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Air France Informative - Lost Luggage - Baggage Claims
Baggage Claims
PHL, PENNSYLVANIA -- I lost one suitcase on October 25, 2007 (XH 348949)on flight from Paris to Philadelphia and all my luggage on December 20, 2007 (FV 035386 and FV 035387). I had to buy clothes and medical supplies for my stay in the USA. I have submitted claims for my lost luggage to Air France and Delta but have not received acknowledgment from either organization. I want my luggage not compensation. I have Xmax presents and wine to celebrate the New Year in my luggage.
I have made several trips out to the Philadelphia Airport trying to recover my luggage without any tangible results. The people at Air France are not very helpful. They want me to go away and not to get angry with them. "If we do not find your luggage we will compensate you for your loss."
My luggage is only misplaced,they do not wish to spend the required man hours to find them. It is more cost effective to give you financial compensation rather that spend the required resources to find your missing luggage. Also they sell the missing luggage to an outside company which than opens, sorts, cleans, items in individual suitcases. There is no attempt at looking for ID information that may be located outside or inside the individual pieces of luggage.
Under current international agreements about lost luggage there is no incentive for airline companies to improve their baggage handling system. If penalties for lost luggage were increased to the extent that airlines bottom line were negatively impacted, this would motivate companies to provide necessary resources to do the job. This international agreement is designed to protect the airline companies because they provide jobs, pay taxes, buy items and services from other companies, the individual is left unprotected.
On domestic flights in the USA the compensation for lost luggage cannot be less than $1,250.00.
I have made several trips out to the Philadelphia Airport trying to recover my luggage without any tangible results. The people at Air France are not very helpful. They want me to go away and not to get angry with them. "If we do not find your luggage we will compensate you for your loss."
My luggage is only misplaced,they do not wish to spend the required man hours to find them. It is more cost effective to give you financial compensation rather that spend the required resources to find your missing luggage. Also they sell the missing luggage to an outside company which than opens, sorts, cleans, items in individual suitcases. There is no attempt at looking for ID information that may be located outside or inside the individual pieces of luggage.
Under current international agreements about lost luggage there is no incentive for airline companies to improve their baggage handling system. If penalties for lost luggage were increased to the extent that airlines bottom line were negatively impacted, this would motivate companies to provide necessary resources to do the job. This international agreement is designed to protect the airline companies because they provide jobs, pay taxes, buy items and services from other companies, the individual is left unprotected.
On domestic flights in the USA the compensation for lost luggage cannot be less than $1,250.00.
Comments:
Posted by PassingBy on 2007-12-22:
That 'outside' company that you refer to is located in Alabama. I have read many stories about them. They do claim that if there is identification found that they do make a few attempts to contact the owner. If the owner is found they usually have to pay a fee to have their stuff re-packed and shipped.
Posted by autumn35802 on 2007-12-22:
It's called Unclaimed Baggage and is located in Scottsboro, Alabama. Here is their website: http://www.unclaimedbaggage.com/
Posted by gegoameric on 2008-01-15:
Airfrance sucks,, they actually do, at least internationally. I got a 2000 ticket, seattle-paris and it was the most uncomfrotable experience EVER!. then in a different trip also JFK-Paris, they lost one of my bags, its been 2 months and they havent replied to my emails, faxes or mailed docs., they post no phone number on their web site to be reached,, i feel stupid as i have no means to coantact them. American express baggage protection is supposed to cover me in this case but they need a denial -settlement letter form Airfrnace, and I cnanot get taht, that sucks I will never choose to fly with AF again grrr
Posted by frescasmom on 2008-05-04:
I've been booked on Air France from U.S. to Bologna in a few months. These horror stories really are scary, and I hope I'll have some extra-good luck. After about 20 years of lots of international travel, anything that could have gone wrong has done so for me, short of a plane crash! I've learned to consider on-time arrival, along with my luggage, to be near-miraculous! In fact, sometimes I've been so tired from long journeys and missed connections, I was somewhat relieved to find my luggage hadn't arrived, and I wouldn't have to deal with it for a couple of days. I buy travel insurance, well worth the $'s, I've found; I happen to like Travel Guard - hassle-free reimbursement. I carry onboard any irreplacable items such as special gifts, or I send them ahead. Also onboard with me: medicines for the next 4 days, half a dozen protein bars, a change of clothing suitable for the climate at my destination (less necessary with travel insurance), and paper copy of documents I may think will be safe on my computer or via email. Frequently I travel to sing with a choral group. Our music scores and concert attire always travel with us onboard. It sounds like a lot to lug onboard, but it's not so voluminous, and I find it's better than some alternatives.
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