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Lost Suitcase

Feezerbeezer
Explorer C

I traveled from LAX to Denver to celebrate my nephews birthday and Thanksgiving. My suitcase with my life for a week being lost has put a damper on my visit and took away the excitement of my arrival. That can't be changed. The surprises I had planned to give to my nephews upon my arrival, missing.  The birthday gifts that were wrapped and ready to gift, missing! My cold weather gear to have fun in the snow with family - missing. So with ALL my belongings missing, I too missed a days time with my family because I had nothing to wear to participate. I just kept being told to call the 800 for an update on my luggage. Basically hang tight without an apology or anything to put my mind at ease, make me feel like the airline cares this is a HUGE impact and inconvenience to me on my much anticipated vacation 😡

I was told to wait around at the airport until the next flight arrival when I first reported to Southwest that my bag was not on the turnstile. Incase it was on that flight although the bag showed having arrived. About a half hour into that wait I was told the next flight was canceled and I would have to wait even later to hopefully be given status on where my luggage may be. It is now about 18 hours past when my suitcase should have arrived with me on my flight. I was promised by multiple agents upon me calling them that I would get a phone call back.   Still, no outreach from Southwest! It seems they could care less I'm in the snow for a week still in the California clothes on my back and flip flops on my feet! It would be nice if the airline would put themselves in my situation. A courtesy call to say I'm sorry we're working on this would be nice. But maybe they really aren't working on locating my luggage??. I am getting pushed off to the next agent and still they have no idea on the whereabouts of my suitcase almost 2 days later. The last agent even had the nerve to end our phone call with wishing me "good luck!!"

This is ridiculous. How can they either not find and deliver my suitcase or share insight into process to get the ball rolling on next steps to get me moving forward with my life! Any allowance or reimbursement info. would be a nice start! It's ruining my trip and finally after missing a day and a half of family time because I couldn't  leave the house without toiletries or clothing when I asked SW agent if I could purchase some items to move about my trip, they divulge that I can. Had they have shared this with me on my first, second, third, fourth (you get the picture!) phonecall, I would have had a much more enjoyable day. I hope Southwest will step up their game on their customer service . . . And pray they locate my suitcase with my thousands of dollars worth of valuables.  Meanwhile I go call to call with the various agents I call and speak to never offering up proactively how they are going to fix this! It's time consuming to step away from family to make these phone call check ins and even more frusterating to not have any progress from one call to the next. I'm a very unhappy with southwests lack of concern, lack of empathy and lack of process. It really seems they need some major tweaks to their baggage handling and tracking process. I can't be the first person this has ever happened to but it sure feels like it   😢😡

9 REPLIES 9

Re: Lost Suitcase

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

I recommend to check with TSA as well. They prefer not to have wrapped presents, particularly if anything was of a questionable shape or had lithium batteries they may have had to open the contents. 

I assume you had ID tag somewhere on the bag as well but if that falls off during an investigation TSA or Southwest wouldn't know where to send it.

 

The next time you call make sure Southwest has a description of the contents in case the ID tag has been lost and your luggage can be identified by its description. Check the baggage office phone number as well in case the luggage does show up at DEN but isn't updated in the database.

 

 

Home airport MDW, frequent visitor to MCO to see the mouse.

Re: Lost Suitcase

Feezerbeezer
Explorer C

Yes, it had a tag attached which was a sturdy well affixed tag. Have a hard time believing it fell off. 
The baggage claim in DEN said the scan showed my luggage arrived in DEN. Would that mean it still could be with TSA? 

Re: Lost Suitcase

SWDigits
Aviator A

The Southwest Contract of Carriage is available online, you'll want to refer to pages 29 through 31 of the .pdf document:

 

https://www.southwest.com/assets/pdfs/corporate-commitments/contract-of-carriage.pdf

 

The referenced pages outline the steps required to report the loss & file a claim, explain reimbursement limits, and describe baggage delivery for located items.

 

The most time critical item for the scenario described is that "Passenger must notify Carrier of the claim and receive a Baggage report number not later than four hours after... arrival of the flight on which the loss, damage, or delay is alleged to have occurred"

 

You can also contact Southwest directly via Twitter, click the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of the forum pages for their handle.


Customer | Home airport DCA

Re: Lost Suitcase

Feezerbeezer
Explorer C

Yes, I reported immediately. I even waited as advised by SW for the next flight Incase despite the scan showing my bag arrived in DEN that it was out on a later flight. 👎🏻 

Re: Lost Suitcase

dfwskier
Aviator A

Sorry to hear that you are going thru this. I'm sure it is frustrating.

 

As you later learned, the airline does let you buy things to use in the absence of your bag.

You might be able to buy some inexpensive cold weather gear to get you thru your trip - not an entire wardrobe. Talk with an agent to get parameters.

 

Assuming that your bag is found, Southwest will deliver it to you at a Denver address you specify. Be assured the airline is trying to find your bag. It relies on scanning the bag tag to try to identify it. If that scan fails for whatever reason, it becomes much more complicated.

 

If the bag never shows up, the airline will reimburse up to $3500. You'll need receipts for the missing gifts, and if you have receipts for other stuff it will be helpfull. Items that have been used are reinburseable less the amount of depreciation due to use. 

 

Most of the above is covered in the airline's contract of carriage. Most people would not think of looking there for answers.

 

https://www.southwest.com/assets/pdfs/corporate-commitments/contract-of-carriage.pdf

Re: Lost Suitcase

Feezerbeezer
Explorer C

I was told by the last SW agent that I spoke with anything I bought that I needed while on my trip would be reimbursed on the spot at the airport and it would not count against the 3500 max of my itemized contents claim submission. That was reassuribg since I had 5k worth of contents in my suitcase that SW lost!
I went to the airport and was told the information that the agent gave me (that she advised was being recorded for quality assurance) was inaccurate. This is just another example of this experience. 🤯😡😭

Re: Lost Suitcase

Feezerbeezer
Explorer C

A decrease in value is not acceptable! Some of my items were brand new. A few coming from trips that I cannot replace 😤. Even those that weren't look brand new. I take pride in caring for the things I own.  Who do I need to escalate to?  SW is supposed to be known for their customer service. I'm not feeling the love 😣😣. I feel like I'm getting jipped and the run around! 

Re: Lost Suitcase

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

I've never heard Southwest paying out any reimbursement at the airport, it's always a matter of saving receipts for essential items that must be purchased immediately such as a toothbrush and perhaps a change of clothes, then submitting a claim for reimbursement of those expenses. Southwest's contract of carriage does limit their liability to $3500 unless you declare and purchase coverage for extra value. I do not see any indication of reimbursement for purchasing essentials counting against the $3500 limit, but again, that reimbursement is for essential purchases, not an additional $1500 worth of stuff that you would like to replace.

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: Lost Suitcase

bec102896
Aviator A

Sorry to hear your bag is missing and that your not getting any helpful information from Southwest. 

 

As suggested I would check with TSA just in case they have the bag.

 

On your lost bag report there should be a website that you can go to for communicating with Southwest. That is where you would submit receipts for the itms you had to buy and where you could request compensation for the missing bag if it is found to be Southwests fault. 

 

I hope your bag is found and returned to you soon 

 

-Blake