Stolen cameras in checked luggage
Feb 8, 2012, 2:15 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 1
Stolen cameras in checked luggage
I arrived back in Newark on CO071 Sunday Feb 5. This was the final leg of my return from my honeymoon in Thailand. We were flying business class, and our bags did not make it on this flight because of a tight connection in Amsterdam.
Among other things, we had 2 cameras (one underwater digital, one regular digital) in our 2 pieces of checked luggage. Both pieces were locked by TSA locks.
When we got our bags delivered Tuesday Feb 7, the locks were gone and the cameras were missing. The cameras were the only things missing. There was also a note from the TSA saying they had to open our luggage to inspect it. I didn't understand why this was (ewr was our first and final domestic leg) until I realized that Continental had put our bags on a flight from ewr to phl (I live in Philadelphia).
After many hours of phone calls, I had pieced together the following:
Continental says that our bags arrived on CO071 on Monday Feb 6th (the day after us, as promised), and were put on flight 4823 from ewr to phl (scheduled 4pm departure, 5:15pm arrival).
According to the private transportation company that delivers bags, they picked them up from Continental at phl at around 9:30pm on Monday the 6th, tried to call me just after 10pm to deliver them, (this was true, but we were asleep), then unable to deliver them, delivered them to us the next day. The person I spoke to at this company seemed very sympathetic and gave me her cell in case I needed to contact her again tomorrow.
The Continental reps were extremely unhelpful, repeatedly insisting that I fill our a paper claim form and mail it to them -- this is basically a claim for compensation where I have to submit receipts -- I just want my honeymoon images back! The person at the elite desk was equally unhelpful. They did not volunteer the information about the second flight (ewr->phl) until I talked to the transport company and figured out what was going on.
I left a voice message with the newark TSA lost and found. Hopefully they call me back tomorrow during their office hours. At this point I still do not know when we lost the locks, whether the TSA cut them off and didn't replace them, or if it was continental or the delivery company along the way.
I am at a loss for what to do. I just want my pictures back. I would be much obliged if you have any suggestions.
Thanks,
Steve
Among other things, we had 2 cameras (one underwater digital, one regular digital) in our 2 pieces of checked luggage. Both pieces were locked by TSA locks.
When we got our bags delivered Tuesday Feb 7, the locks were gone and the cameras were missing. The cameras were the only things missing. There was also a note from the TSA saying they had to open our luggage to inspect it. I didn't understand why this was (ewr was our first and final domestic leg) until I realized that Continental had put our bags on a flight from ewr to phl (I live in Philadelphia).
After many hours of phone calls, I had pieced together the following:
Continental says that our bags arrived on CO071 on Monday Feb 6th (the day after us, as promised), and were put on flight 4823 from ewr to phl (scheduled 4pm departure, 5:15pm arrival).
According to the private transportation company that delivers bags, they picked them up from Continental at phl at around 9:30pm on Monday the 6th, tried to call me just after 10pm to deliver them, (this was true, but we were asleep), then unable to deliver them, delivered them to us the next day. The person I spoke to at this company seemed very sympathetic and gave me her cell in case I needed to contact her again tomorrow.
The Continental reps were extremely unhelpful, repeatedly insisting that I fill our a paper claim form and mail it to them -- this is basically a claim for compensation where I have to submit receipts -- I just want my honeymoon images back! The person at the elite desk was equally unhelpful. They did not volunteer the information about the second flight (ewr->phl) until I talked to the transport company and figured out what was going on.
I left a voice message with the newark TSA lost and found. Hopefully they call me back tomorrow during their office hours. At this point I still do not know when we lost the locks, whether the TSA cut them off and didn't replace them, or if it was continental or the delivery company along the way.
I am at a loss for what to do. I just want my pictures back. I would be much obliged if you have any suggestions.
Thanks,
Steve
Feb 8, 2012, 6:26 am
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador: World of Hyatt
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: NJ
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Fairmont Lifetime Plat, UA Silver, dirt elsewhere
Posts: 46,919
I'm sorry you lost your cameras, but you just learned a very important lesson - never put anything in check luggage you don't want to lose.
Your photos are probably gone. Another hint would be to back them up to either a cloud service or a thumb drive before you travel to another destination or home.
Your photos are probably gone. Another hint would be to back them up to either a cloud service or a thumb drive before you travel to another destination or home.
Feb 8, 2012, 7:34 am
#5
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: on the path to perdition
Programs: Delta, United
Posts: 4,786
Like others sorry to hear about the theft. Unfortunately, you will have probably have no recourse with the TSA for your cameras as they will probably claim the theft occurred during the international portion of the flight as the bags were not seen by you while in transit (i.e. when they arrived in EWR). You might get the TSA to buy to new locks but that will be little consolation.
You will have better luck claiming theft happened on the international portion of the trip with airline. They will probably try to say it happened domestically because there was a TSA inspection which removes their liability.
http://www.continental.com/web/en-US...liability.aspx
http://www.continental.com/web/en-US...e/fragile.aspx
The list of crap the airlines will not take responsibility for is long ...
You will have better luck claiming theft happened on the international portion of the trip with airline. They will probably try to say it happened domestically because there was a TSA inspection which removes their liability.
http://www.continental.com/web/en-US...liability.aspx
http://www.continental.com/web/en-US...e/fragile.aspx
The list of crap the airlines will not take responsibility for is long ...
Feb 8, 2012, 7:48 am
#6
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,254
I don't think any airline is responsible for items like cameras stolen from checked luggage. The company which delivered your bags to your house might have liability but I don't think you could prove they stole your cameras, nor do I think they're the ones who stole them.
Feb 8, 2012, 8:25 am
#7
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Salish Sea
Programs: DL,AC,HH,PC
Posts: 8,974
CO shall not be liable for the loss of, damage to or delay in delivery of any of the following:
a) Antiques, artifacts, heirlooms, collectibles, religious items;
b) Antlers;
c) Backpacks not designed for travel, sleeping bags and knapsacks made of plastic, vinyl or other easily torn material with aluminum frames, outside pockets or with protruding straps and buckles;
d) Business equipment and business samples;
e) Portable multimedia players including, but not limited to, CD, DVD or MP3 players;
f) Chinaware, glass, ceramics, pottery;
g) Computer hardware/software and electronic components/equipment;
h) Items checked in sacks or paper/plastic bags that do not have sufficient durability, do not have secure closures or do not provide sufficient protection to the contents;
i) Items checked in corrugated/cardboard boxes, including cardboard boxes provided by CO, except for items that otherwise would be suitable for transportation without the cardboard box (e.g., bicycle, garment bag);
j) Electronic and mechanical items, including cell phones, electronic games; and other related items;
k) Eyeglasses, Binoculars, Prescription Sunglasses and Non-Prescription Sunglasses and all other eyewear and eye/vision devices;
l) Flowers and plants;
m) Garment bags not designed for travel;
n) Irreplaceable items;
o) Items made of paper (e.g., advertising displays, blueprints, maps, manuscripts, business/personal documents, historical documents, photos, books, negotiable papers, securities, etc.);
p) Jewelry;
q) Keys;
r) Liquids, perfumes, alcohol/liquor, jerkins, zamzam water;
s) Medicines, medical equipment;
t) Money, gift cards and gift certificates;
u) Natural fur products;
v) Perishable items such as food (e.g., fruits and vegetables, cheese, fresh or frozen meat or poultry, seafood, baked goods, dry ice, and tobacco);
w) Photographic/cinematographic/audio/video equipment, cameras and related items;
x) Precious metals/stones;
y) Tools, battery powered hand tools, tool boxes/containers, automotive towbars;
z) Totally unprotected items such as tennis racquets and umbrellas, either individually checked or tied/strapped to the outside of luggage;
aa) Silverware, knives, swords;
bb) Watches (Timepieces);
cc) Works of art such as paintings or sculptures; or
dd) Any other similar valuable property or irreplaceable property included in the Passenger’s Checked or Carry-on Baggage with or without the knowledge of CO.
a) Antiques, artifacts, heirlooms, collectibles, religious items;
b) Antlers;
c) Backpacks not designed for travel, sleeping bags and knapsacks made of plastic, vinyl or other easily torn material with aluminum frames, outside pockets or with protruding straps and buckles;
d) Business equipment and business samples;
e) Portable multimedia players including, but not limited to, CD, DVD or MP3 players;
f) Chinaware, glass, ceramics, pottery;
g) Computer hardware/software and electronic components/equipment;
h) Items checked in sacks or paper/plastic bags that do not have sufficient durability, do not have secure closures or do not provide sufficient protection to the contents;
i) Items checked in corrugated/cardboard boxes, including cardboard boxes provided by CO, except for items that otherwise would be suitable for transportation without the cardboard box (e.g., bicycle, garment bag);
j) Electronic and mechanical items, including cell phones, electronic games; and other related items;
k) Eyeglasses, Binoculars, Prescription Sunglasses and Non-Prescription Sunglasses and all other eyewear and eye/vision devices;
l) Flowers and plants;
m) Garment bags not designed for travel;
n) Irreplaceable items;
o) Items made of paper (e.g., advertising displays, blueprints, maps, manuscripts, business/personal documents, historical documents, photos, books, negotiable papers, securities, etc.);
p) Jewelry;
q) Keys;
r) Liquids, perfumes, alcohol/liquor, jerkins, zamzam water;
s) Medicines, medical equipment;
t) Money, gift cards and gift certificates;
u) Natural fur products;
v) Perishable items such as food (e.g., fruits and vegetables, cheese, fresh or frozen meat or poultry, seafood, baked goods, dry ice, and tobacco);
w) Photographic/cinematographic/audio/video equipment, cameras and related items;
x) Precious metals/stones;
y) Tools, battery powered hand tools, tool boxes/containers, automotive towbars;
z) Totally unprotected items such as tennis racquets and umbrellas, either individually checked or tied/strapped to the outside of luggage;
aa) Silverware, knives, swords;
bb) Watches (Timepieces);
cc) Works of art such as paintings or sculptures; or
dd) Any other similar valuable property or irreplaceable property included in the Passenger’s Checked or Carry-on Baggage with or without the knowledge of CO.
.
Feb 8, 2012, 11:25 am
#8
Moderator: Information Desk, Women Travelers, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Chicago, IL, USA
Programs: AA Gold
Posts: 15,651
I'm sorry to hear, but your cameras are probably gone. You might want to keep an eye on Craigslist (if you have a good idea of where they might have gone missing) and eBay to see if you can spot them.
Feb 8, 2012, 11:35 am
#9
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: on the path to perdition
Programs: Delta, United
Posts: 4,786
While I am no authority but in my reading of the rules - they are different for an international flight versus a domestic flight.
From: http://www.continental.com/web/en-US...liability.aspx
For international travel to which the Warsaw Convention applies (including domestic portions of international travel), Continental's liability is limited to approximately $9.07 per pound up to $640.00 per bag for checked baggage and $400.00 per customer for unchecked baggage.
For international travel to which the Montreal Convention applies (including domestic portions of international travel), Continental's liability is limited to 1,131 SDR (Special Drawing Rights) per customer for checked and unchecked baggage. Exchange rates are available online at imf.org.
Avoid packing high value, fragile or perishable items in your checked baggage. For domestic travel, Continental is not liable for loss, damage or delay in delivery of high value, fragile or perishable items. See Fragile and Perishable Items for detailed listings of excluded items. For international travel, Continental's liability is limited as per above.
------------
My reading is that for international travel there are no limits on the types of valuables that may be declared stollen unless the Warsaw or Montreal conventions have such limitations.
From: http://www.continental.com/web/en-US...liability.aspx
For international travel to which the Warsaw Convention applies (including domestic portions of international travel), Continental's liability is limited to approximately $9.07 per pound up to $640.00 per bag for checked baggage and $400.00 per customer for unchecked baggage.
For international travel to which the Montreal Convention applies (including domestic portions of international travel), Continental's liability is limited to 1,131 SDR (Special Drawing Rights) per customer for checked and unchecked baggage. Exchange rates are available online at imf.org.
Avoid packing high value, fragile or perishable items in your checked baggage. For domestic travel, Continental is not liable for loss, damage or delay in delivery of high value, fragile or perishable items. See Fragile and Perishable Items for detailed listings of excluded items. For international travel, Continental's liability is limited as per above.
------------
My reading is that for international travel there are no limits on the types of valuables that may be declared stollen unless the Warsaw or Montreal conventions have such limitations.
Last edited by FlyingUnderTheRadar; Feb 8, 2012 at 6:19 pm
Feb 11, 2012, 7:34 am
#11
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Baltimore, MD USA
Programs: Southwest Rapid Rewards. Tha... that's about it.
Posts: 4,332
I'm terribly sorry to hear of this. As an amateur photographer, I consider it a terrible tragedy whenever someone loses camera gear or images due to preventable circumstances. And these circumstances were definitely preventable, had you only known the risks.
It's too late to help you, Steve, but since others may come along and read this thread, let me list the ways that your tragedy could have been avoided, and perhaps it will benefit others in the future.
1) Packing
NEVER pack photographic equipment in checked baggage, NEVER EVER NEVER EVER! The reasons are three
---a) As OP found out, luggage theft and loss are quite common
---b) Luggage is not treated gently and electronics within can be damaged by impacts and by being stuck on the bottom of a thousand-pound stack of bags in the luggage compartment of a plane
---c) Luggage is x-rayed by more powerful scanners than carry-on bags, which will not harm electronics, but will destroy any undeveloped (exposed or not) FILM you might have, including disposable cameras.
A good, padded camera bag, or camera/laptop bag, carry-on sized, is essential for travel. If you have a small P&S camera, wonderful - it will fit into one of the padded compartments of your laptop bag or other carry-on; just be sure that you have a padded case for it. If you travel with a larger bridge camera, you'll probably need a dedicated camera bag. If you have an SLR with extra lenses and other gear, you'll need a larger dedicated bag, preferably a combo bag that has room for your laptop, too.
2) Backup
When traveling, always back up your images to AT LEAST one other location. There are many ways to do this; you can copy them to your laptop, you can use the laptop to burn them to CD or DVD, and you can upload them to an online location such as your personal web site, Facebook page, or a commercial site like Snapfish.com. For safety's sake, it's best to do multiples; copy the pics to your laptop AND burn them to CD AND upload them somewhere.
When you fly home, place the various copies you have on you into different bags, so that you won't lose them all if you have a bag stolen, lost, or destroyed - I keep a copy on my laptop in my carry-on, a copy on CD in my checked bag, and I upload a copy to my web site, giving me three separate copies of all of my pics.
3) Redundancy
When traveling, don't put all of your eggs in one basket - or all of your pics on one memory card. Buy additional memory cards for your camera(s), and cycle through them daily. I prefer to have one memory card for each day of travel, plus an extra or two. Whether the card gets full or not, it goes into the safe at the end of the day and a fresh card goes into the camera; carrying too many images with you is just like carrying all of your cash with you - you risk losing it all if something bad happens.
Keep cards that have pics on them in your hotel safe, NOT in the camera bag that you carry with you all day long. This way, if you lose the camera or the whole bag, the most you can lose is one day of pics. You don't have to buy the biggest cards there are; buy the smaller, cheaper ones. They only have to be large enough to hold one day of pics, not the whole trip.
Of course, when you're heading to the airport to come home, you'll have all of your pics with you, which is why it's important to have multiple copies in different bags, and an online copy if possible. The online option is best, because even if the plane goes down and you lose all of your physical copies, you'll still have the online copy.
4) Don't have a laptop?
There are plenty of ways to backup your pics if you're traveling with no laptop. Many places all around the world will burn your pics from your memory cards to a CD or DVD. Get this done every few days, whenever possible, and make multiple copies. Again, redundancy and separation are key - multiple copies in multiple locations are less likely to be lost, stolen, or destroyed than if you simply keep all your pics on one giganto memory card IN the camera. You can mail one copy of the CD home to yourself and keep one copy, and the memory cards, giving you three copies with one in a remote location.
----------------------------------------------------
As always, the key to risk avoidance is risk awareness. The OP was not aware of the risks, and he wound up engaging in what was, unbeknownst to him, the riskiest, most dangerous behavior - he kept all of his precious photos on the camera, and put the camera into the most dangerous place for cameras, a checked bag.
The OP is, I'm sorry to say, unlikely to ever see his photos again. He'll never make these mistakes again, but that's little comfort to him and his wife, since they have most likely lost all of their honeymoon photos forever. But others can learn from his tragedy.
Be aware, take precautions, and don't lose your precious photos.
It's too late to help you, Steve, but since others may come along and read this thread, let me list the ways that your tragedy could have been avoided, and perhaps it will benefit others in the future.
1) Packing
NEVER pack photographic equipment in checked baggage, NEVER EVER NEVER EVER! The reasons are three
---a) As OP found out, luggage theft and loss are quite common
---b) Luggage is not treated gently and electronics within can be damaged by impacts and by being stuck on the bottom of a thousand-pound stack of bags in the luggage compartment of a plane
---c) Luggage is x-rayed by more powerful scanners than carry-on bags, which will not harm electronics, but will destroy any undeveloped (exposed or not) FILM you might have, including disposable cameras.
A good, padded camera bag, or camera/laptop bag, carry-on sized, is essential for travel. If you have a small P&S camera, wonderful - it will fit into one of the padded compartments of your laptop bag or other carry-on; just be sure that you have a padded case for it. If you travel with a larger bridge camera, you'll probably need a dedicated camera bag. If you have an SLR with extra lenses and other gear, you'll need a larger dedicated bag, preferably a combo bag that has room for your laptop, too.
2) Backup
When traveling, always back up your images to AT LEAST one other location. There are many ways to do this; you can copy them to your laptop, you can use the laptop to burn them to CD or DVD, and you can upload them to an online location such as your personal web site, Facebook page, or a commercial site like Snapfish.com. For safety's sake, it's best to do multiples; copy the pics to your laptop AND burn them to CD AND upload them somewhere.
When you fly home, place the various copies you have on you into different bags, so that you won't lose them all if you have a bag stolen, lost, or destroyed - I keep a copy on my laptop in my carry-on, a copy on CD in my checked bag, and I upload a copy to my web site, giving me three separate copies of all of my pics.
3) Redundancy
When traveling, don't put all of your eggs in one basket - or all of your pics on one memory card. Buy additional memory cards for your camera(s), and cycle through them daily. I prefer to have one memory card for each day of travel, plus an extra or two. Whether the card gets full or not, it goes into the safe at the end of the day and a fresh card goes into the camera; carrying too many images with you is just like carrying all of your cash with you - you risk losing it all if something bad happens.
Keep cards that have pics on them in your hotel safe, NOT in the camera bag that you carry with you all day long. This way, if you lose the camera or the whole bag, the most you can lose is one day of pics. You don't have to buy the biggest cards there are; buy the smaller, cheaper ones. They only have to be large enough to hold one day of pics, not the whole trip.
Of course, when you're heading to the airport to come home, you'll have all of your pics with you, which is why it's important to have multiple copies in different bags, and an online copy if possible. The online option is best, because even if the plane goes down and you lose all of your physical copies, you'll still have the online copy.
4) Don't have a laptop?
There are plenty of ways to backup your pics if you're traveling with no laptop. Many places all around the world will burn your pics from your memory cards to a CD or DVD. Get this done every few days, whenever possible, and make multiple copies. Again, redundancy and separation are key - multiple copies in multiple locations are less likely to be lost, stolen, or destroyed than if you simply keep all your pics on one giganto memory card IN the camera. You can mail one copy of the CD home to yourself and keep one copy, and the memory cards, giving you three copies with one in a remote location.
----------------------------------------------------
As always, the key to risk avoidance is risk awareness. The OP was not aware of the risks, and he wound up engaging in what was, unbeknownst to him, the riskiest, most dangerous behavior - he kept all of his precious photos on the camera, and put the camera into the most dangerous place for cameras, a checked bag.
The OP is, I'm sorry to say, unlikely to ever see his photos again. He'll never make these mistakes again, but that's little comfort to him and his wife, since they have most likely lost all of their honeymoon photos forever. But others can learn from his tragedy.
Be aware, take precautions, and don't lose your precious photos.
Feb 12, 2012, 3:50 pm
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: west of DFW airport
Programs: AA LT Gold 1.9 MM flying my way to LT PLAT
Posts: 11,074
You violated common sense by packing your cameras into your to-be-checked luggage. That said, I'm sorry for your loss.
Try the various Craig's lists for the cities near the airports where the items may have been stolled as well as EBay.
It will help if you have a record of the serial numbers of the cameras.
Your chances of getting your photos back are slim to none, but it is still worth trying.
Try the various Craig's lists for the cities near the airports where the items may have been stolled as well as EBay.
It will help if you have a record of the serial numbers of the cameras.
Your chances of getting your photos back are slim to none, but it is still worth trying.
Oct 19, 2017, 1:59 am
#13
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 1
Ditto
I had the same thing happen on a flight from Amsterdam in August, was asked to consolidate bags as it was a full flight so my SLR ended up in my checked luggage, when we arrived home the camera had vanished, the only time the bag would have been opened was during security checks at AMS.
My insurance didn't cover because they claim my bags were left "unattended" and British Airways are pointing the finger at security. Not one seems to want to take responsibility. Next course of action for me is to report as a crime.
My insurance didn't cover because they claim my bags were left "unattended" and British Airways are pointing the finger at security. Not one seems to want to take responsibility. Next course of action for me is to report as a crime.
Oct 26, 2017, 11:15 am
#14
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 108
I had the same thing happen on a flight from Amsterdam in August, was asked to consolidate bags as it was a full flight so my SLR ended up in my checked luggage, when we arrived home the camera had vanished, the only time the bag would have been opened was during security checks at AMS.
My insurance didn't cover because they claim my bags were left "unattended" and British Airways are pointing the finger at security. Not one seems to want to take responsibility. Next course of action for me is to report as a crime.
My insurance didn't cover because they claim my bags were left "unattended" and British Airways are pointing the finger at security. Not one seems to want to take responsibility. Next course of action for me is to report as a crime.
Last February I flew from BOS to MIA (overnight stay) to EZE (overnight stay) to USH for a trip to Antarctica. I was bringing lots of camera gear so my carry on was at the maximum weight allowed for carry on. But I had an arctic parka with cargo pockets so I stuffed those with more gear. And I wore the parka in Miami (temperature 89F) and Buenos Aires (92F) and onto the plane in both airports. You do what you gotta do to not check your camera gear.
BTW - as you take photos on a trip, if you care about the photos you BACK THEM UP. Back them up to the cloud, back them up to other memory cards, to a laptop, whatever. My phone has a 200G uSD card. I back up all my Nikon D800 and D300 pics to my phone's card via my laptop. From the phone it goes to the cloud. So there are 4 copies of every photo - the original, the laptop, the phone, and the cloud. For a trip of a lifetime like Antarctica you can't be too careful.