Posted on 03/31/2014 11:45:47 AM PDT by Kaslin
Last Friday, I flew nonstop on United Airlines from New York to California on a first class ticket. I paid the bellman a nice tip to handle my bags that were labeled “priority.” I arrived an hour and a half before my flight, so there was plenty of time to get my luggage onboard. The flight was delayed half an hour to allow for passengers with connecting flights to make it on our flight, along with their luggage.
But alas, when I arrived, my two bags were nowhere to be found. After numerous telephone calls to their lost luggage claim center during the next 24 hours, talking with people who clearly spoke with a foreign accent (I was never allowed to speak to the baggage claim people in California or New York) I still could not locate my luggage. Finally, my “priority” bags arrived the next night at 10 pm. United Airlines refused to offer me a hotel voucher or any other compensation for my trouble.
For years, I have liked to travel on United Airlines. Thirty years ago, I well remember the time I missed my flight back home and was stuck in Chicago, and the United ticket agent handed me a first class ticket for my trouble. I will never forget his act of kindness.
I guess times have changed.
I did notice that in both my bags there were slips of paper from the TSA indicating “Notice of Baggage Inspection.” Maybe the TSA is the culprit for the delay on my bags, but United Airlines never said.
This is why my family and I (who only fly United) never check our bags. 10 day trip to Hawaii —> all carry on. It’s the art of packing, and it saves you the headache.
Should that read admission of guilt over violating the 4th Amendment's requirement for warrants
?
They definitely don’t give anything for lost luggage or delayed luggage. If they did, they would be even more broke then they are now. Not saying that is right or anything just basic economics. Airlines are dying. I don’t know what they can do to recover. We will probably end up with Southwest when all is said and done.
Last friday was the biggest bust of the TSA and baggage handlers for crime and corruption at LAX.
He is lucky it was just his bags missing.
Personally, I don’t fly at all if I don’t have to. I’d rather drive 99% of the time, unless I’m getting into the realm of 3+ days each way.
When I do have to fly, I pack as light as possible, and go carry-on only, like you state.
I think that the act of checking bags also serves as permission to inspect them That does NOT, by the way, mean that I like it.
Most big businesses have the same problem. Whereas they used to be run by people who understood and enjoyed their chosen industry, today they are all run by Harvard business school types who only care about the Bottom Line, and they only see it if it is on the same page. No heart, no vision, and no enthusiasm for their industry - after all, they can manage ANYTHING can’t they? Go anywhere, any industry? Succeed?
UPS your bags.
I fly 30-50 times a year, sometimes more. ALL work related. While I fly mainly on three airlines, I hit all of them eventually. And it is all just a numbers game. About once every 20 flights or so, something gets screwed up with my baggage. Airline makes no difference. Crappy service afterwards? All of them.
I have become a master a compaction and try to use carry-on baggage whenever possible. You have less legroom, but less chance of loss with one of the smaller jets that you check your bag at the end of the ramp. Even if I am checking baggage, I also have a carry-on that has everything valuable in it as well as enough emergency supplies to get me through a day or two.
Paid the bellman? Bellmen don’t check bags for airlines.
I’m not sure what United Airlines did wrong...
They are subject to the TSA just like the passengers...
TSA?.....How much of his stuff was stolen?................
Delta has started to require more bags be checked. They used to check a quite a few at teh gate for free. Now they are making you go back to the ticket counter and pay the fee.
I think he meant ‘skycap’...................
United frequent flyer here for over a decade. Cr@p happens,1st class or not. He should quit whining.
A year and a half ago, I flew first class on United from Pittsburgh to LA, and had an excellent experience.
Stop the presses!!!! He lost his luggage? Wow, bet that’s never happened before.
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