United Killed My Bag Today.... Here's A Dragster First

"tromoly" (tromoly) 04/24/2017 at 17:44 • Filed to: Oakley, United, Damaged

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More (and rant) after the jump.

I’ve had the same Oakley bag for about 15 months now, flown several dozen times through several different countries. It’s an awesome bag that’s survived many baggage claim areas. Until today.

Carrying my bag into the airport it’s perfectly fine, battle scars but not broken. Every handle works great, I lifted it onto their scale and it’s 35 pounds, we’re set. Fly out, land, go to baggage claim only to discover one side of the top handle has ripped clean out of the plastic main body. Not a popped rivet, not a torn handle, legit tear of the plastic, like this.

Walk to the baggage service desk, guy looks at it, takes some info, then hands back a paper rejecting the claim with instruction to call a number to challenge it. Call said number, person says they can’t go over the heads of the original baggage service desk, but I could get a $100 travel voucher as compensation (it’s a $250 bag, no thanks). Call the service desk, they say since I’ve already talked to corporate the desk can’t go over their heads and should just accept the travel vouchers.

I’ve flown United all over the world the last few years, I had zero personal issues with them. But being told by two different departments that they can’t go over the heads of the other department and that I need to talk with the other department about it (is a two-person Mexican Standoff possible?) I’m getting sick of airlines.

Sir Halffast > tromoly 04/24/2017 at 17:48

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When you’re already in a hole, just keep digging. You get out faster that way.

MrDakka > tromoly 04/24/2017 at 17:51

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Airships need to be a thing again

Textured Soy Protein > tromoly 04/24/2017 at 17:58

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“Fine, put your supervisor on the phone so I can go over your head to them.”

haveacarortwoorthree2 > tromoly 04/24/2017 at 18:02

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I so try to avoid checking a bag, but I know that sometimes it can’t be helped. Either they fricking destroy it, lose it, or take forever to actually deliver it to the terminal.

tromoly > haveacarortwoorthree2 04/24/2017 at 18:10

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Never had a bag lost, did have one show up late because I was rerouted due to airplane issues.

I agree though, if I could carry knives and Leathermans into the cabin it’d be real nice, but obviously it’s not possible.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > tromoly 04/24/2017 at 18:12

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Surprise

haveacarortwoorthree2 > tromoly 04/24/2017 at 18:19

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AA lost a bag containing my then 6yo son’s Christmas presents years ago. If that kid would’ve known how to take out a contract on AA’s baggage handlers, I’m pretty sure he would’ve done it.

Dusty Ventures > tromoly 04/24/2017 at 18:36

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So, storytime. About ten years back I worked baggage for an airline for a few months, and I confess I did have a hand in the death of a bag or seven (along with an overhead door, but that’s a whole different story). The sad fact is the crews are forced onto such a tight deadline and pushed to rush to such an extent that they can’t be careful with every bag. Odd objects usually get extra care (golf clubs, musical instruments, things prominently marked fragile, skis, strollers - especially strollers), but anything that looks like standard luggage will likely end up airbore at some point in its journey, without the aid of the aircraft. Making matters worse, the baggage area and baggage carts are designed like some kind of suitcase gauntlet, with lots of hard steel edges at awkward locations and angles, and countless corners and traps practically designed to rip, poke, or snag objects. I felt super guilty every time I knocked a wheel off a bag or cracked a handle, but there was literally no way to be careful enough to never damage a bag and still get everything on/off within the limits.

As a passenger this taught me to be smarter about my own luggage. Anything with protruding plastic/hard handles is right out, as are those exposed castor wheels (the #1 object broken on bags. Seriously, this is a bad design ). Any potentially breakable items (sunglasses, computers, cameras, race gear) are carry-on only, and the bag I bought to be checked is a soft-sided duffle with all it’s elements as inboard as possible. The wheels are rollerblade style and mounted inboard, not on the corners (corner wheels are also prone to being broken). All external handles are cloth, and the telescoping handle collapses into a zipper pocket within the bag. Basically it looks a lot like this. This is just about the best bag design if you want to minimize risk of bag damage.

All this being said (I know, TL;DR), I am firmly of the mindset that if your people break shit you’re responsible for repairing/replacing that shit. A $100 flight voucher on a $250 bag is definitely nonsense and they should have compensated you properly.

tromoly > Dusty Ventures 04/24/2017 at 18:50

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I definitely don’t want to take it out on the baggage handlers, they are stressed and I understand it. What I don’t get is how the baggage desk says the handle isn’t covered, here’s a picture of the top handle area for reference (disregard the collapsing handle, it didn’t get damaged).

The handle is a rubber grip on woven fabric, which is then rivited to the plastic body. If the handle had ripped, I could replace it. If a rivet failed, I could replace it. But as the picture in the main post shows, a chunk of plastic was ripped out of the bag where the handle attaches. That’s why I don’t get why the airline is being so stand-offish about it.

My favorite line I’ve been told is if the plastic failed it’s a manufacturing defect, even though it’s been flown with for over a year and through several different airports (in addition to being loaded significantly heavier) with zero issues.

Dusty Ventures > tromoly 04/24/2017 at 18:52

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Yeah, that’s not a “manufacturing defect.” something somewhere snagged that sucker for sure.

tromoly > Dusty Ventures 04/24/2017 at 19:08

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I tried explaining that over the phone, apparently it didn’t come across that way. If I lived closer than an hour from the airport I’d have gone back today, tomorrow I’ll have to fight it in person.

The backup plan is drill out the rivets on both sides, epoxy the one piece back in, then use big ass fender washers on both sides of the plastic and proper diameter bolts (thinking 1/4", don’t know for sure yet) to hold it all together.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > tromoly 04/24/2017 at 19:16

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Take them to small claims court.

Either they won’t show up or they’ll have to fly in someone from the company... which will cost them at least as much as the bag is worth.

If you’re in Ontario, here is the guide for doing that:

https://www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca/english/courts/guides/Guide_to_Making_a_Claim_EN.html

NJAnon > tromoly 04/24/2017 at 19:22

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Maybe those of you that do get to travel a lot can answer this because I rarely get the time to make travel plans but:

Are all cities airports filled with airport employees that really don’t care? Like they have a personality that is only cold hard math & as long as the “procedure” is working thats all they care about. if you try to ask them a question its a generic response or they may outright ignore you.

IF you get to your destination its “thank you for flying with us” but if you have issues then its “well sir or ma’am you’re on your own to figure out our entire airport structure/company before your plane leaves”

tromoly > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly 04/24/2017 at 19:25

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Chicago, but still much appreciated.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > tromoly 04/24/2017 at 19:37

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http://www.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/consumers/smlclaims.html

tromoly > NJAnon 04/24/2017 at 19:37

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Ticket counter workers are helpful if you don’t shout, be respectful, and understand they can’t work magic, only if you’re rude and being a jerk do they get defensive. Same with gate attendants, they’re great unless someone’s being a jerk (and rightfully so).

Baggage people have been fine the other times I’ve flown including the time I was rerouted 50 miles away and didn’t get my bag until the next day at my original airport, it’s only this time dealing with a claim that’s been less than stellar.

NJAnon > tromoly 04/24/2017 at 19:46

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They need a “rare time flyers” attendants then at all airports. I get that there isn’t a way to get 100% questions asked from every passenger, but ive seen like 1 gate attendant and no one else around. have 3 or 4 standby people always at a gate so that way you get information passed along.

(departure tickets are different from airport to airport, baggage claim areas look different,etc)

tromoly > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly 04/24/2017 at 20:03

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Thanks!

LastFirstMI is my name > NJAnon 04/24/2017 at 20:48

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All the US carriers treat you like cattle headed for the slaughter-house.

My favorite? Southwest. Yes you are herded onto the plane like cattle, but it’s like you’re a grass-fed free range cow that’s really the family pet. They smile, they laugh, they treat you like a person.