[PHXFlyer]

Any experienced business traveler wil tell you either hand-carry items that are essential to your business trip or have them sent ahead by a courier who tracks your shipment status and guarantees delivery such as FedEx. You cannot rely on the airlines to transport your baggage so that it arrives with you at your destination at the same time nor do they guarantee this. Furthermore I know your daughter's pointe shoes are valuable and would be costly to replace if damaged or lost. Had this happened you would have no recourse as airlines do not insure such items. With a courier such as FedEx you can purchase insurace up to the full replacement valkue of the items.

Unfortunately neither Delta nor Lufthansa are going to refund your entire trip. They may make some allowance for replacement of everyday clothing and the purchase of some toiletry essentials but that's about all you can and should expect. As for the phone calls made from the Amsterdam hotel phone anyone who travels abroad will tell you to avoid using the phone in a hotel at all costs. Hotels tack on pricey fees and surcharges, sometimes even if you reach a busy signal or are dialing a call which would otherwise be local or toll free. I wouldn't expect much if any compensation for that expense either.

Finally there were these two points in your letter which should have been left out altogether. First, "Food expenses added up as she waited for her bags." What could the delay of her bags possibly have to do with food expenses? She was going to eat with or without her bag, wasn't she? Second, "Potentially there was a loss of revenue because she was unable to pursue future bookings." The operative word here is "Potentially." You stated in your letter that she was traveling for auditions. There is no guarantee those auditions would have resulted in work even if she had her bag, shoes, clothing, cosmetics, etc. Now I grant you that without those "tools of the trade" her chances were zero however you cannot expect to be compensated for a potential loss only actual losses unless you really do intend to pursue this matter in a court of law and still your chances are not good.

Perhaps you haven't mailed these letters yet and there is still time to omit those two lines. Honestly with those two statements it appears as though you're trying to be compensated for whatever you can. Also, the statement "I demand that Lufthansa, and Delta make restitution for the cost of this trip to the maximum allowable in small claims court." should be modified. They will only see this as a challenge the response to which will likely be, "See you in court!"