[Leftbehind]

No Bags, No Answer de telephone - too costly! My husband and I flew from Detroit to La Guardia on January 3rd of this year. We were catching a cruise ship from New York for our belated 10 year honeymoon. When we left Detroit, we had 4 bags checked - and paid for, I might add. When we arrived in New York, we only had 3. The suitcase containing all my formal and semi-formal wear for the cruise - a ballroom dance cruise - was missing. We went to the Baggage Claims Office and filled out the required paperwork, where we were told that Spirit would reimburse up to $3,000 for whatever I had to buy to replace the clothes for the cruise. On this ship, you could not even go to the dining room without formal or semi-formal wear, let alone go dancing at night. All during the cruise, the purser tried to contact Spirit to arrange delivery of our bag, but to no avail - only answering machines. The last day, they finally contacted someone at Spirit that told them they were phoning the wrong number - very rudely - despite the fact that this was the number given to us by the Baggage Claims Office. During the cruise, I purchased $1,800 of formal and semi-formal wear - nothing is cheap on a ship! Upon returning to La Guardia on our way home, we checked in at the Claims office, and there was our bag, just sitting there. Apparently it had gone to Las Vegas, instead of La Guardia. I filed a claim once I was at home, and sent it registered mail to the address listed on the website. It was returned one month later, saying "moved". I found another address for them, and again sent it registered mail. They signed for receipt of it on March 17th. I have phoned numerous times - only answering machines and left messages. I even faxed a copy of the claim to them on April 30th. Still nothing. If anyone has any ideas about how to get reimbursement, I'm willing to listen.

[Jetliner]

?????

Details?????

[Jetliner]

OK - it seems there has been a misunderstanding here. You don't just get $3,000 worth of reimbursement. That is the maximum you will get under the law if your bag is never recovered.

I know that on the cruise ships you have to wear formal wear for those dinners/ dances, and I know that the clothes aren't cheap, but $1,800? I've dealt with a WHOLE lot of passengers going on cruise ships, having to purchase formal wear (having worked in a Florida city) and I never had a single one come out to anywhere near that close. Sorry, but it sounds like you went for the most expensive stuff since you were expecting Spirt to pay for it. Also considering that those cruises normally only have two formal dinners.

I hate to break it to you, but you are not going to get that kind of reimbursement form Spirit. The do owe you something, but you're probably not going to see $1,800.

[abutterfinger25]

Let me clarify something that Jetline pointed out.

The $3000 liability limit is not the maximum allowed by law. Carriers are allowed to set their own liability limits. The 3K limit set forth in 14 CFR 254 is the minimum allowed by law. Carriers are just not allowed to set their individual limits below what is stipulated in Part 254.

Leftbehind, if you still have not heard anything from Spirit, contact the Department of Transporation (http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov) and file a complaint. We should be able to get a response out of Spirit.