hazru

I had a positive experience reporting a damaged bag so figured I would add it here:
Because of a damaged cargo door all of the bags from the flight I was on from SFO-HNL arrived two days late. I was traveling with a $300 bicycle soft case which was was delivered 48 hours after my flight to my house with a broken handle and a rip at one of the zippers. The contents were OK but the bag required major repairs. Because I was no longer within the 24 hour reporting period, or at the airport, I reported the damage online at the United "Issues with your checked bags" page with images of the damage and a purchase receipt. I received no update on the status of my claim beyond the original e-mail stating that it was submitted and received a check for the full retail value ($300 usd) ~3 weeks after submitting the claim.

I have gold status so maybe that helped but I was shocked that the process was so easy and that I actually received a check!

garykung

Because of the delay, a BIR has been initiated. So you actually satisfied the requirement when the delay was reported.

penelope

We were delayed for around four hours on Monday LGA-IAH-QRO for storms and subsequent ramp closures. When we pulled our five checked bags off the carousel at QRO they seemed damp, but nothing untoward. It wasn't until we reached our destination and unpacked that we realized they were entirely saturated inside. Not just damp - really, really wet - clothes, papers, books, food items etc all soaked. For that much water to have penetrated hard shell bags they must have been left unprotected on the ramp for a long time.

I called baggage services whose first suggestion was that I return to the airport to 'show them' the damage. As it's more than an hour away and as a small regional airport likely closed at that hour anyway, that was impractical, so they started a file and gave me an email address to follow up with details.

At this point I'm not sure what is reasonable in terms of reparations. I have photos but they don't really do justice to the mess and the subsequent cleanup. No one item was of particularly high value - just a lot of damp, stained, ruined 'stuff' - we're relocating for a period so were carrying much more than a typical vacation load.

I've only dealt with delayed bag claims before, so would greatly welcome any advice on approach.

IAH-OIL-TRASH

I was sitting on plane during downpour at IAH that Monday. I can imagine some bags might have been sitting on ramp in carts and exposed. Here's some pertinent info from Contract of Carriage as to process/timing of damage claims:

1.  
   1. Under the Warsaw Convention and the Montreal Convention, whichever may apply, an action for damages must be brought within two years, and a complaint must be made to the carrier within seven calendar days in the case of damage to baggage, and 21 calendar days in the case of delay thereof. For baggage claims, reimbursement for any expenses will be based upon proof of claim acceptable to UA.For purposes of all other carriage (including Domestic Carriage) not governed by the Montreal Convention or other applicable international law, the following liability limitations and other exclusions apply:
      
   2. ...
   3. Additional Baggage Liability Limitations and Exclusions:
      1. If all of the Passenger’s Ticketed segments are for carriage within the U.S.A., the following apply:
         1. Liability for the loss of, damage to or delay in delivery of a Passenger’s personal property, including Baggage, when such personal property or Baggage has been checked (unless a higher value is declared in advance and additional charges are paid and personal property is not otherwise excludable), is limited to USD 3,800 per Ticketed Passenger. Passenger will be responsible for documenting and proving the actual value of the loss. For baggage claims, reimbursement for any expenses will be based upon proof of claim acceptable to UA.
         2. When transportation is over the lines of UA and one or more carriers with a liability limitation exceeding USD 3,800 for each fare-paying Passenger and responsibility for loss, damage, or delay in the delivery of baggage cannot be determined, the liability limitation of USD 3,800 for each fare-paying Passenger will be applied to all carriers. When transportation is via UA and one or more carriers, which exclude certain items in checked baggage from liability, UA will not be liable for the excluded items.
         3. UA assumes no responsibility or liability for Baggage or other items carried in the Passenger compartment of the aircraft.
         4. In the case of loss of, damage to or delay in delivery of a Passenger’s personal property, including Baggage, a preliminary notice of claim must be submitted to UA by the Passenger within twenty-four hours after arrival of the flight on which the Baggage was or was to be transported. In the event of failure to give such preliminary notice of claim (absent extraordinary circumstances to be determined at UA’s discretion), no action shall lie against UA.
         5. After preliminary notice of claim to UA by the Passenger, the Passenger must obtain a written claim form from UA.
         6. The completed written claim form pertaining to the claimed loss of, damage to or delay in delivery of a Passenger’s personal property, including Baggage must be received by UA’s System Tracing Center from the Passenger within 45 days after the flight date. If the Passenger fails to return the completed written claim form within the specified time period (absent extraordinary circumstances to be determined at UA’s discretion), no action shall lie against UA. No employee, agent or representative of UA can bind UA legally by reason of any statements relating to the baggage claims process or any other information, it is the Passenger’s responsibility to follow the claims process in this Rule.

WineCountryUA

United's Damaged Bag website
Prompt reporting is crucial and you have done that.
Returning to the airport as soon after your noticed the damage, at least next day, so airport agents can document the damage
At this point I would take the clothing to a cleaners to get a proper cleaning and save the bill to present to UA.
Determine what was beyond cleaning.
First think of restoration more than reparations

Sounds like your bags got caught in the recent heavy rainstorms

Also see this FT link on "lost" bags

penelope

Thank you both for the advice. We were too far from the airport for the time and cost to return to seem worthwhile, so hopefully the photos will suffice

sammybk

To say I was shocked today was an understatement. After about 1.3 million miles, finally had my first bag damaged by United. Gate checked a hard sided carry on and received it at the claim in LAX with a crack about 7" long on one of the sides.

Quickly stopped by the baggage agent and within 2 minutes I was given the choice of two brand new hard size roller of similar brand/quality/size. Retail value around $140. Not sure if they have higher end ones if your damaged bag is a nicer one. Was hoping they would have stocked away bags, given their partnership.

Much easier than the process I dealt with through air canada in the past.

lincolnjkc

UA hasn't exactly been gentile to the suitcase my wife got me for a birthday present a couple years ago (almost exactly, thanks for the reminder I'm old) -- lots of "travel patina" but on today's trip to GRB they really did a number on it to the point that it is barely fit for (significantly bashed-in corner among other problems) I did a damage claim on it before leaving the airport.

The GRB agent reluctantly submitted the claim and told me to follow up when I get back to Cleveland -- which makes me happy because I'm on friendly terms with the CLE BSO crew as opposed to an UGE agent I've never seen before, etc. etc., -- but this is also my first time with a damage claim of any kind...and the suitcase (I think) is still under warranty which this is also my first Tumi bag...

So... anyone have advice for how to best navigate this to avoid screwing myself (and also to minimize the amount of time I'm bagless?) [Of course this is the week before I go to Madird...of course]

HNLbasedFlyer

Airlines are responsible for damage to baggage. Receipts and pictures help. I’d also see if the warranty claim could be made.

WineCountryUA

If unusable, the fastest is get a replacement bag (at CLE?), UA should have a selection of replacement bags but not likely an exact or Tumi replacement

If you have your older bag or other bags to use, go the repair approach (if repairable) and get agreement in advance from UA to pay the repair bill. It is nice to have a local luggage store that is an authorized TUMI repair dealer.

Aside, TUMI "life time warranty" is no more what it was. It is more limited and only covers manufacturing defects and not normal wear and tear (which is what they will call damage by the airline). Only the first? year is no fault warranty and some coverage up to 5 year.
If you want a good warranty, purchase Briggs & Riley.

Kacee

Just experienced this with Rimowa. On the positive side, they only charged $55 to repair a completely crushed-in corner, and provided free return shipping.

lskohn

November 2021 UA mangled my suitcase so badly that the agent at baggage claim took one look and started entering claim info in her computer before I could say a thing. Communication with the repair contractor was swift - of COURSE, it couldn't be repaired. But the replacements offered were not only from a lesser no-name manufacturer, but also all were spinners, which I avoid like the plague. When they dug up a (discontinued) 2 wheeled option, it weighed 2 pounds more than my original. That was unacceptable. I pursued the issue with UA, which finally said, just take what's being offered and we'll send you a check for the cost of the TravelPro I had identified as a comparable. So there are happy endings, sometime. I ended up with 2 2-wheeled 26" pieces, one a bit heavier than my preference but occasionally useful. Good luck.

lincolnjkc

So to close the loop on this: Sentimental bits aside (it was a gift from Ms. LincolnJKC, killed just a week short of its 2-year birthday and had accumulated quite the collection of travel stickers in its short life)... dropped it off at the CLE Baggage Service Office after I returned from the trip. Unlike the agent at GRB who was very "we aren't responsible for (just about anything), but I'll take the claim if you make me/if you'll go away...just don't expect anything to happen" the CLE agents saw the bag and had no issue completing the claim and sending it in for repair [possibly helps that they know it on sight and also knew that the condition it came back from this trip in was not the condition they had seen it in a week earlier].

In the meantime I grabbed one of the spare Pelican cases from the office to use as a temporary suitcase.

While I was in Spain got an email from the repair company that it wasn't reparable. They offered as a suggested replacement the same model bag as I had sent in (the Tumi 19 Degree Aluminum Short Trip) -- except the color I had was no longer available. Shipped direct from Tumi, would have been delivered to my house had I not been in the middle of a trip but picked it up from FedEx on my way home from the airport yesterday.

Really an almost too easy experience and of course I'd prefer not to be replacing my bag I can't think of a way United or their repair service could have made it easier...except for the GRB curmudgeon.

shdflyer

Wife flew ORD-RIC and checked her TravelPro carry on, arrived RIC with destroyed handle strap — one metal end of the strap totally ripped out of bag. Immediately put in a claim with bag agent and was told that we needed to empty bag and drop it at any UA station and they will “send it in for repair.” Wow that's a new one. How is this handled? Anyone know anything about this process, how long it takes, etc?

VRFast

We had the same thing done here at IAH a couple of years ago due to a damaged wheel on our Samsonite luggage. We had to dump all of the contents into a big bag they gave us. It took about 2 to 3 weeks, about the same time it took Samsonite to fix a separate issue on a different bag we have. Apparently LH unlike UA pays you for the bag if you have damage.