Talk about egg on your face and damning evidence! A video clip of Alaska Airlines employees playing “hurl the bag” was recently released on YouTube. Seems the workers were making a contest of who could throw a passenger bag farther onto a cement driveway. Take a look:
Alaska has since apologized but it seems regulatory agencies have had enough. On Nov. 25, the DOT (Department of Transportation) issued a notice to airlines after recent inspections “uncovered the fact that certain airlines routinely exclude liability for damage to specific parts of checked baggage.” Bet many of you didn’t know that under current federal (USA) law, carriers are responsible for reimbursing damage incurred to handles, zippers, wheels and other exterior parts of luggage left in their care.
Contrary to the DOT regulations, several carriers baggage policies state they won’t reimburse passengers for damage to their bags, a violation of the law. Customers who complained are just turned away by many airlines. The DOT says this much change. It’s up to airlines to make sure their employees deal properly with customers regarding damaged luggage and do not turn away travelers who try to file complaints.
Airlines have until Jan. 9, 2016 to review and, if necessary, revise their checked baggage liability policies or else face possible fines and other actions from the Department’s Aviation Enforcement Office.
More on this story from Fox Travel at this link.
My only experience with a damaged bag was significant. We had flown from Hawaii to Portland and they had somehow destroyed the zipper on my bag. It was open and didn’t work – a miracle nothing got lost (a strap held it in place). It was fairly late on a Saturday and our flight left early Sunday. I fretted about not having time to go buy a new bag. The gal at the baggage counter gave me a free suitcase (they had about 20 in stock). It was not a great bag, but took care of getting me home without losing anything.
The airline? Alaska.
My only experience with damage to a bag by an airline was in Asia and a very positive experience. On landing in Kota Kinabalu on an Air Asia flight I discovered my new bag damaged. The airline office readily accepted responsibility, sent the bag on a side trip all it’s own to Kuala Lumpur where the repairs were made and the bag delivered a couple of days later to my hotel. They even gave me a brand new “loaner” until mine was returned. That’s how loyal relationships are made. Silly airlines that can’t figure out that simple truth.