Flight attendant damaged my carry-on luggage, and I saw it as it happened
 

My carry-on rolling bag meets the dimensions required by Delta on its website. I have successfully used it on every flight without problems, including on the two legs of my outbound flight 11/23 and the first leg of my inbound flight on 11/30. However, the plane configuration for the second (and final) leg was different from the others and perhaps the bins were smaller, because it was on that leg that I ran into a problem.

By way of background, the flight out of ATL was at capacity and running almost 1 hr late. The flight attendants were as eager to get underway as the passengers. I was flying first-class and was the 3rd person to board so I knew there was plenty of room for my bag. The flight attendant took (snatched would be more accurate - remember they were running late) the bag from me and put it in the overhead compartment over 2C/D (I was seated in 1B).

I had an opportunity to see virtually every passenger and their carry-on luggage as the flight boarded through first class. Many people were boarding with luggage which obviously did not meet the dimensions, as well as more than the 2 pieces of carry-on luggage allowed.

Every bit of storage space was being put to use because of the full flight. As the flight filled, there was minimal room for more luggage in the bin over 2C/D but the attendant was determined to store another piece. She jammed one of the oversize bags into the same compartment as mine and in an attempt to make more room for that bag, turned mine around, wheels now facing out. The attendant then tried to close the bin door with no success, and kept jamming it and slamming it, still without its closing. She then propped a pillow under the last bag (oversized) to elevate it and jammed the door over and over until the bin closed.

When I retrieved my luggage, the handle was jammed, The handle did not retract smoothly or evenly - one side was higher than the other. It took tremendous force to pull it out - and to push it back in. Its days as a rolling carry-on were finished.

I informed one of the first class flight attendants and she questioned how it could have happened. I replied that I had watched the (other) attendant as she was doing it and asked how to proceed. She told me to talk with the gate agent. The gate agent told me to talk with Baggage Claim. The associate at Baggage Claim merely said "We are not responsible" and pointed to the sign refusing liability for damage to retractable handles.

This morning I called Delta Baggage Customer Care and was told a file should have been opened at the airport and that I would have to put my complaint in writing. I did not know about the file and the Customer Care staffer did not mention it either.

Question: has anyone encountered this situation before, and how was it resolved? Delta may want to refuse liability, but in this case I saw the action which caused the damage, and it was clearly negligence on the part of the flight attendant.

TIA for any insight/advice.

Flight attendant damaged my carry-on luggage, and I saw it as it happened
 

My carry-on rolling bag meets the dimensions required by Delta on its website. I have successfully used it on every flight without problems, including on the two legs of my outbound flight 11/23 and the first leg of my inbound flight on 11/30. However, the plane configuration for the second (and final) leg was different from the others and perhaps the bins were smaller, because it was on that leg that I ran into a problem.

By way of background, the flight out of ATL was at capacity and running almost 1 hr late. The flight attendants were as eager to get underway as the passengers. I was flying first-class and was the 3rd person to board so I knew there was plenty of room for my bag. The flight attendant took (snatched would be more accurate - remember they were running late) the bag from me and put it in the overhead compartment over 2C/D (I was seated in 1B).

I had an opportunity to see virtually every passenger and their carry-on luggage as the flight boarded through first class. Many people were boarding with luggage which obviously did not meet the dimensions, as well as more than the 2 pieces of carry-on luggage allowed.

Every bit of storage space was being put to use because of the full flight. As the flight filled, there was minimal room for more luggage in the bin over 2C/D but the attendant was determined to store another piece. She jammed one of the oversize bags into the same compartment as mine and in an attempt to make more room for that bag, turned mine around, wheels now facing out. The attendant then tried to close the bin door with no success, and kept jamming it and slamming it, still without its closing. She then propped a pillow under the last bag (oversized) to elevate it and jammed the door over and over until the bin closed.

When I retrieved my luggage, the handle was jammed, The handle did not retract smoothly or evenly - one side was higher than the other. It took tremendous force to pull it out - and to push it back in. Its days as a rolling carry-on were finished.

I informed one of the first class flight attendants and she questioned how it could have happened. I replied that I had watched the (other) attendant as she was doing it and asked how to proceed. She told me to talk with the gate agent. The gate agent told me to talk with Baggage Claim. The associate at Baggage Claim merely said "We are not responsible" and pointed to the sign refusing liability for damage to retractable handles.

This morning I called Delta Baggage Customer Care and was told a file should have been opened at the airport and that I would have to put my complaint in writing. I did not know about the file and the Customer Care staffer did not mention it either.

Question: has anyone encountered this situation before, and how was it resolved? Delta may want to refuse liability, but in this case I saw the action which caused the damage, and it was clearly negligence on the part of the flight attendant.

TIA for any insight/advice.

I'm not gonna place doubt on the damage of the bag, but I think the big questions are: How were you in a position to see everyone as they were boarding, if you were seated in 1b, (Were you standing the whole time?) and 2) I think you should have addressed the FA about the bag abuse, if you watched them cram items along side your bag that may have caused the damage, and also gotten the name. It doesn't matter if it's a busy flight or not, it's still your personal property and should be treated with care.

You did the right thing by immedietely taking it up with Baggage services, but you should have also filed a claim, by explaining how the bag was damaged in the first place. I'd write a letter to Delta customer service department, given dates, times, flight numbers etc, explaining how the bag was damaged and the cost to replace said bag.

My reply vanished, but I think I was able to recreate it.
*******************************
First of all, thank you for taking the time to reply.
To answer your questions:
1. I was able to see everyone as they were boarding because everyone had to board through first class. Therefore I literally had a front-row view of all the passengers and their carry-on luggage and could see all the people who were boarding with an excess number of pieces and oversized pieces as they made their way to the back of the plane.
2. I had turned in my seat to see how the boarding was proceeding towards the back of the plane and was treated to a clear view of the spectacle of the FA jamming the other bag, slamming the door repeatedly, rearranging my luggage, slamming the door repeatedly, propping the other bag with a pillow, and slamming even more vigorously. Initially I thought that it was the other bag that was being damaged and felt bad for the owner. I knew my bag was within the acceptable dimensions, and it had traveled fine on every single segment. Unfortunately the configuration of this plane was different and it appears the overhead bins might have been smaller. It was only when I retrieved my bag that I realized it was my bag that she had damaged with her slamming. The owner of the other bag retrieved it without a problem – but it did not have a retractable handle and wheels.
I agree that full flight or not, my personal property needs to be treated with care. I did attempt to address the issue with the FA but she hurried away towards the back of the plane before I could, and she was away for some time. The other FAs were unavailable as well. I did not get her name, but the 3 on the flight were very different in looks and I can describe her in detail, so Crew Scheduling should be able to identify her from records of who was working that flight.
Admittedly I was not thinking at my best. A 1 hour flight delay, a 15 minute wait for a wheelchair to deplane, on a trip which included repeated problems with the wheelchairs for my 83yo aunt on every segment of the trip (prearranging, and having the request clearly noted on the itinerary and the boarding pass seems to do little), including the MIA-ATL segment which preceded this one (that one included a disappearing wheelchair attendant) will have that effect. I was tired and concerned for my aunt and the 90-minute trip home which still lay ahead of us. I waited another 20 minutes in line to explain in detail – and politely I might add- to Baggage Services how the bag was damaged. I agree with you that I should have insisted that a report be filed, regardless of whether they denied responsibility or not. However, I did note the name of the individual I spoke with (she would only give me her first name and initial of last name) and will include it in my letter.
Thank you again – I appreciate your support.

Damage to things such as wheels, straps and handles are usually excluded. Unfortunately I don't think you'll be getting anything. Next time buy a more sturdy bag. Had you checked the bag it would have been subjected to much more "abuse" than a human could ever exert just from the automatic sorting system. I think your issue is more with the manufacturer of the bag than with the flight attendant or airline. My advice is take it back to Wal~Mart.

I have the distinct impression from reading your reply (“My advice is take it back to Wal~Mart”) that you are implying that the bag was of inferior quality. I did not purchase it at Walmart, as you assumed - although even if I had it would be irrelevant. Even the most elegant and expensive bag cannot withstand abuse indefinitely.
This bag was quite sturdy, thank you. It had held up quite nicely through several trips over the years – all the trips where I earned over 275,000 FF miles and Medallion status on Delta - and still has plenty of useful life left, just not as a rolling carryon, which was its intended purpose. I agree with you that if I had checked the bag it would have been subjected to much more “abuse”, and that is why that bag was never checked at any time on this or any other trip. I make it a practice to avoid checking luggage and have not done so in the last 15 years.
Also, I am quite certain that my issue is not with the manufacturer of the bag, but with the airline. It was clearly through the airline employee (FA)’s negligence that the damage was sustained. The bag was in good working order when it was delivered into the custody of the FA. It was not in good working order when it was returned to me. Delta can refuse to accept responsibility all day long, but that does not mean they are right. The damage was most assuredly unintentional, but it occurred, and furthermore, I clearly witnessed the circumstances in which it was damaged.
Let me offer you food for thought: Next time you hand the keys to your car to a parking attendant or valet and you watch them put a scratch in your car as they are parking it in a tight space, will you be happy to hear, “Sorry, we are not responsible for scratches or body damage. You should know that cars get nicked all the time in parking lots. You should be driving something sturdier like a Sherman Tank”?
I appreciate your taking the time to offer your perspective.

Delta can exclude certain damages as long as the bag is subjected to the normal wear and tear that you can expect in an airport. The wear and tear on bags is pretty intense, but his bag had held up pretty well.

In this case, the allegation is one of negligence. No company can write terms and conditions in which it excludes itself from its own negligence. However, here is your problem. You are dealing with a notoriously anti-customer attitude. The bag has, by your own admission, been used for some time. The second hand value of the bag, compared the grief and effort required to pursue legel action is probably not worth it. Delta know this. They will stall every effort because in reality they do not expect you to persue it.

I would send a stiff letter of complaint and hope you find someone remotely sympathetic. The indifferent response you got from the 3 Delta staff you dealt with at the airport typifies their attitude and is the most likely response you will get from the letter. At that point, all you can do is post negative comments about them here, my3cents, consumercomplaints, etc.. and stop flying with them. They are a huge monolith with no incentive to change.

Jimworcs,
We are absolutely of like mind. Your comments gave voice to what I was thinking.
It would be unrealistic to expect there would never be any wear and tear on baggage. The bag is still in service because it was well-made to begin with, I take good care of my things, and frankly it has been unmitigated luck that something like this never happened before.
At one time I was a big fan of Delta, and chose to fly it whenever possible, although American and Southwest were the greater presences in Dallas, where I live. Over time, however Delta’s Customer Service has eroded to disappointing levels. Indeed, the sheer indifference not just to this issue but to that of boarding of passengers needing assistance with wheelchairs is appalling.
The cost/benefit of the effort to recover for the damage is of course a factor to consider. I can either purchase a new bag, move on with my life and enjoy more meaningful pursuits, or I can pursue this to some conclusion, knowing that Delta has a better hand simply because of their size. The strongly worded letter is the best alternative and is the avenue I will pursue. I will use the remaining miles on my account for a few trips and after that will re-evaluate.
In the scheme of things, the boarding of passengers needing assistance is a much larger issue and should – and will- be addressed separately. As I was reading through postings today I found a lot of discussion about the topic on this site although I chose not to enter the fray.
Thanks to you and to all who were also so kind as to reply and “talk it out” with me. I sincerely appreciate everyone’s time and insight.
Best wishes for a happy holiday season to all ~

Happy Holiday season to you too..

Just one point on the wheelchair. It might be worth filing a complaint with the DOT regarding the wheelchair issue. This is one of the few areas where there are strict legal issues and enforcement. If you had to wait for more than 15 minutes, I believe Delta can be fined by the DOT.

Thanks - I will look for DOT documentation for when the 15-minute window starts. Whether the providing of that function is outsourced or not, Delta continues to be accountable for the performance of its contractors.

I'll update this thread with Delta's reply.

Thanks again for all your help.
BrownGirl

There is a DOT employee who sometimes posts very helpful posts on here. I think his name is abutterfinger25. If you do a search, you may well find a link.

This issue was discussed in August in this forum. At that time he posted the following:

Therefore, if your mother's request for a wheelchair was not ad hoc, the 15 minute rule doesn't even apply.. I think you can file your complaint to DOT online and I would encourage you to do so.

Thank you for the reference to the DOT employee. I will look for the link.
All in all, I am glad I took the precaution of booking flights which allowed us a minimum of 90-120 minutes between segments, so as to have breathing room in case of weather-related or other delays.
Ours was decidedly not an adhoc request and you make the same point I raised to a Delta staffer in Atlanta on the way home. I booked the tickets online almost 30 days before travel and requested a wheelchair for my aunt at that time. The request appeared on the printed itinerary. I also called the airline three days later and confirmed it was on the reservation. The wheelchair request appeared on the boarding tickets as well when I checked in online 24 hours in advance of the flight.
Our best wheelchair experience was at DFW airport as we were starting our trip. We were immediately tended to curbside and the gentleman was polite, efficient and extremely helpful. He received an extremely generous tip as I was most appreciative. Arriving in Atlanta, we waited long enough that all passengers had left the plane, the cleaning crew had boarded, we had chit-chatted with the captain for some time, and even he had inquired a couple of times as to the status of the wheelchair before it finally arrived. Reboarding in Atlanta was timely. The same person helped us both times (deplaning and reboarding) and was tipped well. In Miami, we again visited with the flight crew, captain, and cleaning crew and were the last ones off the plane. Our attendant there was most cordial, efficient and helpful, and received an extremely generous tip.
On our way home from Miami, the attendant met us once we were inside the terminal. She was polite, efficient and extremely helpful. Interestingly, when we were boarding, the gate agent tried to stop her, saying that they were only boarding first class passengers. He was insisting she turn back when I clarified that we were in fact flying first class and he let us continue. Apparently he thought that “needing assistance boarding” was not a high priority. She received an extremely generous tip. In Atlanta the wait was loooooooooooong and the attendant was fine. We had to change terminals and I was very grateful for her help. She was tipped quite handsomely but I was tired and tipped her when she delivered us to the gate, instead of waiting until we boarded the plane. We never saw her again – that was the “disappearing wheelchair attendant”. A Delta staffer actually got a wheelchair for my aunt and got her on the plane. Once home in DFW there was an extremely long wait once more. That was the not-a-spare-seat, jam-the-carryon flight. You can imagine how long it took for all passengers to exit the plane, and even the cleaning crew had finished by the time the wheelchair showed up.
I recognize that an argument could be made about the needs of the many vs the needs of the few (interrupting boarding/deplaning temporarily to allow a passenger needing assistance to proceed). But a passenger is a passenger is a passenger. Everyone should be able to board and exit the plane in a timely manner.
Yes, I will definitely be pursuing that issue. Thanks again.

I don't know how far your DOT complaint will go since it seems you only made a "generic" wheelchair request. There are several "degrees" of wheelchair requests. The basic one only provides transportation from curbside to gate, between gates on connecting flights, and from gate to curbside upon landing. It does not specify that any further assistance is needed and assumes the passenger is basically ambulatory but simply needs the wheelchair for long distances. The wheelchair attendant is not required to take you down the jetway.

For those with further needs (people who use wheelchairs or other mobility assistance devices on a regular basis) there are other requests such as assistance to board/deplane and/or the need to use an aisle chair to get to/from the seat while boarding and in-flight to use the lav.

Also it is pretty standard that passengers with wheelchair requests are the last to be deplaned. It wouldn't make sense to ask the majority of the able-bodied passengers to wait and it's actually better that they're out of the way when it comes time for those requiring more time and/or assistance to leave the plane.

I'm not really trying to defend the action of the airline but to give a different perspective.

When a passenger requests wheelchair assistance, like the OP did, it will show up on the ppwk that the flight attendants receives before takeoff. When the plane calls "in-range" of the destination, the crew will let the ground staff know how many wheelchairs the FA has told him are needed. Also, the ground staff can see this info as well with a quick check.

So, let's for example say an arriving flight is requesting 4 wheelchairs. When the flight arrives and the passengers are deplaning, many times a passenger who has not ordered one will just sit down and expect to be helped. Now one of the requests will go unfilled or have to wait. Should the wheelchair pusher have a list of names that requested the service?? Probably, but they don't, at least not anywhere I ever worked.

A request at an origin point is much easier. You request it, it shows up. It can't really be there ahead of time as the agents haven't mastered the art of knowing all the names and requests of passengers before speaking yet. I was working on that but quit in frustration. :)

Gentlemen,
Thank you for your responses. Let me address each of the issues you have presented.
PHXflyer:
1. I did not make a “generic” wheelchair request. When I called the airline three days after booking the ticket, I was quite clear that we needed assistance all the way to our seats – meaning down the jetway. The representative with whom I spoke said she had noted the reservation accordingly.
There is little doubt that that is exactly how it occurred, since otherwise one would have to believe Delta accidentally provided wheelchair access all the way without prompting (ie: additional request) to/from our seats in Dallas, in Atlanta, in Miami, then in Miami again on the way home, but not in Atlanta on our inbound leg, but then did so again in Dallas. That sequence of events says I made the correct request and Atlanta didn’t handle the request correctly.

2. I don’t have a problem with being the last to deplane. If you will reread my post, my point was that everyone should be able to do so in a timely manner.

3. If I might offer feedback, your “airline sympathizer” tag is superfluous, as the tone of your comments is sufficient to identify your perspective. Perhaps in your position you have had to deal with liars, cheats, thieves, and con men. I feel sorry for you if this is the case, and understand that in such circumstances it would be natural to develop a jaded outlook and an inherent distrust of people. But I like to think that those of that ilk are the minority, not the majority.
I would respectfully remind you that a customer is not always right - but not always wrong, either. Further, not everyone is out to defraud/profit unjustly/take advantage of a company or situation. Sometimes a complaint can be diffused simply by listening to a person in a respectful manner, and responding to what is really being said – the frustration, the anger, the disappointment, whatever. To do otherwise puts you in an adversarial position with the person with whom you are dealing, and not only accomplishes little, it only worsens the situation. This thread is a perfect example. I feel I stated my problem in a calm, straightforward, factual manner in my original posting. You have no idea who I am nor anything about me. Yet your comments to me were: “Next time buy a more sturdy bag” and “I think your issue is more with the manufacturer of the bag than with the flight attendant or airline. My advice is take it back to Wal~Mart.”. Those are inherently offensive, and effective as a tactic only if you wish to escalate hostilities. There is wisdom in the enduring adage that you can catch more flies with honey than vinegar.

Judge:
My aunt’s name indeed appeared on the paperwork of staffers meeting us at the jetway to take us to the terminal, and they confirmed that she was the right passenger before taking her. They did not board the plane, we met them at the jetway, which was fine. My aunt could walk the short distance between our seat and the door with my assistance. I recall only one segment where there was a second person on board needing a wheelchair.


Thanks everyone ~

That is not what needing assistance to your seat is. Assistance to the seat means the person is unable or barely able to walk. They are in a standard wheelchair until they get to the aircraft door where they are transferred to a special chair that is able to fit in the aisle and they are then taken, in that wheelchair, to their seat. Is your Aunt able to walk from the entrance of the plane to the seat? If so she doesn't need "assistance to the seat" and that's not what was requested. I've traveled with a friend who is a double-amputee. As such he does need assistance to the seat so I am very familiar with the different levels of wheelchair requests which I hope will be confirmed by one of the airline employees here.

other than this post i'm going to attempt to completely stay out of this one..... phx delta basically has 3 different wheelchair SSR's or "special service requests" in no specific order. one is the generic that you speak of needing assitance from gate to gate etc, generally someone will be available to take the passenger down to the bottom of the jetway. in my station it is usually the gate agent doing this, not a skycap. the second one basically says that the passenger is bringing their own scooter or wheelchair and may or may not need someone to push the chair, these are usually gate checked and brought back to the passenger in each destination or they use the airline provided chairs between gates. and the last is the completely immobile request where you have to have the special aisle chair you spoke of.

PHXflyer,
Sorry, I see that I mis-wrote in my reply but I did communicate accurately with the Delta CSR on the phone. Technically my aunt does need assistance all the way to her seat – but the door-of-plane-to-seat assistance is one I can render easily. The Delta CSR asked me if she could get from the door of the plane to her seat and I told her she could, with my assistance.
My aunt does not regularly use a wheelchair. She normally requires a walker to get around. It has a small seat she can use to rest if she gets tired, but that is still not sufficient to support her in walking long distances.
Recapping the entire curbside-to-seat journey, it breaks out as follows: with my assistance, she can negotiate: entrance of plane to seat, and seat to entrance of plane . However, even with the use of a walker she cannot negotiate: curbside to gate, gate down jetway, jetway to gate, gate to curbside. The distances are simply too far and wheelchair assistance is needed. As a side bar, my personal opinion is that the pitch of the jetways and the “transition joints” (I don’t know what else to call them – they are the metal hinged pieces in the jetway) are not overly friendly to someone who needs assistance.
We gate-checked her walker so it would be available for her inside the terminal. She walked for approximately 5 minutes inside the terminal with her walker every time we landed in order to stretch her legs.

WKHarris,
Thanks for sharing your knowledge - I am really getting some great insight into Delta operations and appreciate the opportunity to learn.

Jim isn't that your cue?

I think she get's it without any further intervention from me!!