Has anybody had problems with AA refusing to reimburse for lost or missing items from luggage?

I travel Boston to Costa Rica with a connection in Miami several times a year. I have had numerous problems with late arriving luggage ,up to a 1 - 5 day delay in some cases. For late arriving I have never requested any type of reimbursement nor have I complained.

On a trip 2 years ago AA lost my suitcase, It was never recovered. I filed forms for reimbursements but got next to nothing because I do not keep receipts.

This past September my wife paid an overweight fee ($200) for a suitcase full of presents for friends and family. Suitcase was lost but eventually showed up 3 weeks later at my door. It was no longer overweight with many missing presents. This time we had receipts but got a letter from AA saying in part:

"In our evaluation of this claim, it has been noted that there have been multiple instances of reported baggage problems with American. Some of these claims may have been reported by members of your family or others in the same household.................we must respectfully decline this current claim."

Any advice on what I should do next?

Just to clarify - you only had one prior AA baggage loss claim with AA before the current one that got rejected?

Only one other claim and I think it was for $250 not even the price of the suitcase. The letter seemed to say that I had other problems (delayed luggage), which were their fault, that weighed in their decision.

Gee, that's not good. There was an article in the general press a few weeks ago about a growing trend among companies to keep track of things like this in order to weed out "problem" customers. For example, if you return things too much at a particular store, they may at some point tell you "this is the last return for you," or more likely, not tell you in advance and simply start refusing returns.

Although there are undoubtedly some customers that are abusive, I think a lot of people like yourself get caught up in these things. Once the company grants someone the authority to start denying otherwise legitimate claims on this basis, it's all too easy for it to devolve into this sort of situation: after all, the person in charge of the program is likely compensated/promoted based on how much money they can show that they saved the company.

Look for more, not less, of this sort of thing in American business. Unfortunately, I think things are going to get more and more frustrating as time goes on.

I would write a letter to AA, and cite an impending letter to the BBB. If you fly other routes or other airlines, I would cite that as the example for why you are not the problem, but rather the employee(s) on that route.

Aside from that, I would consider luggage insurance, such as the one offered from Amex, since they are really fast at paying for lost luggage, or at least that was my experience.

Rob

Once while standing in customs baggage claim at MIA, I saw one black shoe come down the belt....I though, wow, some poor sap's luggage broke open on our UIO to MIA flight.

Then I realized it was one of mine.

My luggage came shortly thereafter with one outside pocket unzipped.

I though nothing of it.

When I got home (to CVG), I noticed that a Mont Blac pen, Swiss Army knife and MagLite flashlight were missing from my luggage. I wrote AA with a decription of each item. They sent me a check for full replacement value.

A month or two later a baggage theft ring was busted at MIA.

Emirates Air recently denied my claim also.

At the gate, the agent decided something I had in my bag was a security risk. He put it in an envelope, gave me a baggage claim slip,and said I could get my bag at the destination.

This envelope never showed up. Emirates refused to pay saying they don't pay for lost security items.

The item was a set of safety scissors that are normally allowed in carryon bags. However, in Dubai, they said I could not take them on board. The monitary value was not great, but I think since they took it from me and gave me a baggage claim slip, they should be responsible for it.

I'd also CC to the FAA.
http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/problems.htm