andymo99

This past Wednesday, I was flying DL 1509 on MSP-DEN at 920am. I had a seat in First Class, and I was among the first few pax to board.

My rollaboard wasn't fitting in the overhead bins, and I was pretty indifferent about checking it since I wouldn't be in a rush on arrival at DEN.

So I brought my rollaboard to the FA at the boarding door to discuss checking the bag. She instructed me to leave it at the gate-check collection point. I said "Will someone bring me a claim check?" She assured me that someone would do so. I reminded her that I was in 3A.


Let me digress a moment to remind people that when gate-checking bags on mainline equipment, the bag is later deliverd to you at baggage claim (not planeside). They affix a handwritten tag to it which outlines the flight number(s), transfer points and desination. The tag is in triplicate via carbon copies. The top (original) is given to the pax, and the other two both stay on the bag. This is different than "pink tag" gate-checks that are used on RJs and you pick up your bag planeside. Those tags are generally not written on, and you only get the bottom of the perforation.


Fast forward to the end of pax boarding, when they were preparing to close the boarding door. I caught the FA's attention and the conversation went like this:

andymo99: Do you have my claim check for me?
FA: What do you mean?
andymo99: I left my bag to be checked and I am waiting for someone to bring me the claim check.
FA: Oh. Let me go check.
(FA walks off and returns a minute later.)

FA: They've already sent the bag down and didn't give us the tag.
andymo99: Well this puts me in a pretty tough position if the bag doesn't show up at the carousel in DEN.
FA: I know. This isn't how it is supposed to happen. Let me go and see what I can do.
(FA walks off a second time and returns a minute later.)

FA: Here, I got your claim check for you.
andymo99: Thank you, I really appreciate that.


Then I started thinking to myself, "If they'd already sent the bag down, how did they locate the bag and pull the tag for me, and so quickly? I just wonder if she's being honest with me or if she wrote a new one to shut me up, as I'd never figure it out? I guess I'll find out when I collect my bag."

Well, somehow I was quite prescient. When I collected my bag from the carousel, I looked at the handwritten tag on the bag. It was entirely different from the one that she had brought to me. The numbers weren't even sequential, indicating to me that each was taken from a separate stack of tags. Unsurprisingly, the tag attached to my bag did not even have the original pulled. All three copies were on the bag.

I have both copies in front of me: The un-separated triple set that was actually on my bag and also the claim check that was given to me. Both were clearly written by the same person, but are entirely different. Lest you think that she might have innocently grabbed the top sheet off the wrong gate-checked bag, I point out that:

• She took my boarding pass, ostensibly to match the name on the bag.
• I was the only one with a gate checked bag on the flight.

So basically the Flight Attendant (and Ground/Ramp Crew?) screwed up, and then she sold me a complete and total lie to placate me rather than own up to the mistake.

I am ticked off for being treated so disrespectfully. I am thinking that this is worthy of an email to report this to Delta. Unfortunately, I don't know the name of the FA, so it might just be a futile exercise.

Thoughts?

Oakshadow

This could've been big trouble had your bag not arrived in DEN (or is it MSP? Your heading says this was DEN-MSP).

But as it arrived okay nobody was harmed and it seemed DL dodged a bullet in having to give you some miles or more in compensation.

tkey75

Legend has it DL can put a name to an FA with a flight #, date and physical description of the person.

But...

Perhaps is was a genuine mistake?

or...

This is a lesson in how bags get lost and never, ever reunited with their owner.

Erasmus

I'd be pretty PO'd too. The problem here is you don't know who pulled a fast one on you. Could have been the FA, but could equally well have been a GA or even ramper who handed he FA the tag---why would s/he question it?

I fear someone got away with one and shall never be held accountable. Wouldn't stop me from writing the letter to let them know what kind of games were being pulled, but I can't see how anyone could unravel this post hoc.

MR_MAMA

Isn't it possible that she did check your bag, but just forgot to grab the carbon copy for you? You received your bag on time, sure she shouldn't have lied, but you received your bag on time. No harm, no foul.

andymo99

I was flying MSP-DEN, good catch. Mod, change title please?



Help me understand how it could have been a "genuine mistake?" I'll grant that maybe it wasn't the FA (but rather a ramper) that is culpable, but clearly someone in the chain very intentionally wrote up a new tag to shut up a customer and not have to track down a loaded bag. Is there any way this isn't the case?




I never suggested that she didn't check my bag. And yes, she (or someone) failed to remove the copy for me. That is exactly the problem --- not having the copy in the event that the bag no shows.





I appreciate differing perspectives. You are more forgiving than I am of a person who mistreats you but everything turns out ok in the end.

houserulz77

I think this is the perfect type of incident to report. You really aren't entitled to any compensation, nothing bad ended up happening, but it seems quite clear that someone tried to cover up an error.

When things like this result in a mishap, it becomes about what the customer can/does get in return.

In this case, Delta, if they choose to, can focus on the problem, instead of worrying about damage control.

So I would go ahead an report it. I think those reports that start, "something to be aware of" are always helpful.

fti

I have often wondered about the people who bring carry ons to the front of the plane, only to be told by a FA, "We will bring the claim check to your seat." This is a great example of why I would stay close to my bag until I see the bag tag attached and I am given the claim check. I do that at the check-in counter so there is no reason to not do it at the door of the plane as well.

popppa

^ You NAILED it!





I think I just found my customer service/flyertalk mantra! If you build a church... I will come.

Burj

Thanks for posting this story...it would never have occurred to me that this kind of thing would take place (maybe because I've never gate checked a bag).

If I do find myself having to gate check I will keep this story in mind. I would encourage you to send a note into Delta about this.

A mistake was made in not removing the ORIGINAL claim check before putting your luggage in the hold...but to COVER it with a FAKE claim check is really questionable!

MachOne

I agree she probably "put one over on you" in the name of expediency.

However DL was still liable in the event that your bag had been lost since DL issued you a document that is a receipt in exchange for a bag that they received from you.



MO

TheMoose

The out-of-sequence bag tag is curious and might be worth looking into (but I don't know I would go so far as to say it was intentionally wrong in order to "shut up a customer").

However, you committed two errors as well:

1) You attempted to carry-on a bag that wouldn't fit in the overhead bin. Now, was that simply a forgivable mistake or were you intentionally trying to skirt the system? One might expect a DL DM/MM to know whether a bag will fit, but perhaps not...

2) You didn't wait to get the claim check in person. As you stated, being one of the first, and not having to wade back through the unwashed masses to get to your seat, you had the time to wait to pick up the claim check. You probably would have waited less time than it took to write up the first post and the accompanying dialog.

All in all, your bag got where it was supposed to go, and if you did nothing else from this point, I don't think anyone would fault you.

MSPeconomist

This is another illustration of DL's culture of "lie to the customer, just make up anything" to save time. I've seen it with DM line agents, check in staff, and GAs, but this is the first example I know of a FA possibly doing it except when made-up rules are claimed to be mandated by the FAA.

It's good that the bag appeared but if it had not arrived, not being able to find out the number of the tag would have made it impossible to trace the bag. This could have been a very big problem leading to a permanently lost bag.

dgxoxo

I clicked on this thread hoping to read about a mountain... instead I tripped over a molehill.

MachOne