us if you are able to have your fuel, tolls and parking refunded. That would be helpful information. :-:

Glad to see you did not have to resort to duct tape.
Welcome to Flyer Talk.

Well pity it worked out. Now you cant accuse CO of being that horrible airline anymore that does not treat their GOLD elites appropriately and who deliberately choses to ignore damaged bag matters. Who knows if you make platinum next year they may even give you two bags next time. Well now CO has done its part you will have to find something else to whine about.....

:-: :-: :-:

I left the duct tape for you...LOL...I see you needed to use it more than me ..LOL..

I'll leave the whining to those to do it best. If the shoe fits and all that...LOL

Thanks. Wasn't easy. Had to put some pressure on CO to get it all worked out. I have some ins into some higher ups at CO (who I did not want to bother initially) - but that's what it took and so eventually got it done.

I think that's normal for CO -- the front liners aren't empowered to do much.

I'm still not sure what having friends in high places did for the OP in this case. He drove back to the airport and had the bag inspected. CO decided to replace it. That would've happened even if he hadn't called in a favor if the damage was legit, right?

Are you saying it is normal for 'higher ups at CO' to get involved in resolving relatively mundane day to day issues like damaged bags? Do you have this experience too? Unless depends on one's definition of 'higher ups'?

That's correct. Anyone would get their bag replaced if we damaged it or a travel voucher. All it takes is for one to report the damage immediately after arrival.

Getting your gas and toll monies refunded might take a "higher up" to approve since this is not part of our service. Of course if the baggage service office was closed that night (which is difficult to understand why that would be) I don't think it's a stretch to get someone to authorize the payment of returning to the airport by the OP.

Actually we are empowered to do the right thing. Agreeing as to what the 'right thing' is, is where we have issues.

That must be a west coast thing or else the CO staff in EWR needs better training on what is the right thing.

This is meant as a general comment vs one that specifically addresses the OP's situation. As for the OP, I believe CO acted appropriately. There are so many unwarranted claims that anything less would not work.

I do think that CO should consider empowering repair centers to do inspections, but that might encourage people to deliberately (not talking about what the OP did) skip airport reporting and increase fraudulent claims.

So the right fix seems in situations like those experienced by the OP to pay transportation and parking expense. What was missing was the smile and the we want to help attitude. Too bad.

Back in the day, we use to repair bags. It got out of hand and was a PITA. It's now easier for us to control the costs and replace the bags or issue a travel voucher for the damage.

We maintain a large supply of generic size bags in each baggage service office for our use. Instant satisfaction.

I know EWR is a bone of contention in FlyerTalk. I think it's an East Coast frame of mind. Most of the difficult problems I have had to deal with are from those that live in NYC. It seems that most NYC folks like to be forceful and rude thinking that this will get them anything they desire, right or wrong. LOL

Luckily -- not all of us 'East Coast/NYC' folks fit that characterization!;)