B1

We gate-checked the stroller on our flight out of DFW on AA and then were told that they didn't have room for it (or other strollers) on our flight. When we got to our destination, AA had no clue as to what would happen. After several days, they called to say that they found it. But what showed up was the bottom half - they had only tagged the lower part. They they demanded a trip to the airport to fill out a claim with the original receipt. They will let us know in about ten weeks what they will do. Lesson:
1. American Airlines is bankrupt for good reasons - one of them is their poor service.
2. Always have tags on every part of a stroller.
3. Try to insist that the gate-checked item go on the flight because the infant needs to be in it at the other end.
4. Choose an airline that is not currently bankrupt.

icedancer

That sucks. So sorry to hear that. If they had told me that in advance, I would probably have requested to be put on another flight.

Four years ago, when I was traveling AA with my then-2-month-old daughter from LAX-MIA, my suitcase (with extra formula, business suits for me, and virtually all of the shower gift baby clothes I had received) got lost -- it was likely stolen off the baggage claim belt, but we'll never know. I got a $3000 check for replacement of the lost articles after submitting the proper paperwork. I was happy with how it was resolved, but I don't go out of my way to fly them anymore.

B1

Thanks - but that was not an option - they do not allow changes. We did meet with the station manager for American. He said that it is their policy that if they lose or break a stroller, they are not responsible. I'll probably try to file a complaint with the DOT. I certainly have a choice of airlines and American will never be one of them again. It is obvious why. On my previous attempt to travel on American they cancelled my flight and wouldn't rebook because they said I needed to give them two weeks notice due to the fare class. They have earned their reputation. I am now dealing with the manufacturer of the stroller to try to acquire the missing piece.

azepine00

Sorry about this unfortunate situation but i am sure you realize that things like that can happen on any airline here in US. The is a certain percentage of lost bags, broken guitars, frozen pets etc everywhere.

I definitely agree with #3 - i had a rather vigorous argument with TG staff on BKK-HND flight last week as apparently HND is one of the few airports where gate checked strollers are sent to baggage claim by default. As we had a connection this was acceptable and i eventually convinced them (seating in C probably helped).

BTW out of curiosity what kind of stroller has two parts?

swise

Having just completed a massive stroller research project, I can answer this one...

Several strollers now have seat components that can come off to be reconfigured any number of ways. Some that come to mind: Britax B.Ready, BabyJogger City Select, Mamas and Papas, I want to say the BumbleRide does this... etc.

It's actually one way that people have reported working with the 20 lb weight limit problem on AA when they have two kids: You can get a BabyJogger City Select, for example, which is designed to accept two full-sized seats, gate check the frame and carry on the two seats (folded).

Eclipsepearl

Thanks for explaining. I was confused too.

So I assume the part that was missing was crucial to transporting the child.

For the record, AA did this to me ages ago, long before they had any financial problems. The small plane was overweight and my bag was off-loaded. As an airline person, this is to be expected. Better that real passengers get their bags and at least they were able to tell me right away where they were. True with Lufthansa.

Did they at least locate the stroller? Of course, if it's broken, it would seem to serve no purpose but you might be able to take pictures and get compensation better. No guarantee but I'd want to at least get the item back and then decide and try.

B1

It was a Mamas and Papas Sola Stroller that is sold in Canada and the US by Toys R Us for around $400. The seat part separates from the frame but even together they were within the weight limit. American lost the seat and gave us the useless frame three days after the flight and told us that American offers no compensation for strollers. Toys R Us told us that they don't sell parts of strollers and to contact Momas and Papas who are in England. They told me that there are two stores in the US sell parts. I called both (one in NJ and one in Florida) and both said that they do not sell parts. So I called again and they then said they are working on it (their main web site is for Europe. The one that works for North America is http://www.mamasandpapas.com/en-US/ (1-800-490-0331). After several denials, I said that if I had bought an Uppababy they would have had the part. Mamas and Papas are considering sending it from the UK - we'll see. In the meantime I am filing complaints with the US Department of Transportation and Transport Canada about the way American Airlines has been doing this to parents with small children because they don't care to do better. There ought to be a law - if you need to use a stroller an airline shouldn't have the right to dispose of it (for all I know American has a shop where they sell strollers that they steal from passengers - that will not solve their financial problems).

azepine00

Let's not go crazy here.

We all take this risk when checking strollers and car seats - i sign the waiver every time i travel. Never had one broken so far but i accept the risks and consequences. The airlines will not offer white glove service for strollers - there are no resources to support that so the risk of damage is higher given the shape and elements involved (especially if you have a stroller with two parts!). I would recommend using smth very sturdy and time tested if you plan to check it. These days strollers evolved into bizarre multipiece oversized (and overpriced) contraptions which are much more likely to be damaged than your generic umbrella stroller.

Check if your credit card used to buy tickets covers strollers as lost luggage etc - perhaps you can file with them.

B1

Sorry, I didn't realize that my attempt at humorous ironic writing could be mistaken for insanity - and thanks for the suggestion. We are pursuing all possibilities. One simple preventative measure would have been to ask to tag both parts of the separable stroller - we should remember that for next time.

Often1

OP - Save yourself some time. AA, just like all carriers, doesn't have a policy against reimbursing for stroller damage, it's in the contract to which you agreed when you purchased your tickets. This has zippo to do with AA's financial status which is actually quite healthy, and everything to do with space and weight limitations. Once those are reached, something has to give (pax booted off the aircraft, others' luggage off-loaded and so on). DOT isn't about to require carriers to provide damage coverage for fragile items or to order a carrier to overload an aircraft.

Depending on the loss, this should be covered by your travel insurance, perhaps the CC you used to pay for the tickets and sometimes even your homeowners (although I would be very careful about filing homeowners claims for smaller amounts). Lastly, check your employer's coverages. Even though this may have been leisure travel, some simply have blanket policies and you may be lucky.

Contract Provisions
American does not assume liability for any of the following items in or as checked baggage: antiques, artifacts, artwork, books and documents, china, computers and other electronic equipment, computer software, fragile items (including child/infant restraint devices such as strollers and car seats),

vicarious_MR'er

I agree that this is an unfortunate situation but s risk that is assumed when checking a stroller or car seat. I am a day late and a dollar short saying this, but checking $400 strollers generally isn't a good plan for exactly these reasons, especially when there are removable parts thst can become detached.

I agree wholeheartedly with the person who commented on the contraptions strollers have become these days. Unless one has a young infant, a reasonably priced umbrella stroller is the way to go when traveling for a number of reasons, including better chances at avoiding situations like this.

GUWonder

Let's get real now that the typical airline line has been thrown into the picture: just because some contract of carriage asserts the airline does not assume liability does not mean the airline is free of liability.

If by some chance the OP can claim that the relevant Montreal Convention is applicable to the flight on which the checked luggage was mishandled, then AA may be found liable.

As is well known in the industry legal circles, not all contract of carriage provisions are enforceable in all jurisdictions. Even in the US, some of AA's COC provisions aren't necessarily universally applicable even if they mention a kind of circumstance. International treaty obligations of the US have a stronger position than some US airline's assertions in a COC clause.

B1

Of course we were aware that an umbroller was preferable...but the child was too young to be transported safely in one. And this was best stroller we could find for the purpose - the price is half of what the larger ones can cost. And as far as we know the stroller was not damaged - it was simply not returned. So there is no legal issue about whether or not the thing was damaged - instead it is simply that they took it in and kept half of it. One can assume that they have no interest in a stroller seat with no frame and it is in a pile somewhere in DFW. I can't believe that anyone should accept the idea that an airline has the right to be careless. I thank GUWonder for the clarification and support.

shawbridge

I can't comment on the legality of the CoC but I assume that the statement that they assume no liability for fragile items like strollers ought to pertain to breakage but not to less. Otherwise, aren't they saying that if it is fragile, it is OK to lose it? Seems odd. Am my presumption incorrect?

vicarious_MR'er

I am going to hazard a guess tht the stroller was not put into any kind of travel bag prior to it being handed over to AA. Don't get me wrong. I am not defending AA. I am just saying that if something is prone to disassembling into two or more pieces if people who aren't experts on the features/which lever is the "detach" lever/etc., then a travel bag would not have helped with the unacceptable offloading of the stroller in the first place but may very well have helped with the issue of the lost part.

I wasn't suggesting at all that the airline had the right to be careless. They don't. I didn't mean to offend. All I meant when I said that checking a $400 stroller isn't a good idea is just that I don't think we can ever trust others to handle our belongings as carefully as we wish they would. I just meant it in a "hope for the best but assume the worst" kind of way. It's a shame that we can't trust them more with our property, but we just can't.