[JamesMartin]

Dear American Airlines,
My name is James Martin. I am a jazz musician from New Orleans. Recently, I was hired to perform a festival in the French Caribbean Island of Martinique. I was told by the travel agent that I was allowed two free check-in luggage items but was informed at the ticket counter that this rule had recently changed and that I need to pay $30 to check-in my luggage and guitar. When I arrived in Martinique, my luggage was missing. Luckily, I was able to play the festival with a borrowed instrument. My luggage was delivered to my hotel in Martinique the day after my performance. I began my return back to New Orleans the next day, my luggage and instrument untouched. I again paid the $30 fee to check in my luggage only to arrive at Louis Armstrong International without my luggage. I was told by the employee at baggage claims that my luggage was sent without tracking numbers. The next day, I received several calls from your luggage delivery service ensuring me that my luggage was on its way only to later call and tell me that my guitar and clothes were sent to a city one and a half hours from where I live. When the baggage finally arrived into my possession, it was delivered on the back of a pickup truck soaking wet.

I’m a self-employed musician and I cannot afford to be charged exorbitant fees for a service that I’m not received. Fortunately for us all, my wet guitar and clothes have been dried and cleaned but the realization that my bags and I would have been better off had I not checked in any luggage is disheartening. What am I paying you for? This is unacceptable. At least I got from Point A to Point B in one piece but is that really what you want your customers to think when doing business with you?