Rant: Baggage!

Flew Toronto to Albuquerque, Sept. 24, on American.
This meant a stopover, as there is no direct flight.
I made the connection no problem. My bags did not.
They arrived three hours later. When they did show,
a wheel was broken off my case, and my backpack was
seriously scuffed, like it had been blocking a belt
in the baggage system for a half hour. Of course,
the American desk rep simply shrugged. Apparently
having your bags late and beat to crap is "normal."

It happened that there were five other people in Alb
from Toronto, who had taken the same flight. And none
of their bags arrived either. Yes, it is "normal."

Returned on October 9. Again a stopover, which again
I made with no problems. And my bags did not. They would
arrive in Toronto six hours after me, by which time I
had hoped to be long asleep. The delivery service the
next day could not do better than a three hour window
when they *might* deliver my bags. Couldn't do better.
So I had to hang around waiting for them. They actually
showed up well outside the promised delivery window.
And when they did show up, now the case had its handle
ripped off on one side. And once again, the American rep
simply shrugs and claims this is "normal."

So, having my bags fail to go on the same plane as me
is usual. If American can't *make* the connection, they
should not *book* the connection. If it means I have to
hang in the connecting airport for a half hour extra,
that is far preferable to not getting my bags till the
next flight. They have a permanent delivery service for
bog's sake. They know they are failing at this. I'm not
surprised so many people try to bring all their luggage
into the cabin. They want it to be there when they arrive.

And they want it to arrive with all parts attached. I tried
to break off the other wheel to see how hard they had to
smack it. I could not do it with a hammer. And I was unable
to pull off the other side of the handle. WTF were they
doing with my bags that caused this damage? Did they fly
over the airport and throw them out?

Well, American Airlines can kiss my ass. Never getting me
on one of their planes again.
Socks

"Puppet_Sock" wrote in message
oups.com...
Flew Toronto to Albuquerque, Sept. 24, on American.
This meant a stopover, as there is no direct flight.
I made the connection no problem. My bags did not.
They arrived three hours later. When they did show,
a wheel was broken off my case, and my backpack was
seriously scuffed, like it had been blocking a belt
in the baggage system for a half hour. Of course,
the American desk rep simply shrugged. Apparently
having your bags late and beat to crap is "normal."

Yep, pax complaining about lost bags to the rep is
water off a duck's back. A small, but whole number
percentage of bags go missing, on average someone
on every flight will lose a bag. You're just a normal
daily event.

tim

It is not only american that does this,US AIR is famous for this

If you fly frequently, and refuse to use an airline who looses your
bags, you'll be walking by the end of the year.

Maxx. wrote:
If you fly frequently, and refuse to use an airline who looses your
bags, you'll be walking by the end of the year.

It wasn't just that they lost my bags. Though, doing that
twice in one round trip was pushing it.

It was that they seriously damaged my bag. Twice in one
round trip. They broke off a wheel and ripped off the
handle. The bag was no longer useable. And when I asked
the desk rep about the damage she just shrugged and said
"normal wear." That's the point. Destroying my bag is
"normal wear."
Socks

That *is* correct though. Airlines are not responsible for wheels,
handles, & straps. It's a shame, but that's the way it is. I go
through at least four bags per year. My recient tool box is only six
months old (heavy duty) and it looks like it's been through a war.

In message .com
"Maxx." wrote:

That *is* correct though. Airlines are not responsible for wheels,
handles, & straps. It's a shame, but that's the way it is. I go
through at least four bags per year. My recient tool box is only six
months old (heavy duty) and it looks like it's been through a war.

Just to confirm, it wasn't shipped by way of Iraq, was it?

--
Peter: I read a book about this sort of thing once.
Brian: Are you sure it was a book? Are you sure it wasn't nothing?
Peter: Oh yeah

these days, you are better off carrying your bags all the way through if
you have a connection. with some airlines, you can even get check your
bags and get them when you land walking off the plane.

I could very well have been. It did have some sand in it one time.