I survived my trip to DC, but my suitcase didn’t

Click the photo to see it at full size.

When I arrived back in Tampa after a weekend visit to DC, I grabbed my suitcase from the baggage conveyor belt and immediately noticed a big crack and gouge mark down its side. Then, once I got it onto its wheels, it became quite clear that all the wheels weren’t there:

Click the photo to see it at full size.

This happened to me a number of years ago. Back then, the airline — United, unsurprisingly — refused to help out or take responsibility for my bag. This time, it was different.

I remembered reading an article from earlier this year that said that most people don’t make a claim for lost or damaged luggage. A quick search later, I found it — Travel nightmares: What to do if an airline damages your checked luggage — and it turned out that “most people” meant 87% of passengers surveyed by the passenger compensation service company AirHelp. Here’s why:

1. They didn’t think they could get compensation for damaged luggage.
2. They didn’t know their rights.
3. They had no idea how to file a claim.

Here’s the thing: If your checked luggage is damaged in the time between when you check it in and when you get it from the baggage conveyor, the airline is responsible for repairing it or reimbursing you. The liability limit is $3,500 within the U.S., or $1,600 internationally (the international limits was established in 1999 at the Montreal Convention, which unified international airline rules).

The trick is to file the claim right away. You may be tempted to call them after you’ve left the airport and gone to your destination (especially if that destination is home after a long trip), but most airlines have a rule that a claim has to be filed within four hours. If your baggage is damaged, don’t leave the airport without filing a claim.

I went to the Southwest luggage office, and they were quite helpful. After a quick inspection of my damaged suitcase, they looked up the replacement cost on Amazon. They offered me a choice:

1. A check for $120, or
2. A $200 voucher for Southwest.

I like flying Southwest, but I don’t do it all the time. Besides, I had the Third Law of Money in mind (see below), so I went with the $120 check. They printed it out immediately, and after signing a couple of release forms, I was on my way. Thanks for handling this so quickly and nicely, Southwest!

Things to know

What to do if an airline damages your bag

1. Go to the baggage claim office immediately. The policy will depend on the airline, but you’ll have hours to report a damaged baggage claim for a domestic flight and days for an international flights. Things also work better if you make the claim in person with your freshly-damaged bag. Better still, some airlines have replacement bags on hand.
2. Chill and be polite. Losing your temper won’t help, and will more than likely work against you.
3. Keep your baggage tags. The airline will need them in order to process the claim.
4. Know the approximate value of your bag and where you purchased it to give you some negotiating leverage in case of reimbursement. Look up the replacement cost on Amazon as a starting point.

Damaged baggage policies at various airlines

• Alaska Airlines
• Allegiant Air
• American Airlines
• Delta Air Lines
• Frontier Airlines
• JetBlue Airways
• Southwest Airlines
• Spirit Airlines
• United Airlines

The Three Laws of Money

1. More money is better than less money. I’m sure some of you pedantic types will readily cite exceptions to this rule, but you know what I mean by this.
2. Money now is better than money later. This is a pithy summary of the time value of money.
3. Real money is better than fake money. The more places that will accept a kind of money, the more “real” that kind of money is. A $120 check, once cashed, can be spent anywhere; a Southwest voucher can only be spent on Southwest flights and expires within a year.