[CFlies]

Hello.

I am a frequent flier for business and have never experienced anything quite like this. On Friday, March 7, 2008, I traveled from PHX to DFW on US Airways. I got to the airport and hour and a half early and checked my bag. When I arrived in Dallas, my suitcase was missing. I filed a claim and the agent told me I would receive it the next day (March 8, 2008) at 11AM. That time came and went and I called the baggage claim office again. They said it would be on the 7PM. Again, nothing. On March 9, I called 4 times to the office and each time they told me that "if" it was in Dallas they would send it to me. I asked them what they meant by "if". Didn't they know where my bag was? After 20 mins they admitted they didn't.

I had to check back with them on March 9th. I called them several times and each time they told me that they were still looking for it. However, on their online baggage claim form it said that my bag had been delivered already.

On Monday, March 10th, I called them at least 4 times. They now said that it was in Dallas. I called the DFW baggage claim directly and left a message asking them to put it on a plane to O’Hare and that I wold pick it up from there (by this time I was back home in Chicago). No one called me back.

On Tuesday, March 11th, I called the baggage claim 800 number 7 times! Each time they told me to call back in an hour because they were trying to contact DFW’s baggage claim office. I also called that office 4 times and no one answered or returned my voice messages.

The agents at the 800 # were rude and had no sense of urgency to want to help me and none of them could tell me when I would get my bag. At 6PM, an agent from Dallas called me and said that my bag would be on a United flight that night and that I should pick it up. Then at 8PM, I had a US Airways agent from PHX call me and say an agent from American Airlines called him to tell him my bag was at O’Hare for the last 2 days and that I should pick it up. So, I called US Airways in Dallas and asked them who was correct and that agent told me she sent my bag to O’Hare the night before (even though someone from the same office told me they had just put it on a flight hours before).

I was at the airport at 10PM going between terminals and trying to figure out if US Airways, United or AA had my bag and no one knew where it was. Finally, I went to check the Dallas flight that had just arrived and there it was. My new suitcase that I got for Christmas from my aunt, was torn, soiled and the metal name casings were ripped off.

No one offered an apology, all the agents were rude and didn’t help and when I finally spoke to the customer service agent (after calling 3 other numbers) he said that I should be nicer to the agents. Nicer? For four days they gave me the run around, I spent hours that I should have been working talking to them and they want to give me a pep talk? I told the agent, that I was nice for 3 days and was tired of the run around and all the calling yesterday and the only way I was going to get my bag was to get upset and be assertive and not “nice”. That should speak more to the company than to me.

He ended up giving me a $75 voucher. What is that? They overprice their tickets to begin with and all they give me is $75? That’s just enough to buy me all the advil I need for the huge headache they gave me for the last five days. I am not asking for a handout. I am asking for an apology and something that shows that they are sorry.

I will NEVER FLY US AIRWAYS EVER AGAIN. I rather fly someone else or not even go. THEY ARE RUDE, INCOMPETENT AND UNPROFESSIONAL.

[Teaching Next Generation]

2/28/11 - On our return from London, my daughter's suitcase was lost, we filed a missing bag report immediately whilst still in Philadelphia airport(PHLUS01001526/US649200). A week later her suitcase showed up, they called us to say that it was severely damaged and a carrier would return it.

The carrier called multiple times that night, told us that much of her suitcase contents were missing and showed up at our home well after midnight - he wanted to see her, wanted to come in the house and he was exceptionally creepy. He had proudly brought her a new suitcase (it held what was left of her case & luggage) and recommended she make a claim. He gave us a US Airways letter "Please accept our apology for he mishandling of your property..... complete this claim form within 45 days of your flight.... to receive compensation"

When we looked the case it looked like it had been deliberately ripped open, what remained was only the cheapest/oldest clothes, i.e her well worn sneakers were there but ALL of her high heels we gone, her socks were there but all her pants/bras were gone, her camera was gone, her expensive ortho head gear gone....

She filed the claim form on 3/21/11, 2 weeks after what was left of the suitcase had been returned (she had to research the price of all her missing contents). She then regularly called to ask for a status... someone even called to say they were researching the theft within the airport.. she's was told repeatedly that they were sorry (it takes time to process paperwork) and that her compensation check would be in the mail (3 times....) She re-faxed the paperwork to one employee who claimed that her paperwork had been misfiled and was now lost..
items from your luggage. Unfortunately were are unable to assume any responsibility... since there is no indication your property was mishandled.. When a passenger does not immediately report the baggage... we assume it is good condition.. we cannot take action..... So sorry..... We encourage you to fly with us again...."

I suppose the only thing now after all this effort is for me to show her how to write to the CEO - Doug Parker and teach her how to file in small claims court....