Theft from forced Gate Checked bag
 

On a recent return from France [9/11/22] at IAD, had a layover in ATL on my way home. Unfortunately, the Chanel purse I purchased in Nice was in my carry-on which delta required me to gate check. Upon arrival I noticed the lock on my bag had been broken, and the purse ripped out of it's box.

Thus far Delta has denied any compensation. Has anyone else experienced theft from your bags at IAD or ATL lately?

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Are you sure it didnt happen in France/Paris? This is a generalization and a hypothesis but Ive never seen/experienced the level of theft in Northern Europe since 2020. I had all my belongings stolen from directly above my head on a Thalys train in First Class in France while fully awake. Every item I own. Not even storing luggage at the end of the car but DIRECTLY above my head. They pulled from behind and ran at an intermediate stop. According to French and Belgian authorities they have never seen theft the way its been happening. They say almost every single train has the same story now and theft around Paris is at an all time high. Apparently they work in a team-even Uber drivers will help as spotters which I believe is what happened to me. If it can happen at that level im sure it can infiltrate the CDG baggage ring (haha).

All my colleagues in France and Italy echo this sentiment, irrespective of medium (train/bus/etc).

Appreciate the response however it did not happen in Paris, I had the bag out at customs stateside.

You checked the inside of the bag in ATL when the bag arrived?

I had the stolen purse in my possession at customs in IAD as CBP wanted to see the paperwork. Gate agent at IAD forced me to gate check my bag through to my final destination. I did not get the bag back from delta in ATL.

Ah got it.

Sorry for your loss. Any chance you have theft coverage through your credit card? If so, I’d file a police report and go that route. DL will do their best to deny any responsibility and will say that you shouldn’t have checked an expensive item in your luggage.

very sorry for your loss... the few times I have had mostly BA gate gents forced me to check my carry on..
If I had anything of value in there.. I have removed it , and carried that on the plane with me.

meanwhile.. I would pursue DL until you are able to get what is owed to you.. like most airlines.. they will just keep pushing you away
hoping you just go away..
I am sure if need, there will be quite a few lawyers here in the ATL that would love to take your case.

good luck

DL does have a limit on coverage and I would not be surprised if this exceeds it.

While I know it won't help you for anyone else if you are "forced" to gate check step aside and take out of the bag anything you can't afford to lose (Laptops etc... ) If the gate agent "yells' at me I just smile and say "are you going to give me a written waiver of your liability limits" (That shuts them up LOL)

Was the bin space actually full once you boarded?

Or was the bag actually oversized, even if the OP got away with it on the earlier flight.

BTW, for a TVA/VAT refund, one is often required to show the items at the airport tax refund desk to prove that they are being taken out of the country/the EU. This can prevent people from placing valuable items that have been purchased abroad in a checked bag. In addition, it can be convenient to have such items easily available to show to CBP when entering the USA.

All pax know that valuable items should be in carryons. But if a carrier requires you to check a carryon, it should be responsible in full for whatever you had in it, not subject to the low Montreal Convention limits on liability for checked luggage.

To the OP

What brand is your carryon?

Why the heck would you let them take it from you, put it in your backpack or hold it. I’m sorry this happened, it hurts me to read this. I was paranoid coming back with my classic flap.

im assuming you took it carry on and not checked because you suspected theft could happen. I think the airline website also tells you to always bring aboard with you valuables.

I would argue this point to delta that they forced your valuables below and thus stolen under their operation.

I think it's a Hartmann spinner, I recgonise the fabric and lock logo. I had an urge to buy one last year.