Delayed Baggage Compensation
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2018
Programs: Skymiles
Posts: 36
Delayed Baggage Compensation
Greetings! I wanted some opinions on what other FTers have asked for and received in the form of delayed baggage.
I had a MSP-MKE flight on Christmas Eve for myself, my 4 year old, and my 6 month old. I checked my bags about 1.5 hours before the flight. I had two checked bags and a car seat bag.
Upon landing in Milwaukee my two bags were there but my car seat was not. My app said it was delivered to claim 1 but it wasn’t so I asked the agent. She said the scanning was funny and it was coming on the next flight 2.5 hours later. Obviously I needed a car seat to transfer my 6 month old. She had a few loaner seats, and gave me one which I then tried to install. Those of you who have installed car seats know it is a finicky, stressful process. I spent almost an hour trying to get the stupid seat in correctly. The manual she gave me along with the seat was completely in Spanish and for a completely different seat so that was no help either. I took the seat back to the desk an hour later, and decided to just wait for the flight to arrive and get my seat.
The agent was very very nice and apologetic, and obviously it wasn’t anything on her end. She said the ground handlers at MSP missed all of the oversized luggage for our flight. She offered me 5,000 miles (which I took), but now I’m wondering if I have grounds to ask for more. I ended up being an hour and a half late to my families Christmas (I only see my Dad’s side of the family once a year) and I spent $30 on lunch at the airport trying to kill time with an infant and 4 year old. I understand these things happen, but it was a lot of stress over something that was 100% Delta’s mistake. I also don’t want to be ridiculous. Any thoughts?
I had a MSP-MKE flight on Christmas Eve for myself, my 4 year old, and my 6 month old. I checked my bags about 1.5 hours before the flight. I had two checked bags and a car seat bag.
Upon landing in Milwaukee my two bags were there but my car seat was not. My app said it was delivered to claim 1 but it wasn’t so I asked the agent. She said the scanning was funny and it was coming on the next flight 2.5 hours later. Obviously I needed a car seat to transfer my 6 month old. She had a few loaner seats, and gave me one which I then tried to install. Those of you who have installed car seats know it is a finicky, stressful process. I spent almost an hour trying to get the stupid seat in correctly. The manual she gave me along with the seat was completely in Spanish and for a completely different seat so that was no help either. I took the seat back to the desk an hour later, and decided to just wait for the flight to arrive and get my seat.
The agent was very very nice and apologetic, and obviously it wasn’t anything on her end. She said the ground handlers at MSP missed all of the oversized luggage for our flight. She offered me 5,000 miles (which I took), but now I’m wondering if I have grounds to ask for more. I ended up being an hour and a half late to my families Christmas (I only see my Dad’s side of the family once a year) and I spent $30 on lunch at the airport trying to kill time with an infant and 4 year old. I understand these things happen, but it was a lot of stress over something that was 100% Delta’s mistake. I also don’t want to be ridiculous. Any thoughts?
#2
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
There is no compensation due for delayed luggage. You would have been due a reimbursement for the rental or even purchase of a new seat had you chosen to go that route (recognizing that was not feasible).
Thus, you are looking at a customer service gesture and that is solely in DL's discretion. Personally, 5,000 miles seems to be a very reasonable gesture and I would leave it alone. You may always ask for more, it is free to do so. But, do not hold your breath and be prepared for some other agent to simply credit 2,500 instead. It is, after all, purely discretionary.
Thus, you are looking at a customer service gesture and that is solely in DL's discretion. Personally, 5,000 miles seems to be a very reasonable gesture and I would leave it alone. You may always ask for more, it is free to do so. But, do not hold your breath and be prepared for some other agent to simply credit 2,500 instead. It is, after all, purely discretionary.
#3
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: PIT, BWI, or IPT
Programs: Dividend Miles, WorldPerks
Posts: 1,302
5000 miles is worth, at a minimum, $50, which is enough to buy a cheap baby seat. (Understanding that was not feasible for you). I think that was adequate compensation. It is not Delta's fault you left so little time for your family Christmas. I do a similar thing every year with my in-laws where we intend to show up for Christmas dinner...but I swear 90% of my ATL delays are on Christmas Eve/Day. Oh well, we still eventually get there.
#4
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Full time Nomad
Posts: 838
I'm sure this will come off as snarky, but remember, a lot of those airline employees won't get to see their families at all on Christmas Day ( not just 1.5 hour late), all working to get people to where they want or need to be. Including the ones who mishandled your car seat.
#5
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Atlanta Metro
Programs: DL , AC, BA, Hhonors Diamond, IH Platinum, Bonvoy Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 2,348
5000 miles is worth, at a minimum, $50, which is enough to buy a cheap baby seat. (Understanding that was not feasible for you). I think that was adequate compensation. It is not Delta's fault you left so little time for your family Christmas. I do a similar thing every year with my in-laws where we intend to show up for Christmas dinner...but I swear 90% of my ATL delays are on Christmas Eve/Day. Oh well, we still eventually get there.
#6
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: PIT, BWI, or IPT
Programs: Dividend Miles, WorldPerks
Posts: 1,302
It is really not sarcastic...then I followed up by saying I do it all the time. I don't blame DL when I am late to the family event because I left no buffer. This is like people who expect to arrive the morning of the cruise and they go crazy on the Gate Agent during a weather delay due to their lack of planning for a time critical event. I was just suggesting to the OP that, if they do complain to DL...leave out the family stuff as it is irrelevant to the lost luggage issue at hand.
#7
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
The underlying hassle, e.g. being late to an event, really does not matter from the DL perspective. The question is whether 5,000 miles is adequate, whether OP was headed off to see whether the coffee tastes different in Atlanta or to see her family.
#8
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: LHR / BHX / MAN / ATL
Programs: DL DM 2MM - IHG Diamond
Posts: 4,052
I would contend that 5,000 miles is, indeed, fair for the delay described.
#9
Join Date: Sep 2012
Programs: DL DM
Posts: 755
Greetings! I wanted some opinions on what other FTers have asked for and received in the form of delayed baggage.
I had a MSP-MKE flight on Christmas Eve for myself, my 4 year old, and my 6 month old. I checked my bags about 1.5 hours before the flight. I had two checked bags and a car seat bag.
Upon landing in Milwaukee my two bags were there but my car seat was not. My app said it was delivered to claim 1 but it wasn’t so I asked the agent. She said the scanning was funny and it was coming on the next flight 2.5 hours later. Obviously I needed a car seat to transfer my 6 month old. She had a few loaner seats, and gave me one which I then tried to install. Those of you who have installed car seats know it is a finicky, stressful process. I spent almost an hour trying to get the stupid seat in correctly. The manual she gave me along with the seat was completely in Spanish and for a completely different seat so that was no help either. I took the seat back to the desk an hour later, and decided to just wait for the flight to arrive and get my seat.
The agent was very very nice and apologetic, and obviously it wasn’t anything on her end. She said the ground handlers at MSP missed all of the oversized luggage for our flight. She offered me 5,000 miles (which I took), but now I’m wondering if I have grounds to ask for more. I ended up being an hour and a half late to my families Christmas (I only see my Dad’s side of the family once a year) and I spent $30 on lunch at the airport trying to kill time with an infant and 4 year old. I understand these things happen, but it was a lot of stress over something that was 100% Delta’s mistake. I also don’t want to be ridiculous. Any thoughts?
I had a MSP-MKE flight on Christmas Eve for myself, my 4 year old, and my 6 month old. I checked my bags about 1.5 hours before the flight. I had two checked bags and a car seat bag.
Upon landing in Milwaukee my two bags were there but my car seat was not. My app said it was delivered to claim 1 but it wasn’t so I asked the agent. She said the scanning was funny and it was coming on the next flight 2.5 hours later. Obviously I needed a car seat to transfer my 6 month old. She had a few loaner seats, and gave me one which I then tried to install. Those of you who have installed car seats know it is a finicky, stressful process. I spent almost an hour trying to get the stupid seat in correctly. The manual she gave me along with the seat was completely in Spanish and for a completely different seat so that was no help either. I took the seat back to the desk an hour later, and decided to just wait for the flight to arrive and get my seat.
The agent was very very nice and apologetic, and obviously it wasn’t anything on her end. She said the ground handlers at MSP missed all of the oversized luggage for our flight. She offered me 5,000 miles (which I took), but now I’m wondering if I have grounds to ask for more. I ended up being an hour and a half late to my families Christmas (I only see my Dad’s side of the family once a year) and I spent $30 on lunch at the airport trying to kill time with an infant and 4 year old. I understand these things happen, but it was a lot of stress over something that was 100% Delta’s mistake. I also don’t want to be ridiculous. Any thoughts?
#10
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: CLT
Programs: Pre✓, Delta DM, Hilton LT Diamond, Mariott Plat, PC Gold, National EE, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,655
The only additional miles you could claim are the 20 minute bag return guarantee - 2,500 miles mentioned by tardyturtle. See the link below for details. I guess it's worth trying to claim these miles as well ...
https://www.delta.com/bags/bagsClaimAutomation.action
https://www.delta.com/bags/bagsClaimAutomation.action