Lost bag - poor service trying to find it - not sure what to do next?
Jan 14, 2010, 3:11 am
#46
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: ORD
Programs: UA 1K, HHonors Gold
Posts: 130
Never thought I would be reading a thread like this, but I just flew from ORD (Seems like a common theme in this thread) to Shanghai. My bag did not make the flight with me. Filled out the delayed baggage report at the airport and called later that evening. Told me my bag was still at O'hare and would make the flight the next morning. Bag did not make the flight and now they do not know where it is.
I am at the beginning of a two week trip and this is my first of 5 countries. If they cannot find my bag this morning, they will miss me in Shanghai.
I have been calling the number on my claim form. Others have referenced a 1K Baggage line. Is this the same as the reservations line?
Is there a number to call Ohare directly? With the time change, I keep getting stuck with Manila.
What type of compensation should I be asking for? At this point I have received nothing but was not concerned as I had a days worth of clothes in my carryon. Can I go out and by some things and expect to be reimbursed even if my bag shows up in a day or two?
It has been 24 hours since my bag was reported missing. THey will have about 2 hours to find it this morning and get it on the flight to Shanghai. If they miss the flight, it is going to be more than 72 hours before I get my bag if I ever find it.
I am at the beginning of a two week trip and this is my first of 5 countries. If they cannot find my bag this morning, they will miss me in Shanghai.
I have been calling the number on my claim form. Others have referenced a 1K Baggage line. Is this the same as the reservations line?
Is there a number to call Ohare directly? With the time change, I keep getting stuck with Manila.
What type of compensation should I be asking for? At this point I have received nothing but was not concerned as I had a days worth of clothes in my carryon. Can I go out and by some things and expect to be reimbursed even if my bag shows up in a day or two?
It has been 24 hours since my bag was reported missing. THey will have about 2 hours to find it this morning and get it on the flight to Shanghai. If they miss the flight, it is going to be more than 72 hours before I get my bag if I ever find it.
Jan 14, 2010, 6:24 am
#47
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 2,358
Never thought I would be reading a thread like this, but I just flew from ORD (Seems like a common theme in this thread) to Shanghai. My bag did not make the flight with me. Filled out the delayed baggage report at the airport and called later that evening. Told me my bag was still at O'hare and would make the flight the next morning. Bag did not make the flight and now they do not know where it is.
I am at the beginning of a two week trip and this is my first of 5 countries. If they cannot find my bag this morning, they will miss me in Shanghai.
I have been calling the number on my claim form. Others have referenced a 1K Baggage line. Is this the same as the reservations line?
Is there a number to call Ohare directly? With the time change, I keep getting stuck with Manila.
What type of compensation should I be asking for? At this point I have received nothing but was not concerned as I had a days worth of clothes in my carryon. Can I go out and by some things and expect to be reimbursed even if my bag shows up in a day or two?
It has been 24 hours since my bag was reported missing. THey will have about 2 hours to find it this morning and get it on the flight to Shanghai. If they miss the flight, it is going to be more than 72 hours before I get my bag if I ever find it.
In the name of "security" airlines often compel (even United does this) passengers to check bags.
In the above example can one just imagine the aggravation the passenger must be going through because his luggage is lost while he is traveling in foreign countries.
I predict that unless this misnamed security nonsense stops with respect to forcing passengers to check luggage that complies with size policy, there will be many more lost bags. This will result in many more disgruntled passengers and fewer travelers. The financial loss from fewer passengers is obvious.
Without any apparent intervention or protests, airlines (including United) let TSA dictate rules for carry-ons even though the rules conflict with the airlines policy.
More lost luggage = fewer passengers who will finally say "enough is enough."
Jan 14, 2010, 9:01 am
#48
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: SJC
Programs: Does it matter any more?
Posts: 2,153
We don't share a name, not even close phonetically, our addresses have no similarities. I simply don't get it. Sheer inefficiency.
In the meantime, bagtrack still asserts my bag is being traced.
Until I meet this person and actually see my bag, I am not sure I am done with this saga.
I would really like to follow-up on this with someone on United. The call-centers are not empowered. 1P number redirects to the Bag #.
Any suggestions on who/where to follow-up with?
Jan 14, 2010, 11:45 am
#49
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: ORD
Programs: UA 1K, HHonors Gold
Posts: 130
Called the 1K Baggage number. No different than the other calls I have made. "They are working hard looking for my bag and that they are confident they will find it." I feel some much better now....
Asked what to do about expenses I was incurring for having no clothes? Was given a fax number. THey have no form to go along with the receipts and could not give me a procedure or process of how to claim other than just fax the receipts. No guidelines for how to get reimbursed. How can they not have a procedure in place for this? I am sure when they receive my random fax with a couple of details it will just get pushed aside.
Is there a number to call at ORD? One that would put me in touch with a live person that might actually go and look for my bag?
Asked what to do about expenses I was incurring for having no clothes? Was given a fax number. THey have no form to go along with the receipts and could not give me a procedure or process of how to claim other than just fax the receipts. No guidelines for how to get reimbursed. How can they not have a procedure in place for this? I am sure when they receive my random fax with a couple of details it will just get pushed aside.
Is there a number to call at ORD? One that would put me in touch with a live person that might actually go and look for my bag?
Jan 14, 2010, 1:54 pm
#50
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: SJC
Programs: Does it matter any more?
Posts: 2,153
Based on a sample set of 2 (mine and u2vox), the sequence of responses goes like this:
Day 1-3 : we are looking for it OR, we've found it and it will be on the next space available flight OR, We've sent a message to ORD to load it on the next flight.
Day 3-n : file the claim/trace form and once we have an update, it will be on the website.
None of the call centers or 1p # seem to have access to people in ORD who actually do the work.
One piece of information from both India CC and Manila CC was that the fax goes directly to ORD and doesn't hit either CC. So, you might have better luck faxing in questions, claims, trace forms etc. IDK about the email id [email protected] - does it go to a CC, through automated mail (like Talisma) or is handled by a person at ORD.
Jan 15, 2010, 3:52 pm
#51
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: PDX
Programs: UA Global Services / Million Miler, Marriott Ambassador / Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 594
Man, this just gets weirder and weirder and stupider and stupider. legionnaire, I can't believe how your bag has now apparently just turned up at some random person's house. Incredible.
I keep calling every few days and get the predictable "we are still looking / tracking / tracking / using all these different avenues" B.S. Maybe it's true - but it sure doesn't feel like it, based on the totality of my experience and what I've gleaned from others' thus far. Never really expected to be in this situation - now that I am, it's incredibly frustrating.
The only real update is that I've now been told that the "claim" is in it's final stages of processing. With any luck, I'll have some knowledge about how United plans to handle this financially in the next several days or so.
I keep calling every few days and get the predictable "we are still looking / tracking / tracking / using all these different avenues" B.S. Maybe it's true - but it sure doesn't feel like it, based on the totality of my experience and what I've gleaned from others' thus far. Never really expected to be in this situation - now that I am, it's incredibly frustrating.
The only real update is that I've now been told that the "claim" is in it's final stages of processing. With any luck, I'll have some knowledge about how United plans to handle this financially in the next several days or so.
Jan 15, 2010, 4:28 pm
#52
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: SNA
Programs: AA EXP, UA 1K (until it expires then never again), *wood Plat, Marriott Gold
Posts: 9,239
Not that it helps you at all, but one thing I do just in case the the tags get ripped off is I always place a business card on the inside of my bag on top of the close right in the middle so if they open the bag its right there staring at them. Thankfully I've not had to see if this actually works but it makes be feel a little better when I check a bag.
Jan 15, 2010, 4:49 pm
#53
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: USA
Programs: UA Platinum, 1MM
Posts: 13,460
What a soap opera. And so why are we paying baggage fees? Paying them to lose our luggage?
Jan 15, 2010, 5:12 pm
#54
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Central Virginia
Programs: UA 2MM
Posts: 1,231
Jan 16, 2010, 10:05 am
#55
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: SJC
Programs: Does it matter any more?
Posts: 2,153
Again, the total inefficiency of this amazes me.
Chewing out the Call Centers is ineffective. They can only do so much. ORD seems to be the root cause in all these cases.
The other take-away from this is:
1. Leave your business card (like others said) inside your bag.
2. Put on a strong bag tag on the outside as well. One that won't get ripped off.
3. This sounds really tedious, but compile an excel spreadsheet of the contents of the bag once you have it packed, so you're ready with that claim.
4. Of course, as far as possible, travel with just carryon and avoid check-ins altogether. When traveling overseas or for 10 day trips, that's not practical.
Feb 14, 2010, 12:06 pm
#56
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: PDX
Programs: UA Global Services / Million Miler, Marriott Ambassador / Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 594
Update: Bag still not found. Through persistence and diligence, I was able to get the direct numbers and names of folks to contact who sit in two specific bag-holding locations in the ORD vicinity. Bag not at either place, unfortunately.
United has paid our claim to the max $3,300. We have also been successful in getting the remainder covered under our credit card, so at least we will be getting the full $$ value claimed back. In all, a very frustrating experience as documented over the course of this thread, but I of course am happy that we have been compensated appropriately for the value of the items.
If we had to do it all over again, though, I'd gladly give the $$ back in exchange for the bag.
United has paid our claim to the max $3,300. We have also been successful in getting the remainder covered under our credit card, so at least we will be getting the full $$ value claimed back. In all, a very frustrating experience as documented over the course of this thread, but I of course am happy that we have been compensated appropriately for the value of the items.
If we had to do it all over again, though, I'd gladly give the $$ back in exchange for the bag.
Apr 12, 2010, 5:46 pm
#57
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: ORD
Programs: UA 1K 1.5 MM, AA PLAT PRO 1MM
Posts: 573
ORD...again.
We flew home from Europe a week ago, connecting from another *A carrier to United. Our bags did not arrive with us. Records show they were scanned in at ORD the following day, and the next afternoon, one of them arrived at our house. The others are now missing--no one has been able to locate them or knows what happened to them after they were scanned in at ORD almost a week ago. I've been working through the 1K baggage line since late last week (thank goodness; the regular baggage line was useless and the website even more so), but so far they haven't been able to get anywhere and have told me to submit claims forms (which I have now done). I know these things take time, so I’m trying to be patient. But my teenage daughter, who lost all of her favorite clothes in one fell swoop, not so much…. Trying to figure out what else I can do, but after reading this thread I'm guessing not much??
Apr 12, 2010, 8:37 pm
#58
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: East Coast
Programs: AA CONCIERGE KEY & 1MM, HILTON DIAMOND
Posts: 11,970
Mrs. u2vox's bag has been lost now for 72 hours. Pretty sure we know what happened - was scanned onto our initial flight, but never scanned off when we connected in ORD. Most likely, the tag was ripped off and the bag is now sitting in tagless bag purgatory. Repeated calls to the 1K baggage service have been cordial, but completely ineffective. The reps claim they keep calling the "bag" folks in ORD, but no one answers. They fax them and no one answers the faxes as well. I have no confirmation that it is there or not either way. Most recently they told me that they have about 1000 tagless bags at ORD right now, and ONE person trying to match them up with the descriptions provided. I'm guessing it's just sitting there and waiting to be found, but at this point all bets are off. I know I'm not unique in my situation, but the lack of priority they seem to be putting on finding the bag feels completely unacceptable, especially for a 1K (bad checked under my name as we were traveling together).
My wife is, to say the least, none too thrilled, as many of her daily nice work clothes, shoes, gym shoes, makeup, etc. were in that bag. I'm considering flying there myself to demand being taken into the tagless baggage area to find it, probably within minutes. Frankly, that would probably save us time and money if it gets to the point where we're filing claims, etc. Anyone ever done similar? Any other suggestions? Many thanks.
My wife is, to say the least, none too thrilled, as many of her daily nice work clothes, shoes, gym shoes, makeup, etc. were in that bag. I'm considering flying there myself to demand being taken into the tagless baggage area to find it, probably within minutes. Frankly, that would probably save us time and money if it gets to the point where we're filing claims, etc. Anyone ever done similar? Any other suggestions? Many thanks.
Jul 18, 2010, 8:56 am
#59
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,438
Yet another lost bag thread
This one is hard for me to believe, but UA seems to have utterly lost my bag from a direct flight from IAD to MCI last week. I am honestly impressed that UA answers the 1-800 lost bag number promptly and attempts to give straight information, but it is not encouraging that they keep telling me I connected in YUL on my way to MCI (I flew nonstop) and that is where my bag should be.
If my bag is indeed lost for good will I have success in filing a claim and getting reimbursement? I've never actually lost a bag for good before, so unsure of the process.
If my bag is indeed lost for good will I have success in filing a claim and getting reimbursement? I've never actually lost a bag for good before, so unsure of the process.
Jul 18, 2010, 9:55 am
#60
Join Date: May 1998
Posts: 6,790
In about 45 years of flying, hundreds of flights and millions of miles, in the US, Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America, I have never lost a bag for good. I suspect the incidence of such things is really extremely low.
Although back in the mid-80s I had a bag go AWOL on a flight from FRA to SEL (before ICN was built) via SFO or LAX (I don't remember which) that didn't get to me for a bit over six weeks, and I thought for sure that was a goner after not hearing about it for a full month.
My best "delayed luggage on a direct flight" story, though, was when United misplaced my luggage on a non-stop ORD-MLI flight. The bag showed up two weeks later with a suntan and tags on it showing a (re)routing back to me from Hawaii. United was kind enough to include a pineapple (packed separately). (OK, I'm kidding about the suntan, but my luggage often seems to have more fun than I do.)
Although back in the mid-80s I had a bag go AWOL on a flight from FRA to SEL (before ICN was built) via SFO or LAX (I don't remember which) that didn't get to me for a bit over six weeks, and I thought for sure that was a goner after not hearing about it for a full month.
My best "delayed luggage on a direct flight" story, though, was when United misplaced my luggage on a non-stop ORD-MLI flight. The bag showed up two weeks later with a suntan and tags on it showing a (re)routing back to me from Hawaii. United was kind enough to include a pineapple (packed separately). (OK, I'm kidding about the suntan, but my luggage often seems to have more fun than I do.)