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Delta Damaged My Suitcase - Any Experience With the Process?

Delta Damaged My Suitcase - Any Experience With the Process?

Old Dec 26, 2019, 7:49 am
  #16  
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
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Originally Posted by Old Hickory
I always considered damaged luggage to be regular wear and tear of travel. Like breaking a wagon wheel on the Oregon Trail.
Of course if it is a few years old but after one or two trips I would be upset from significant damage (unless of course it was a manufacturer defect).

Originally Posted by Widgets
I forget which year it happened, but within the past few years, the DOT published a clarification that mandates all U.S. airlines cover external damage like handles, wheels, and zippers, if the damage wasn't caused by over-packing. A few years ago, handles and wheels wouldn't have been covered, but U.S. airlines are required to repair or replace them now.
Don't doubt you one bit on this and I heard a fellow traveler mention this but haven't searched for confirmation. If you or anyone can find anything to post more on this it would be great. I will search as well.
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Old Dec 26, 2019, 8:49 am
  #17  
 
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Originally Posted by AeRoSpaceman
Of course if it is a few years old but after one or two trips I would be upset from significant damage (unless of course it was a manufacturer defect).


Don't doubt you one bit on this and I heard a fellow traveler mention this but haven't searched for confirmation. If you or anyone can find anything to post more on this it would be great. I will search as well.
https://www.transportation.gov/airco...uidance-112415

The Enforcement Office considers categorical exclusions for damage to specific parts of the checked baggage to be arbitrary limitations of liability in violation of Part 254. Although carriers are not required to cover fair wear and tear, damage to handles, straps, wheels and zippers often extends beyond what is appropriately categorized as fair wear and tear resulting from ordinary handling of baggage. In such cases, carriers should be prepared to reimburse the passenger appropriately.
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Old Dec 26, 2019, 9:58 am
  #18  
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Programs: Delta Diamond, Hyatt Globalist
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Your other option to pursue could be with the credit card company you used to purchase the airline ticket if you have coverage. AMEX is good on covering damage to suitcases if Delta were to deny your claim - you just need to provide proof that Delta denied it for whatever reason, I believe all of the Delta AMEX cards cover a check baggage loss/damage up to $500.
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Old Dec 26, 2019, 10:23 am
  #19  
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I thought they didn't cover damage to handles or wheels and considered it normal wear and tear?

Once Southwest damaged my bag and said they had to keep the suitcase to file the claim and mailed me a similar bag (fortunately it was a cheap bag I bought at one of those cheap luggage places when I had to haul some stuff back I bought from another trip) that was nicer than the one they damaged but it was a real pain because they gave me what was like a liner of a suitcase from the 70s with no wheels and handles made out of cheap vinyl, fortunately the contents of my luggage wasn't that heavy and they didn't damage anything in it, just the bag.
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Old Dec 26, 2019, 10:31 am
  #20  
 
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Originally Posted by jamesteroh
I thought they didn't cover damage to handles or wheels and considered it normal wear and tear?

Once Southwest damaged my bag and said they had to keep the suitcase to file the claim and mailed me a similar bag (fortunately it was a cheap bag I bought at one of those cheap luggage places when I had to haul some stuff back I bought from another trip) that was nicer than the one they damaged but it was a real pain because they gave me what was like a liner of a suitcase from the 70s with no wheels and handles made out of cheap vinyl, fortunately the contents of my luggage wasn't that heavy and they didn't damage anything in it, just the bag.
You are correct on normal wear and tear but I'd imagine you can make a pretty good case that a wheel being broken or torn off is not normal wear and tear.
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Old Dec 26, 2019, 10:40 am
  #21  
 
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Originally Posted by rkoechel
You are correct on normal wear and tear but I'd imagine you can make a pretty good case that a wheel being broken or torn off is not normal wear and tear.
See Post #8. If they have changed their rules regarding broken/busted off wheels or they implemented the DOT rule above that is great, but I still to this day have seen others get told that the broken wheels are not covered.
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Old Dec 26, 2019, 11:15 am
  #22  
 
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Originally Posted by PHXflier
When the lock was busted on a suitcase similar to that of the OP, Delta gave me a UPS label to send the suitcase to some company in Texas, and they repaired it very nicely within a couple of weeks. Maybe you can ask whether they can have the damage repaired instead?
I also experienced good results with this option. I had the Hartmann nameplate ripped out of a hardside 30" suitcase two years. They took my luggage at the baggage claim office and shipped it to Texas for me to be repaired. It took about a month to get it back but I received an email two weeks into it saying they sent it to a secondary facility as they were unable to repair it in Texas. Whoever completed the repair did excellent work as you can only see a slight scuff below the nameplate.
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Old Dec 26, 2019, 11:47 am
  #23  
 
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Originally Posted by MsAssertive
I also experienced good results with this option. I had the Hartmann nameplate ripped out of a hardside 30" suitcase two years. They took my luggage at the baggage claim office and shipped it to Texas for me to be repaired. It took about a month to get it back but I received an email two weeks into it saying they sent it to a secondary facility as they were unable to repair it in Texas. Whoever completed the repair did excellent work as you can only see a slight scuff below the nameplate.
That's customer service and probably cost them more for all of that then to just replace it (with all the shipping and third party vendors involved).
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Old Dec 26, 2019, 12:20 pm
  #24  
 
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I have twice had luggage with broken wheels replaced by DL. The first time no second thought was given and the second time, the agent in the baggage service office said "generally, we don't cover wheels, but let me take a look." Upon inspection, I was given a brand new suitcase. Both times, I took the Skyway brand on hand in the baggage service office and they have been surprisingly durable. The other item that was damaged, they asked a value, I looked up how much a new one would be on my phone, and they cut me a check for the amount.

Every time I have needed to go to the baggage service office has been a very good experience and agents have been very nice and very helpful. Elite status may have an impact on the service one receives here and one of the primary reasons I have brag tags on my luggage.
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Old Dec 26, 2019, 1:11 pm
  #25  
 
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Originally Posted by The Situation
I have twice had luggage with broken wheels replaced by DL. The first time no second thought was given and the second time, the agent in the baggage service office said "generally, we don't cover wheels, but let me take a look." Upon inspection, I was given a brand new suitcase. Both times, I took the Skyway brand on hand in the baggage service office and they have been surprisingly durable. The other item that was damaged, they asked a value, I looked up how much a new one would be on my phone, and they cut me a check for the amount.

Every time I have needed to go to the baggage service office has been a very good experience and agents have been very nice and very helpful. Elite status may have an impact on the service one receives here and one of the primary reasons I have brag tags on my luggage.
This is one of the cases where I don't feel like elite status should have anything to do with the result. This is a piece of personal property that was damaged. If you are not elite you get the cold shoulder? Sorry we broke your bag as a kettle but we will replace/pay for the same bag if you are an elite?
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Old Dec 26, 2019, 1:32 pm
  #26  
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
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In my previous post, both incidents where I've had my bag fully reimburses, I had no status whatsoever.

Originally Posted by rkoechel
Your other option to pursue could be with the credit card company you used to purchase the airline ticket if you have coverage. AMEX is good on covering damage to suitcases if Delta were to deny your claim - you just need to provide proof that Delta denied it for whatever reason, I believe all of the Delta AMEX cards cover a check baggage loss/damage up to $500.
Hah no (maybe this has since changed). The personal DL gold specifically did not cover luggage damage when my bag got crushed.
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Old Dec 26, 2019, 7:48 pm
  #27  
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
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What is the first step in claiming for baggage compensation? Whether at DL or anywhere else (travel insurance)? Do I need the bag inspected upon claiming it at the airport? Do I need a certificate issued that it was indeed damaged, if I were to claim over the phone or through insurance/ credit card?

I arrived last Dec 17, and I only noticed now that my luggage, 5-year-old Tumi T-Tech is missing a side bumper and its bag tag.

(I paid for this trip using the DL Gold Amex card, and I also bought the insurance peddled by DL upon booking, if any of those help.)
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Old Dec 26, 2019, 9:50 pm
  #28  
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
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Delta has replaced my bag based on advertised price for the bag even though the bag had a lifetime warranty. It was a hard case and one of the sides was cracked.
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Old Dec 27, 2019, 1:13 am
  #29  
 
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I got paid the value I estimated when ours got damaged, twice, they sent a check for $370.00 each time. Not sure if being DM had anything to do with it.
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