Missing Suit in Checked Baggage -- What Now?
 

On 1/4, I was on UA687 from LGA-ORD... when I picked up my bag from baggage claim in ORD, I noticed the bag looked a little funny, so I unzipped it and found several items missing (clothes), including my D&G suit. There was no TSA note, so I don't know what happened. I went to UA Baggage Services, and they gave me the run-around for 2 hours... finally a nice Service Director at the UGS desk helped me file a pilferage report with HQ and put me in touch with the Supervisor in Baggage Services -- still, no one could give me an answer about compensation. The suit was quite expensive ($1200), and I have meetings coming up and would like to buy a replacement suit. What should I expect as compensation? The agent said it's usually up to 50%, but 1Ks get more depending on the situation. It is unreasonable for me to expect 100%?

And yes, I am aware I should not check valuables (e.g., laptop, jewelry), but I didn't think clothes would be an issue. Lesson learned...

1Konsultant

...I love this new suit I picked up... :D :D

That's a shame. And in fairness to UA, this is a tough situation because if they were to give full replacement value, I'm sure a lot of people would be losing their D&G and Armani suits...

United probably starts with the pricing at Men's Wearhouse and goes down from there.

As a 2P, I'd probably accept the fact I would only get whatever the standard published reimbursement is. As a GS, I'd expect a new tailored suit, asap. I'd probably expect it as a 1K as well unless theft is so rampant and there are so many 1K's that maybe it is cost prohibitive to do so.

Ugh, that is terrible. I feel for you. :(

The problem here is that not only UA employees had access to the bag. TSA employees certainly did, as well as various airport employees.

What would have made them target your bag? Why on earth would they take a suit? I wonder if there was something that tipped them off. Was your bag a Tumi? Perhaps the thieves simply target expensive bags in search of valuables...

Good luck with your case. I hope you get at least something in compensation.

I don't really think it matters who has access to the bag. UA is the carrier transporting it and doesn't that mean that they are the ones on the hook for ensuring that contents doesn't disappear? If content should disappear then by logic isn't UA responsible to replace or reimburse the traveller since they where contracted to provide the secure transportation for the property lost?

Now i think the airline will tell you that they will reimburse for your loss with the depreciated price. And that will mean that i don't think you'll get the whole value.

You may be better off using some other form of insurance than trying to get the airline to pay for it. this is a decent article btw: http://www.thetravelinsider.info/tra...gagerights.htm


good luck! and i hope this happens to no one else...