Transport luggage from US to Europe

Old Aug 9, 2018, 12:57 am
  #1  
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Transport luggage from US to Europe

Ill be flying to Boston this summer and I wanted to buy carry on luggage over there. It's for my mom and its pretty expensive (400+ usd). I was thinking how can I transport it back to Europe (with transit in Frankfurt). I thought that maybe I could pack in in the bigger check in luggage, but I wonder if it would raise suspicions by TSA, or just check in it as normal luggage, but then I'm quite afraid it could get damaged before I hand it over to my mom.

I heard luggage theft is quite big issue in US and Lufthansa is also notorious of losing checked in luggage and not sure what can I do about that.
What can I do when someone steals luggage that is of subsntatial value? Do I also get reimbursed by the airline for the luggage itself?

So should I risk it and just check in it by itself or maybe pack it inside a bigger luggage?
pokepim is offline  
Old Aug 9, 2018, 7:24 am
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Welcome to FT. If it fits, pack it with your checked bag or get a box to put it in and check that too. Or make it your carryon. Luggage theft happens but is typically not an issue. The airlines have set amounts for liability under the Montreal Convention.
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Old Aug 9, 2018, 7:25 pm
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Originally Posted by pokepim
I thought that maybe I could pack in in the bigger check in luggage, but I wonder if it would raise suspicions by TSA
I've done this many times in order to have more luggage capacity on the return trip than the outgoing. Never had a problem. Just have to watch the weight.
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Old Aug 9, 2018, 8:33 pm
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Luggage theft isn't a bigger issue here than most other places.
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Old Aug 10, 2018, 2:19 am
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Originally Posted by Rare


I've done this many times in order to have more luggage capacity on the return trip than the outgoing. Never had a problem. Just have to watch the weight.

Same here. If the new luggage is boxed, then customs is somewhat more likely to flag down the border crosser. But $400-900 luggage inside luggage doesnt usually cause a problem with customs/duties in much of Europe.
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Old Aug 14, 2018, 3:54 am
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Thanks, I actually also did that, however I just used is as an additional check in luggage last time. This time I want to buy carry on luggage and I dont want risk it being damaged before it hand it as a gift so thats why i need to pack it inside the bigger luggage. I read that Hartmann has some policy about free repair but im not sure if thats the case in Europe also
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