Delta lost my luggage

[alarimer]

Well it didn't make it on the plane anyway. They gave me a claim number (this was about 11 pm last night) and a phone number to call. When I call or check the website they say they have not found it yet. Pieces of shit fucking assholes. All my Christmas gifts were in there, and about 100 CDs. I know I won't get enough money to replace all my stuff (including a Game Cube and 6 games). I am so fucking pissed of fright now. There were about 20 other people who also didn't get their baggage. I will never fly Delta again- this is the only time this has happened to me. I hope they fucking go out of business.

[sbj405]

1. They lost my luggage once too.

I got it about 10 days later after I went to the airport and searched through the mountain of bags. It was around Christmas time too. I swore the same thing as you. A few years later, I did fly Delta and ended up on a 2 day detour in the wrong country. Now I really won't fly Delta.

[alarimer]

2. All those airport codes are so confusing

LOL. I am sure the bags were marked for Corpus but ended up in Cleveland or some place. Damn illiterate baggage handlers.

But how do you end up in the wrong country?? Must have misread the map.

[Bark Bark Bark]

4. Hi There. I Am A Baggage Handler.

(Not Delta.) I can tell you this: most lost-baggage problems are caused by the passenger.

Overstuffed yet cheap-crap bags that burst open inside the bag system; a collection of old tags that a-holes leave on, some so new I can't tell which one is the "current" one; duffels and backpacks and such with plenty of hooks and straps dangling about, guaranteed to get caught in the worst possible places; packages held together by a single strip of cellophane tape, also guaranteed to bust open...

...and bags that leak or have Rover's stinking fur or some other filthy mess all over them. Those, I "lose" on purpose.

Oh yeah--and the overwhelming crush during the holidays. It's always a smart move to travel WHEN EVERYONE ELSE IN THE COUNTRY is doing it; bonus points for traveling during THE WORST WEATHER SEASON of the year.

Who's the fool now?

Trust me on this: our manpower doesn't jump up around Christmas. Only our workload does. Consequently, so do mishandlings. It's the secret price of that cheap ticket.

This is your ultimate rule of luggage: if it's important, DON'T PUT IT IN YOUR CHECKED BAGS. Carry it. Mail it (insured). Otherwise, you better be prepared to lose it, because that happens.

Bonus experiment: Lock up a hard-sided Samsonite case, then drop it on one corner. Pops right open! It does that in the baggage system, too. USE A DAMN STRAP FOR BACKUP.

None of you will remember this next year.

Here's a little tidbit about airline management: when the number of mishandled bags go below a certain percentage, people get let go. The airlines want to fail at an "acceptable" level. It's efficient. It's "good business."

[Phentex]

7. Well, I am not a baggage handler...

and I have never understood putting anything other than clothes in your checked bag. It's one of the oldest rules of travel.

100 cds? That iPod is starting to sound like a good idea...

[alarimer]

8. I have watched these people

they throw those bags around like toys. SO IT IS NOT MY FUCKING FAULT. Airlines suck. Delta sucks worse.

[radwriter0555]

10. What do you think they should do with them? It's luggage.

It's not priceless, bavarian crystal.

It's clothing, pillows, soap, towels, coats, socks and shoes.

If you have more valuable stuff, hand carry it.

[Skittles]

13. thank you

WTF - the people want lots of flights and they want them on time; luggage cannot be handled like freaking china.

[katinmn]

11. have you heard about people who ship fresh fish home in

styrofoam coolers?

Once I brought back a big container of assorted fresh fish and shrimp from Florida. The merchant assured me it was properly packaged, even though they used regular cubes of ice and not dry ice. The flimsy container was sealed with heavy duty strapping tape. I was dubious but they assured me it would survive the flight.

Well, when our bags started coming down the chute many of them had bits of ice on them, and a few stray peices of styrofoam started appearing. Soon more and more ice was dropping down the chute.

I feared the worst. When the crumpled container arrived, barely held together, everyone waited to see which dumb ass would claim it.

I grabbed it and made like I was really glad the fish were still in the box, and then got out of there as fast as I could.

Bet you really hate people like me, huh?

[sandnsea]

3. The wrong country???

Oh, you really have to tell us more!

[sbj405]

6. The story is really not all that uncommon I suppose.

They cancelled the flight and wouldn't put us on another flight to Paris (no idea why since there were many other airlines w/ flights and even other options on Delta). The only option we had to leave that day (on a weeklong vacation waiting another day really shortens things) was to go on a 2 day roundabout to London. :shrug: It actually worked out ok for us, but if we really needed to get to Paris it would have really sucked. . Got to see a bit of London and by the 4th day, my father's luggage eventually made it to Paris. Mine for some reason made it.

[Skittles]

5. watch coverage of the international disaster for a while

please

[radwriter0555]

9. It will turn up, just fine. They might even deliver it right to your door.

I say give it until.... Friday at the latest. Most likely it will turn up today.

Remember, the people at Delta are people too. They're your neighbors, friends, relatives, who live, work, think and feel just like you do.

You'll get your luggage.

[ProfessorGAC]

14. They Did It For Me

I had a weird period where my luggage was lost 3 times, in 4 flights on 3 different airlines. Delta brought my luggage to a meeting in South Carolina, directly to that company's main office when they found it. The meeting had the demonstration samples of the work and the meeting would have been useless (thus so would the trip) without them.

They actually told me that if they didn't get those samples to me on time, they would reimburse me for the entire trip. Plane Fare, Hotel, Rental Car, and Meals! So, they did ok by me.
The Professor

[Orangepeel]

12. people screw up. it's how the company handles it that matters most to me

of course, there are some mistakes (e.g., negligence resulting in death) that can't be excused, but I think you just have to take minor things in stride. People screw up. As long as they are polite about it and handle it professionally, that's the most that can be expected.

[scarlett1]

15. NEVER check anything important

Fed Ex UPS Mail anything of importance rather than Check
Last Summer I was in O'Hare and I saw a women in the food court area with a Long White bridal Dressbag on one of the long counters. I said to her "I assume you are getting married and you don't trust the airlines" She said you got that right so I gave her my Best Wishes.

Wrinkles can be ironed out that bridal gown was too important to lose.