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Consolidated UA Lost/Delayed Baggage Issues

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Old Dec 11, 2014, 5:43 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
DoT is proposing increased lost bag compensation -- increased from $3,500 to $3,800 effective 21 April 2021
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Suggested reading is UA's lost bag info on the web: Baggage Info, Checked Bag Issues, checked UA's Baggage tracing and Damaged Bags

Delayed baggage and claim form
Updated prior to June 2023 to removed the $1,500 statement

new statement
Bags that don’t arrive with you at your destination are considered delayed. Customers whose bags were delayed somewhere other than where they live may submit a claim for reimbursement of expenses, along with receipts, for the period during which their bags were delayed. If the bags aren’t found after five days, the customer may also submit a claim for their lost bags. Reimbursed expenses will be deducted from the total we pay you if your bags are permanently lost. You can submit a claim below.

For bags still lost after five days
If we can’t find your bag after five days, we’ll reimburse you for the value of your bag, its contents, and any fees you paid to check the bag. Receipts may be required and certain items might not be eligible for reimbursement. Depending on your trip, maximum claim limits may also apply.

The fastest way to start a claim is online, using the button below.
https://baggageclaimform.united.com/...uagecode=en-us

You can also contact us at the Baggage Recovery Center to file a claim:
old statement

For bags still lost after five days

If we’re unable to find your bag after five days, you may be eligible for $1,500 for the value of your baggage and its contents without requiring any documentation.
If we can’t find your bag after five days, we’ll reimburse you for the value of your bag, its contents, and any fees you paid to check the bag. Receipts may be required and certain items might not be eligible for reimbursement. Depending on your trip, maximum claim limits may also apply.Contact a United Representative at the Baggage Resolution Center by calling:
If the value of your lost bag and its contents is more than $1,500, you can document and claim a higher amount, with receipts. The most you can claim is $3,500 for flights within the U.S. There are different maximums for international flights. Customers whose baggage was delayed in a location other than their place of residence may submit a claim for reimbursement of interim expenses for the period during which the baggage was delayed, providing receipts. If the baggage is not found after five days, the customer may submit a claim for the lost baggage. The interim expenses will be deducted from the legal limit of reimbursement if the bag is permanently lost. Use the link below to submit a claim.
https://www.wheresmysuitcase.com/

When multiple carriers are involved, IATA convention on bag issues is that your claim is to be processed with the last carrier noted on the claim tag. that should have delivered the bags regardless on which carrier may or may not have created the issue.

Montreal Convention - Wikipedia
The Montreal Convention changes and generally increases the maximum liability of airlines for lost baggage to a fixed amount 1,131 SDR per passenger (the amount in the Warsaw Convention is based on weight of the baggage). It requires airlines to fully compensate travelers the cost of replacement items purchased until the baggage is delivered, to a maximum of 1,131 SDR. At 21 days any delayed baggage is considered lost, until the airline finds and delivers it.
Montreal Convention - IATA
Limits on Baggage Liability
Domestic Baggage Liability
  • For DOMESTIC flights, DOT regulation allows airlines to limit their liability for a lost, damaged, or delayed bag. Airlines are free to pay more than the limit, but are not required to do so.
  • The maximum liability amount allowed by the regulation is $3,800 per passenger.
International Baggage Liability
  • For most INTERNATIONAL flights, a treaty called the Montreal Convention applies to the carriage of baggage. The maximum baggage liability for flights covered by the Montreal Convention is currently 1,288 Special Drawing Rights (approximately $1,700.00 US) per passenger. This is the most that airlines must pay a passenger for a lost, damaged, or delayed bag. Airlines are free to pay more than the limit, but are not required to do so.
  • The Montreal Convention’s international baggage liability limit is reviewed for inflationary adjustment every five years by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
  • In the few situations when the Montreal Convention does not apply to travel to and from the United States, an older treaty called the “Warsaw Convention ” may apply.

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Old Jun 20, 2022, 7:35 am
  #16  
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Originally Posted by paulsalem
Does UA have 5 days to get the bag to my destination airport or to my requested delivery address?
Depends what you mean by that.
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Old Jun 20, 2022, 8:28 am
  #17  
 
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Originally Posted by paulsalem
Does UA have 5 days to get the bag to my destination airport or to my requested delivery address?
For the $1500 no questions asked??
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Old Jun 20, 2022, 8:50 am
  #18  
 
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Originally Posted by Flying Machine
For the $1500 no questions asked??
Yes. My bags have been siting in EWR for over 36 hours, the "Where's My Suitcase" shows a pending delivery that keeps changing.
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Old Jun 20, 2022, 8:53 am
  #19  
 
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Originally Posted by paulsalem
Yes. My bags have been siting in EWR for over 36 hours, the "Where's My Suitcase" shows a pending delivery that keeps changing.
That’s good! I wouldn’t say a word if you think you’d rather have the cash.. I’ll leave it to the more experience FTers whom actually claimed the 5 day $1500 and what it entailed.

Perhaps you could double dip here get the $1500 and your bag will be delivered a few days later
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Old Jun 21, 2022, 6:51 pm
  #20  
 
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After 4 days I have 5/6 of my bags. 3/6 arrived reeking of cigarette smoke and the bags are all nylon. Does anyone have advice on this? Should I try to get compensation from UA or my amex gold travel insurance? I'm 1K.
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Old Jun 21, 2022, 7:10 pm
  #21  
 
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Originally Posted by paulsalem
After 4 days I have 5/6 of my bags. 3/6 arrived reeking of cigarette smoke and the bags are all nylon. Does anyone have advice on this? Should I try to get compensation from UA or my amex gold travel insurance? I'm 1K.
if the 6 of 6 doesn’t show up tomorrow UA owes you $1500 for that bag even if it shows up at a later date. I would make a claim with you a for that lost bag first

Then you could work on the smoke tainted items afterwards Did the delivery guy that brought them to your house smell of smoke?
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Old Jun 21, 2022, 7:51 pm
  #22  
 
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Originally Posted by Flying Machine
Did the delivery guy that brought them to your house smell of smoke?
Not that I noticed but we met outside.
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Old Jun 26, 2022, 8:45 am
  #23  
 
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baggage issues in MUC

Bags from UA107 (MUC-IAD) from Friday June 24 still in limbo.

UA app bag tracker showed bags loaded onto flight but no bags arrived in Dulles. Multiple calls with Global baggage desk have produced no information but speculation the bags were not loaded and are still in Munich. No explanation for why they were not loaded on UA107 on the 25th.

Apparently other passengers on this flight also have same problem. One GS agent who has worked on UA bag issues for 22 years said this is the worst mess she has ever seen.

bottom line not clear where our bags are or when they might reach us.
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Old Jun 26, 2022, 9:39 am
  #24  
 
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Originally Posted by ugs/dca/iad
Bags from UA107 (MUC-IAD) from Friday June 24 still in limbo.

UA app bag tracker showed bags loaded onto flight but no bags arrived in Dulles. Multiple calls with Global baggage desk have produced no information but speculation the bags were not loaded and are still in Munich. No explanation for why they were not loaded on UA107 on the 25th.

Apparently other passengers on this flight also have same problem. One GS agent who has worked on UA bag issues for 22 years said this is the worst mess she has ever seen.

bottom line not clear where our bags are or when they might reach us.
did you put in a claim with baggage services? That is necessary to get your baggage delivered/traced properly. Not saying you didn't, just unclear. you would then be able to trace it in https://wheresmysuitcase.com/
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Old Jun 26, 2022, 9:57 am
  #25  
 
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Originally Posted by prestonh
did you put in a claim with baggage services? That is necessary to get your baggage delivered/traced properly. Not saying you didn't, just unclear. you would then be able to trace it in https://wheresmysuitcase.com/
Excellent advice. A few years back I had a bag get lost between the plane and baggage claim -- I could see it scanned coming off the plane and then it just went poof and disappeared! This was EWR so I guess it was par for the course -- three days later it showed up -- with zero explanation from anyone about where it had gone?
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Old Jun 26, 2022, 10:20 am
  #26  
 
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Originally Posted by prestonh
did you put in a claim with baggage services? That is necessary to get your baggage delivered/traced properly. Not saying you didn't, just unclear. you would then be able to trace it in https://wheresmysuitcase.com/
Yes I put in a claim at Dulles. Note that https://where’s my suitcase.com/ provides no information until after your bag has been turned over to the delivery service, which United outsources. It will not tell you where your lost bag is until it is located and turned over to delivery.
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Old Jun 26, 2022, 10:26 am
  #27  
 
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Originally Posted by ugs/dca/iad
Yes I put in a claim at Dulles. Note that https://where’s my suitcase.com/ provides no information until after your bag has been turned over to the delivery service, which United outsources. It will not tell you where your lost bag is until it is located and turned over to delivery.
Have you seen any scans (via the app) of the baggage since you’ve landed at all?
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Old Jun 26, 2022, 10:41 am
  #28  
 
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No. Last scan was when the bag was loaded at MUC. When, 45 minutes after the last MUC bags came out on the belt, the UA Desk at international arrivals at Dulles insisted that the bags were still on the plane but hadn’t been off loaded because the scanner wasn’t working.

the next day Global baggage person said it was likely that the bag was scanned at MUC but was not actually loaded.

despite multiple calls I have no confirmation of where our 4 bags are. Shouldn’t be that hard to find. All have priority baggage tags and all of our bags have permanent global services tags.
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Old Jun 26, 2022, 10:56 am
  #29  
 
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Originally Posted by ugs/dca/iad
No. Last scan was when the bag was loaded at MUC. When, 45 minutes after the last MUC bags came out on the belt, the UA Desk at international arrivals at Dulles insisted that the bags were still on the plane but hadn’t been off loaded because the scanner wasn’t working.

the next day Global baggage person said it was likely that the bag was scanned at MUC but was not actually loaded.

despite multiple calls I have no confirmation of where our 4 bags are. Shouldn’t be that hard to find. All have priority baggage tags and all of our bags have permanent global services tags.
Sorry - what I meant was using the track my bags feature of the app to see if there are any scans - just need a bag number and last name….
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Old Jun 26, 2022, 11:08 am
  #30  
 
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Originally Posted by ugs/dca/iad
No. Last scan was when the bag was loaded at MUC. When, 45 minutes after the last MUC bags came out on the belt, the UA Desk at international arrivals at Dulles insisted that the bags were still on the plane but hadn’t been off loaded because the scanner wasn’t working.

the next day Global baggage person said it was likely that the bag was scanned at MUC but was not actually loaded.

despite multiple calls I have no confirmation of where our 4 bags are. Shouldn’t be that hard to find. All have priority baggage tags and all of our bags have permanent global services tags.
Hope your reunited with your luggage shortly. How many days has it been since they were loaded at MUC?
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