HNL-Jack From United States of America, joined Mar 2001, 799 posts, RR: 0 Posted (11 months 6 days 17 hours ago) and read 2424 times:
Two weeks ago I flew UA from DEN, connecting in SFO to HNL. When arriving the bag was not on the flight and I was told it went to LAX and would be arriving in HNL three hours later. Since it was late at night, the UA representative indicated the bag would be delivered to my home early the next morning. It wasn't, but was delivered two days later. I was never offered any compensation, overnight kit, etc and the automated phone tracking and web site are useless. Since I was home and the bag was located it was OK, but my question is this...shouldn't the airline refund the $25 it charges to check the bag when it is not carried on the flights or delivered upon arrival?
Grew up in the business and continued the family tradition.
aeroblogger From India, joined Dec 2011, 1363 posts, RR: 0 Reply 1, posted (11 months 6 days 17 hours ago) and read 2371 times:
Quoting HNL-Jack (Thread starter): shouldn't the airline refund the $25 it charges to check the bag when it is not carried on the flights or delivered upon arrival?
As much sense as this makes, no airline has this policy... IIRC, Alaska refunds the amount in a voucher, but that's as good as it gets.
Airports 2012: IXE HYD DEL BLR BOM CCU KNU KTM BKK SIN ICN LAX BUR SFO PHX IAH ORD EWR PHL PVD BOS FRA MUC IST
DocLightning From United States of America, joined Nov 2005, 16932 posts, RR: 57 Reply 2, posted (11 months 6 days 16 hours ago) and read 2333 times:
Quoting HNL-Jack (Thread starter): shouldn't the airline refund the $25 it charges to check the bag when it is not carried on the flights or delivered upon arrival?
They should, but they don't. I would write a letter to your representatives in congress and CC it to customer service at UA. If enough people get ticked off about this, Congress will take action.
It already happened with tarmac delays. I'm betting that the airlines don't want another regulation thrown at them. You won't change anything alone, but if more people do it, it will change.
max999 From United States of America, joined Dec 2005, 912 posts, RR: 0 Reply 3, posted (11 months 6 days 16 hours ago) and read 2310 times:
Quoting HNL-Jack (Thread starter): shouldn't the airline refund the $25 it charges to check the bag when it is not carried on the flights or delivered upon arrival?
UA should refund you, but there's no need to complain to them since they won't do anyting.
Instead - call your credit card provider, tell them that you paid for services that were not delivered in a satisfactory manner, give them the details of the issue, and request that they charge back the $25. This will end up costing UA more than $25 since the credit card companies usually slap a fee on the merchant for charge backs.
[Edited 2012-07-17 12:57:42]
All the things I really like to do are either immoral, illegal, or fattening.
PI4EVER From United States of America, joined May 2009, 599 posts, RR: 2 Reply 4, posted (11 months 6 days 16 hours ago) and read 2293 times:
There has been on-going debate in Congress on this very issue. There is a growing sentiment that airlines are charging fees for services not delivered and no efforts to ease a mishandled situation with any type customer service. AS will refund the charge, as will DL....with a little pressure. A friend simply disputed the charges on their credt card and US "cleared" the charge and offered a $50 voucher for "any ill will created by our failure to provide service", but only after said friend contacted US to be advised "circumstances beyond our control may preclude our ability to deliver your baggage" whatever that means.
Contact UA in writing, or your credit card company to dispute the charge. It may not be credited back, but will get someone's attention at UA. There may be an element of your complaint they'll dismiss as you were home and in no need of essentials in your baggage. Pursue it anyway....on principle.
This from a guy who worked in airline Consumer Affairs for 5 years!
Thomas
xlc From United States of America, joined Apr 2012, 22 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (11 months 6 days 16 hours ago) and read 2242 times:
Quoting max999 (Reply 3): Instead - call your credit card provider, tell them that you paid for services that were not delivered in a satisfactory manner, give them the details of the issue, and request that they charge back the $25. This will end up costing UA more than $25 since the credit card companies usually slap a fee on the merchant for charge backs.
If a call to the airline hasn't worked, then this is the way to go. Even the airlines have to honor CC goods and services rules. Merchants despise charge backs and they are penalized if they accumulate too many.
slider From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 6518 posts, RR: 36 Reply 6, posted (11 months 6 days 16 hours ago) and read 2226 times:
Quoting DocLightning (Reply 2): They should, but they don't. I would write a letter to your representatives in congress and CC it to customer service at UA. If enough people get ticked off about this, Congress will take action.
Yes, because Congress has nothing better to do.
This isn't an issue that requires govt intervention and more bureaucratic BS. Just vote with your feet, put it on Facebook, You Tube, what have you. Hit an airline where it hurts. Regulation hurts everyone and doesn't discriminate.
And the costs of complying with it will only make your tickets more expensive.
Senate hasn't passed a budget in, what 1200 days or something? Yah, instead, let's have a House bill to govern airline baggage refunds. Come on!
dnguyen7078 From Vietnam, joined Jul 2011, 7 posts, RR: 0 Reply 7, posted (11 months 5 days 8 hours ago) and read 1846 times:
The same thing happen to me when I was flying from SFO to OGG. I arrived at noon and my bag did not arrived until late at night. When I went to the counter, the UA CS told me " As a 1K, I can buy what ever I need and UA will pay you back." When I came back home, I sent in all the paper work including my claim report and they pay back all the personal stuffs I bought to use. I guess as 1K, we do get more benefits
DocLightning From United States of America, joined Nov 2005, 16932 posts, RR: 57 Reply 8, posted (11 months 5 days 7 hours ago) and read 1804 times:
Quoting slider (Reply 6): Yes, because Congress has nothing better to do.
This isn't an issue that requires govt intervention and more bureaucratic BS. Just vote with your feet, put it on Facebook, You Tube, what have you. Hit an airline where it hurts. Regulation hurts everyone and doesn't discriminate.
All airlines that have a fee except AS (which is available in limited markets) have the same policy, so you can't vote with your feet. And Congress sure took action about lengthy tarmac delays. Believe it or not, consumer protection is the job of a government.
Mir From United States of America, joined Jan 2004, 19813 posts, RR: 56 Reply 10, posted (11 months 5 days 6 hours ago) and read 1730 times:
Quoting HNL-Jack (Thread starter): shouldn't the airline refund the $25 it charges to check the bag when it is not carried on the flights or delivered upon arrival?
That's a bit strict, but I'd definitely say that the bag fee should be refunded if the airline doesn't get the bag to you within 24 hours (or on the next flight if there aren't daily flights).
-Mir
7 billion, one nation, imagination...it's a beautiful day
eastalt From United States of America, joined Aug 2009, 29 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (11 months 5 days 3 hours ago) and read 1625 times:
People, all baggage rules are found in the contract of carriage. The only time an airlines is required to refund the baggage fee is when the bag is completely lost. However, paying a bag fee is not a contract that they will get it to you in a timely manner. So...NO! They do not have to refund you. UA transported the bag, however late, they transported the bag.
However, you can claim interim expenses you incurred aftear your trip. But I would be very carefull with this. Any purchase you make has has to be resonable and agreed upon by the airline.
As for governement intervention, people be careful what you ask for. I for one do not want congress to get involved. If congress wants to get involved in something let them pass laws that fix the air traffic control system, have them fix airport info structure, and hire more FAA inspectors.
ord From United States of America, joined Jul 1999, 1370 posts, RR: 1 Reply 12, posted (11 months 5 days ago) and read 1541 times:
I flew United a few months ago from Fort Lauderdale to Chicago and two of my family's bags did not make it on the flight. The automated baggage system was not working at FLL, and it was taking a long time to manually load bags. After 30 minutes the captain said we had to leave even though all bags were not yet loaded. My bags were eventually routed through Cleveland and I got them the next day.
But the United representative at O'Hare was very nice and told me there was a form on the United website to request a baggage fee refund. I filled it out and received an email back from a customer service person in a few days who issued me the credit. It was very hassle free and easy.
I can't speak for the other airlines, but US and UA do indeed refund baggage fees if the bag is delivered late (although the customer, in most cases, has to request it).
Call customer service, or there may be a form on the website.
goosebayguy From United Kingdom, joined Sep 2009, 239 posts, RR: 0 Reply 14, posted (11 months 4 days 19 hours ago) and read 1362 times:
I flew EK from DXB to the Maldives. Naturaly they forgot to load everyones luggage at DXB! I had 2 days before it turned up with no clothes other than what I'd worn to fly in. Not a great way to be when stuck on an island! EK refunded me $50 a day for this. Though we had to claim at the airport on the way out. The agent who paid me didn't look at all happy that we'd found him!
catiii From United States of America, joined Mar 2008, 2302 posts, RR: 3 Reply 16, posted (11 months 4 days 15 hours ago) and read 1226 times:
Quoting Maverick623 (Reply 13):
I can't speak for the other airlines, but US and UA do indeed refund baggage fees if the bag is delivered late (although the customer, in most cases, has to request it).
DL does as well.
Quoting dnguyen7078 (Reply 15): Everyone who flies a lot for business always have at least a set of extra cloth in their carry on for that just in case situation.
nonrevman From United States of America, joined Nov 2001, 1289 posts, RR: 1 Reply 17, posted (11 months 3 days 22 hours ago) and read 1044 times:
Asking the airline for a refund seems to be the way to go if the bag takes an unreasonably long time to get to you. If that does not work, then it is time to call the credit card company.
On a related note, I wonder if people often have issues of not getting preferred seats they payed extra for. With misconnects, equipment changes, etc., it is bound to happen that the paid seat is not available, and the person ends up in the middle seat.
Tomassjc From United States of America, joined Jan 2010, 667 posts, RR: 1 Reply 18, posted (11 months 3 days 22 hours ago) and read 1031 times:
Quoting Mir (Reply 10): That's a bit strict, but I'd definitely say that the bag fee should be refunded if the airline doesn't get the bag to you within 24 hours (or on the next flight if there aren't daily flights).
AS credits your bag fees if the bags are not on the carousel within 20 minutes of arrival. True it's a voucher towards future travel and not fees, but it's something.
Tom SJC
When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the Earth with your eyes turned skyward -Leonardo DaVinci
StarAC17 From Canada, joined Aug 2003, 3229 posts, RR: 9 Reply 19, posted (11 months 3 days 7 hours ago) and read 860 times:
Quoting DocLightning (Reply 2): They should, but they don't. I would write a letter to your representatives in congress and CC it to customer service at UA. If enough people get ticked off about this, Congress will take action.
I don't think you should, however I do think they should be more expedient in delivering lost luggage to customers or give you a choice. Often the luggage is given to hired delivery companies who take their sweet time. I think the airline should give a choice on how the luggage gets delivered and this is what happened to the OP (I think)
Both times this has happened to me I would have preferred to pick it up at the airport I arrived it because of the distances away from the airport I flew into because of the flights I knew the luggage was on.
Case 1:
YYZ-IAD-FLL (lost in IAD because of tight connection). The lost luggage guy said it was in IAD and would be on the flight that got into FLL at midnight. Since I was staying with relatives in the area we could have gone back to get it and the fact that I didn't have it I think cut a day off us going to Bimini. The luggage wasn't delivered
Case 2:
At YYZ. Held in LAX from MEL via AKL and had a notice of search letter from the TSA. I knew the luggage was on the Red-eye from LAX to YYZ arriving the morning after I got in and, it came at 10pm the next night. In this case considering I was flying J it should have occurred to tell them to put the priority tag on my bad which they didn't do.
Case 1 prepared my well for Case 2 and other incident that this might happened.
I would have love airlines to call and say, "Your bag(s) have/has arrived and you can pick it up here provided you can show the matching luggage ticket. If you do it will be handed over to delivery company X and contact them for delivery.
HNL-Jack From United States of America, joined Mar 2001, 799 posts, RR: 0 Reply 20, posted (11 months 2 days 19 hours ago) and read 742 times:
Have sent a letter to UA simply asking for a voucher to check a bag free in consideration for the late bag delivery. Seems like such a voucher should be provided without question when bags don't arrive with you on your flight. Will let you know what response I receive.
Grew up in the business and continued the family tradition.
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