Lost bags for 2 weeks, refused to compensate
 

My brother in law and his wife came from Argentina late December 2011. They connected in Chile and that is where their bags stayed...for two weeks! When American finally delivered the bags to the airport (not the house), my inlaws had spent New Years in the same clothes they arrived in. They are simple, good people and never complained. They finally bought some clothes - $140 between the TWO of them!!!! their bags arrived when we were in Las Vegas the second week in January. I called AA and they said just send in the receipts to the company and they would be reimbursed for reasonable expenses. I sent in a letter and the receipts for them. I just got a letter back that said "Due to the unusual delay.....no reimbursement". Really? Two weeks of no clothes and then only a request for $140 and it WAS mailed timely and that is their response? "Carol" then said to have my brother in law call to discuss it from Argentina...so you can see where this is going. How can you fly an airline and check your bags when you can see how they view their clients and how you will be treated if they lose your bags? Delta now gets all my business.

Send your complaint to the DOT, there is a link under Quick Links. AA absolutely are obligated to reimburse reasonable expenses... They are disgraceful.

Sorry...Keep on them...
 

USAIR lost my bags for a couple of days and didn't want to reimburse me for my clothing (see my Post - search my username JB1992)... and it actually turned out better than I expected only because I kept on them.

Keep writing letters to get them to pay for the items...Perservernce may pay off in the end...it did for me.

Good luck.