EBUS

My trusty Costco special checked suitcase finally broke after many years of service. It's a hardside, and it finally cracked.

I do not travel much by comparison to many here. (Might finally miss the bar for Delta Silver Medallion this year.) However, when I travel I often pack a bunch for outdoor activities and sometimes go over 50 lb. I like the appeal of a lifetime warranty because I'm probably fairly hard on luggage.

I've had this old FT thread bookmarked for many years for when this day came. However it seems that the Travelpro warranty isn't what it used to be from some comments here.

For those with the Platinum Elite, how has the service been for getting repairs? There's a Travelpro repair center in town that would be convenient for dropping off and not having to pay shipping.

I was eyeing this Platinum� Elite Large Check-In Expandable Hardside Spinner. (I see that the NYT Wirecutter recommends the soft-sided luggage but they use leather accents.)

Or is it worth it to just go full bore and get the and never have to worry about a checked suitcase ever again? Is the B&R warranty worth an extra $470 more?

EBUS

Travelpro seemed a little iffy on their warranty so I just went with Briggs and Riley. I got their ZDX line which was cheaper than the Baseline but still has the same warranty. Looks really good. I thought about going with the B&R Torq for a carry on though since the ZDX doesn't have a suit carrier, but it looks like the Torq is only in the 21" international version.

stan1162

Travelpro Bold. 25" expandable. Not a very expensive pice, but a wheel came off, luckily as full time nomads, husband McGyerverd it, and it got us thru til we got home. Contacted Travelpro, they had me take a photo and I had registered it when I bought it ( one year prior). 24 hours later, I got an email asking where I wanted the new suitcase to be delivered.

So, I have no experience with repairs, just replacement. And for the "low-end" piece.

QT31415

TravelPro replaced my platinum elite spinner after one of the zippers on the front pocket broke. I sent them a short video of the issue and had a new bag within a week.

EngineerS

Opened a ticket with TravelPro recently for a warranty case. Took them 2+ weeks to get back to me, including one reminding email from myself to them. They asked for several pictures. Will be interesting to see how the rest of the warranty case pans out. So far, not a great experience.

lskohn

Update 2023-07-04: After Travelpro sent me to their local contractor to see if they had a fix, and local shop said no, I sent Travelpro the local shop's email, pointing out that they are still selling this model that they can't repair...and received a warranty replacement. Of a suitcase that has no durability, but I'll take it for now!

I'm not pleased. Tried to get warranty service on 13-month-old Travelpro Maxlite 5 Softside Lightweight 26" (2 wheeled) whose left foot sheared off in normal use (walking 7 blocks from train to hotel), on third use...and Travelpro responded they no longer stocked the part, I should contact their local repair agent to see if the local has a "retrofit part" that could be used for the repair and whether it would be a warranty repair. No replacement offer. The suitcase is otherwise pristine - look at those wheels! Yes, it is low-end, but I would expect any Travelpro suitcase to survive more than 3 trips. Not getting value even for the low price I paid for it. If local shop, which is getting questionable Yelp reviews these day, sounds dubious, I may see whether the shop in Manhattan will do it as a warranty repair within the 17 days I am there later this month.
Sigh. It is getting so difficult to get 26" luggage that is a) two-wheeled and b) under 9 pounds.

Kangol

How have you all been contacting Travelpro, through the email form on their website?
I have a Flightcrew4 rollaboard from 8 years ago that I need a replacement retractable handle for.
Have tried the email form a couple of times, called their phone number (which says to go to the website), tried the chat bot on their page and sent a message on Facebook messenger.
No response from any of them.
I'm not in the US so contact options are limited.
Does anyone have another way or direct email contact?
Thanks!

EBUS

Feeling better about my decision to go with Briggs and Riley.

EngineerS

I used this email [email protected].

I was pleased when TravelPro got back to me after I sent in pictures of my broken zipper. They now sent a brand new suitcase to replace my broken zipper one. Didn't even ask me to send the one I already have back.

fishy21

I just opened a warranty claim... this is the email I received back....

Hi, I am Ken Sosko, Chief Operating Officer of Travelpro Products, Inc. I understand you have an open support ticket with our customer care team. As a loyal Travelpro customer, I would like to personally express my sincerest apologies to you for the long wait times you may have been experiencing with us. I understand how frustrating it must be to have a pending issue and delayed resolution.

We are currently facing an unexpected peak in demand due to the high travel season this summer. We are working diligently to resolve all new and existing ticket claims on a first come basis. Please note that emailing multiple times may purge previous contact inquiries and will prolong your resolution time. Our backlog is currently 3-4 weeks for inquires.

As a short-term decision, we have (temporarily) suspended our phone lines, allowing us to focus on resolving all existing online inquiries as quickly and efficiently as possible and in the order in which they were received. Please note that by dialing our corporate office our employees cannot assist you with your inquiries and they are unable to transfer you to our customer service agents.

As a commitment to you as a valued customer, a weekly status update from me will be sent to all impacted customers until your support case has been resolved.

If you have an immediate inquiry due to an upcoming Travel (Personal and/or Business), please reply to this email and I will personally do my best to help expedite your inquiry.

We value your understanding and appreciate your patience during this critical time. Thank you for choosing Travelpro Products and for your continued trust and loyalty.

lorrl

I purchased Travelpro Platinum Elite Softside Expandable,
in November 2022, I have used twice.
The two metal zippers have broken,
I need this for a trip in 3 weeks, this is unacceptable, you can not get to a customer service representative.

fishy21

I'm still in talks in having a 10+ year old luggage replaced. But I found this policy interesting.... for anyone considering Travelpro and their "Lifetime Warranty".


Please keep in mind � Travelpro has never offered a �LIFETIME WARRANTY� on any of our collections. What we do offer is a �LIMITED LIFETIME� Warranty which very specifically covers manufactures defects. These defects are identified within the first 24 months the luggage is introduced to the market. This Limited Lifetime Warranty does not cover general wear and tear or guarantee replacement parts for the lifetime of the original owner.

We do our best to maintain parts for 7-10 years after the collection is no longer sold in the marketplace.

If your Item is greater than 10 Years old, we are no longer able to order parts. But we would be happy to send you a discount code upon reply to purchase a new piece of luggage.

hhnyc

I had a Platinum Elite 25 inch spinner purchased about two years ago, split near one of the wheels, so I filled out their online warranty claim form, as well as sent a separate email showing the issue, along with my receipt and photos.

Didn't hear back at all for about 4-5 days, so I found and emailed the CEO and COO of Travelpro, politely explaining my issues with all the required documentation (receipt and photos). About 2 hours later, I received a response to my original claim that I filed online, mentioning that my warranty claim was approved, and the replacement bag was shipped out the same day. No need to return the damaged bag.

While I'm glad the warranty claim was approved and the bag was replaced, it was annoying to have to jump through hoops to get it done. FWIW, I do like the bag quite a bit, though disappointed that failed after only two years and maybe 5-6 checked bag flights. Also have the carry-on spinner and the backpack in the same Platinum Elite line, and no issues with those at all.

fishy21

It's been 3 weeks since my claim was approved. They were supposed to send me a new bag 1-2 days after the claim was approved. There are now starting to ignore my emails, including the COO.

fishy21

Anyone have emails to corporate leadership? They�ve stopped answering my warranty emails.