mhansen1089

My bag was pilfered while under the care of Delta on an international flight. I fly weekly and have avoided Delta for 14 years. I made the mistake of flying them internationally.

First- If you don't have Delta status and are over 6'1' don't fly them on international. My knees were crushed into the seat in front of me and bruised by the arm rest digging into my thighs. I found it amusing the CEO came on and pontificated on the volunteer work Delta employees do when his decisions put me in a seat that was inhumane for anyone over 6'2". I suggest you don't fly them and any flight with distance

2nd - While under Delta's care some one pilfered my luggage and took out clothes, expensive ones mind you. Perhaps the TSA forgot to put them back perhaps not in any event when I landed my luggage was a lot lighter. Here is where Delta becomes a truly evil company. Instead of taking responsibility for my loss they extend the claim process through a series of processes that you expect would end in a solution. Not Delta, they chose to clam up and act like a medical insurere hoping that you get up and go away. Well I am not going away and will continue my struggle

houserulz77

Is The Grinch technically a troll? Asking for a friend.

Mr. Tickets

Each to their own. Choose a different airline. Not sure what being 6' 1" has to do with anything (I'm (6' 0"). Or what status has to do with it. You can buy comfort plus or business class. Same with any airline. Pilfered bags. Could be Delta or any contractor they use. My rule of thumb is don't pack anything that you can't live without forever. If you have something expensive, claim it in advance. Airlines used to get ripped up by people claiming high buck clothing that probably never existed.

Often1

OP - You have two separate complaints. Not sure what they have to do with each other. But, I hope that you did some research on seat pitch before booking yourself into the seats you chose to select. Some seats have more and some have less. Same on other carriers as well. So, it is hardly a DL issue.

As to the luggage, as this was an international flight, DL must cover you up to a fair market value of approximately $1,650. Depending on the nature of the items, you should expect to provide receipts and to be reimbursed fair market, not replacement value. For a brand new $50 shirt, expect $50. But, if you claim for a $500 shirt that is a year old, expect to be asked to provide a receipt and don't expect more than $40-50.

It is usually easier to claim through your travel insurance and to let them slug it out with DL, but your insurance will want expensive items documented as well.

The best advice is above as well. Don't pack expensive items in checked luggage.

igobyterry

I will say when I ran into the 'pilfered luggage' issue in the past, Delta was very amicable about it. They didn't even ask for receipts. Instead after I submitted the form, they called and asked real quick what I guesstimated the cost to be to replace the missing items, and they sent a reimbursement check. Now mine were just 2 pairs of shoes, so in replacement value wasn't insanely expensive.

Widgets

I'd like to hear more details about the experience with the pilfered bag claim. From my experience, passengers can make the claims process more dramatic than it actually is. Yes, you have to submit a form online, but I've never seen a passenger have to go back and forth like a long, drawn-out medical insurance process. I have one friend and one sibling who filed for reimbursement from Delta baggage service this year. Both just submitted one form on delta.com with detailed items, got an approval confirmation within a week, and the check arrived three weeks after the approval. Sure, it's not all done on the spot before you leave the airport, but IME it's not nearly as drawn-out and dramatic as it appears. I'd like to hear more about your experience.

HonoraryOrange

I don't know why, but this line has me in stitches.

BusTrav8yrs

I knew a friend of a friend who would pack two pieces of luggage very light and at baggage claim put the smaller luggage in the bigger one and claim it as lost. Did it to all 3 airlines

Zorak

That's really vile. And fraud.

davetravels

But with Delta's individual bag scanning / tracking, surely this scam wouldn't fly. I know it scans as "Delivered to baggage claim" - or similar.

rylan

I doubt we're going to hear from the original poster ever again.

audidudi

I would assume that you provided Delta with the card that TSA put inside your bag, notifying you that they indeed did open your bag. With that info, they might be able to review CCTV at the location where you said this took place. Secondly I totally agree with the fact that there is plenty of info online referencing seat pitch, legroom, etc. Seatguru would be one source, besides DL itself.

stillontheroad

I had a pair of snakeskin "cowboy" boots turn up missing from my luggage earlier this year. They were handmade in Houston and when I turned in the claim someone from Delta called me about the cost. I supplied them the receipt upon their request. I received a call from the gentleman that made them for me (he has made several pair for me) and asked if I needed another pair. I asked him how he knew I needed another pair (I had not called him) and he told me someone from Delta had called him to verify the cost and when he confirmed the cost he told them that that was a "sale price" and they were much higher now. Delta cut me a check and never questioned me about the cost again. Really a smooth and painless process.