Getting complete run around from lost bag on Virgin America

[supernova72]

Medillin? Pablo Escobar's associates are no doubt using your suitcase to smuggle cocaine.

If you have not been here it's a misconception on safety and drugs. Very clean and changed city. Luggage or not I haven't been offered drugs once bs Mexico every 10 minutes

 

[Texas Proud]

Ok... just saw this one Woot...

One of the features... would help in knowing where it is located to get them working on returning it...

LOCATION TRACKER
See the bag's location anywhere in the world, right from your phone. No fee's or charges.

​

Bluesmart One | Smart Luggage: GPS, Battery Charger, Remote Lock, Integrated Weight

 

[OldShooter]

... Bluesmart One ...

Weights almost 10#--- a significant fraction of many airlines' carry-on bag limit.

 

[braumeister]

This thread reminds me of a funny incident. Back in the 90s, DW and I went to the Bahamas for a SCUBA trip, meeting several friends there. We typically pack a few random pieces of each others' clothing in our bags, just to have a bit of backup in case a bag goes astray.

Well, mine went astray and DW went into fits of giggles because when we got to our hotel and went out to the pool area to meet our friends, I was reduced to wearing a pair of fluorescent yellow shorts (that she had bought for me "just in case", along with my black shoes and black socks. At least she had a tropical shirt I could wear with them. As I recall, I went through quite a lot of Kalik, the local beer that day.

My bag showed up the next morning, so it wasn't a serious problem, but she still laughs about that. I don't.

 

[NgineER]

Had five bags lost on return from recent European trip. Delta reimbursing any expenses up to $50/ bag per day and credit card sapphire reserve $100/bag and day.
Investigate what your credit card will give you.
Only spent $400, could have spent $900 but reimbursement check on its way.

 

[supernova72]

OP here: UPDATE
Virgin American called yesterday. They FOUND my bag in the International Terminal at SFO which many of you suspected. I'm closer to getting my bag. : )

What I don't know is why it took 6 days to find it? Here is the explanation. "Jackie" was very nice when I got the call in Medellin yesterday. I took the high road and did't ask for the re-imburement part yet (I bought about $150 in clothes, running shoes to get me by). Plus I had to add an Intl calling plan to my AT&T phone which I hadn't planned on doing (so I could actually talk to someone at VA).

Some say it's on the receiving airline to re-imburse me (Aero Mexico). Chao.
Below is the email I got after 6 days:

From: Virgin America Baggage Service - San Francisco <vasfobso@virginamerica.com>
Date: April 25, 2017 at 1:23:37 PM GMT-5
To: my email
Subject: Delayed Luggage
Reply-To: sfo.bso@virginamerica.com

Hello Mike Smith,

Per our conversation earlier, we have located your bag in our International terminal in SFO. We will be rushing the bag tonight on the same original routing. We will drop off the bag tonight with Aeromexico SFO this evening for the 11:05 pm departure for AM 665 to MEX. It will be transferred to AM 798 to MDE at 7:20 pm on April 26. The bag should arrive to MDE about 11:45 pm on April 26.

I attempted to call the international phone number for William Mesa but the number was not working from our phones. Our Central Baggage department with Virgin America also notified us of the situation as Aeromexico was communicating with them in regards to the missing bag. We have notified them that the bag will be sent out tonight.

Attached are pictures of the new rush tag and the luggage for your reference. Please confirm with us once you have bag in your custody or if any issues arise.

--

Best regards

Jackie



Virgin America Baggage Service Office
Terminal 2, Room T2.1.144
San Francisco International Airport
San Francisco CA 94128

 

[supernova72]

Had five bags lost on return from recent European trip. Delta reimbursing any expenses up to $50/ bag per day and credit card sapphire reserve $100/bag and day.
Investigate what your credit card will give you.
Only spent $400, could have spent $900 but reimbursement check on its way.

I have not yet started the reimbursing process. I had just one bag but spent $$ on some clothes to get me by. I booked on Priceline with my Barclay Arrival Plus Travel MasterCard.

The bag should arrive in Columbia today. Virgin America found it (see recent post) and transferred it to Aero Mexico which was my original flight itinerary). Chao.

 

[Lakewood90712]

www.virginamerica.com/cms/intl-contract-of-carriage

The VA international contract of carriage . Baggage liability is about $ 800 USD. The way I read it the airline receiving the baggage is responsible for loss /damage. IF they received it, otherwise VA is . I think is says claims for reimbursement need to be submitted within 21 days. 21 days from the start of the trip ? 21 days from loss ?

 

[braumeister]

What I don't know is why it took 6 days to find it?

That appears to be the biggest screwup and why you should hold Virgin's feet to the fire for reimbursement, IMHO.

 

[Lakewood90712]

That appears to be the biggest screwup and why you should hold Virgin's feet to the fire for reimbursement, IMHO.

It would appear that lost / damaged baggage is a very low priority for the airlines. They will aplogize profusely with form letters / e-mails. Most people get frustrated and go away. Problem solved (for the airline). However, if a person is RETIRED and has time to follow up

 

[Geld ist Freiheit]

Northwest once lost a bag of mine.
12 hours AFTER the bag was back in my hand their automated tracking/update toll free number was still telling me they had not yet located my bag. Completely worthless.

 

[Teacher Terry]

My DH and my son were all traveling together to go to my other son's wedding in Poland. I always have a carry on with some items in case my bag was lost. While I was in the restroom my DH gave them this bag when asked for volunteers to surrender carry-ons due to lack of space. I was hopping mad of course. Then you guessed it they lost all our luggage. Due to the original flight being delayed etc we arrived in Poland a day later then expected. So we arrive on Fri having left the states on Wed and have nothing. The wedding is the next day. So we have to buy everything. It is a 2 day wedding and you can't wear the same dress each day. The men could wear the same suit with a different shirt/tie. I kept all the receipts for the 3 of us and sent them to the airline for reimbursement and received it with no problem. We did not get our bags until Mon.

 

[supernova72]

It would appear that lost / damaged baggage is a very low priority for the airlines. They will aplogize profusely with form letters / e-mails. Most people get frustrated and go away. Problem solved (for the airline). However, if a person is RETIRED and has time to follow up

OP here: I have more time than money and plan to pursue this. I think I'll call Barclay Card MC first and see what they say. It's going to be a "pissing match" (sorry for the frustration) between VA and Aero Mexico I'm guessing. AM say they "never received it in SFO Intl Terminal" so the handoff was sloppy. Wonder if AMZN operated this way with their logistics??

Bottom line is it sat there for 6 days...Ha.

 

[supernova72]

Tell me about it, My niece was getting married out West and my Mom was in the terminal stages of cancer..she died the Monday before my nieces wedding.Due to fly to Idaho for the wedding leaving Friday morning, wedding Sat, funeral in Utah Sunday aft/Monday fly home Monday nite.

Flight to Idaho get cancelled Friday. can't get to SL and then to Idaho Falls until Sat.. 3 hours before the wedding...flight leaves late to SL and miss the plane to IF. .cry at the rebooking desk, someone takes pity on me and sends us to Blackfoot where my BIL races to pick us up at the airport. Get to the hotel put on my clothes, go to wedding where I ugly cry through the entire ceremony.

Funeral over, go to airport get on plane, diverted an hour from home have to go to Duluth ..crew times out, no flight for 12 hours, airport closed..Summer in Duluth no hotel rooms, I stand and cry at the hotel curtsey phones telling complete strangers. I cant take this I just buried my Mother this morning. Sit at the airport all night and finally make it to Msp at 9 am the next day. My DH did say to me, On the bright side,we can't possibly EVER have a more horrible flight these two...it took me 3 years to get back on an airplane.

My condolences and that sounds like it could not get much worse for sure.

 

[Lakewood90712]

www.virginamerica.com/cms/intl-contract-of-carriage

The VA international contract of carriage . Baggage liability is about $ 800 USD. The way I read it the airline receiving the baggage is responsible for loss /damage. IF they received it, otherwise VA is . I think is says claims for reimbursement need to be submitted within 21 days. 21 days from the start of the trip ? 21 days from loss ?

Uh, make that a claim within 7 calendar days for baggage

 

[supernova72]

Uh, make that a claim within 7 calendar days for baggage

OP here. I made my claim for baggage the night I landed in Medellin Colombia and my bag was not at baggage claim with Aero Mexico. I believe Virgin America missed that handoff---IMHO but who knows? My bag should show up tonight chichis the most important part.

I've never gone down the reimbursement path before in regards to not having my stuff (in my case for 7 days now). Is it $50 a day? $100 a day? 0.00 a day?

 

[travelover]

OP here. I made my claim for baggage the night I landed in Medellin Colombia and my bag was not at baggage claim with Aero Mexico. I believe Virgin America missed that handoff---IMHO but who knows? My bag should show up tonight chichis the most important part.

I've never gone down the reimbursement path before in regards to not having my stuff (in my case for 7 days now). Is it $50 a day? $100 a day? 0.00 a day?

You could probably get a pretty good answer over on Flyertalk.

 

[ivinsfan]

So keep in mind I believe that you can claim from both the airlines and the CC company...If the airlines are going to argue about it the CC company can still make you whole.

 

[supernova72]

You could probably get a pretty good answer over on Flyertalk.

OP here. Thank you. I'm not a member but will be soon.

 

[supernova72]

So keep in mind I believe that you can claim from both the airlines and the CC company...If the airlines are going to argue about it the CC company can still make you whole.

Thanks. I will give them a call as well. From what I've experienced it's hard to believe Virgin America and Aero Mexico are partners. Huge disconnect in there systems talking together. Not just baggage but my initial ticket VA could not print my boarding pass beyond Seattle to sfo. Crazy

 

[Rambler]

I had this happen on a trip to Florence, Italy, before I retired. I flew from Tokyo to London, to Rome, and on to Florence. My bag made it as far as Rome. I had a 3 day meeting in Florence, so I bought a shirt at the hotel's boutique, and while my colleagues were wearing suits and ties, I was wearing a polo shirt...sent one out for cleaning and used the other each day. The concierge at the hotel was great...he followed up with me during breaks at the meeting. He called the airport several times a day to chase it down, and as many promises the airline made to have it to me that very day, they broke. I mentioned this to my Italian colleagues, and they asked me "which airline did you fly?" I told them "Alitalia". Their response was, oh...sorry...never check your luggage on Alitalia...only take a carry-on. Then it made sense. The inbound (to Florence) aircraft had about 100 people on it. 20 of us showed up at the claim counter to fond out where our bags were...and I don't think any of us in that line were Italian...The Italians know better than to trust their bags to Alitalia.

Fast forward 5 years. DW wants to go to Rome. It is the only major place left in Europe that we want to see some day. I've told her that she should plan to have only a carry-on, because of what I was told by my Italian colleagues. It seems we'll never be going to Rome, because a carry-on sized bag will only carry her cosmetics and hair products...but you can't carry on that much "product".

 

[Meadbh]

Fast forward 5 years. DW wants to go to Rome. It is the only major place left in Europe that we want to see some day. I've told her that she should plan to have only a carry-on, because of what I was told by my Italian colleagues. It seems we'll never be going to Rome, because a carry-on sized bag will only carry her cosmetics and hair products...but you can't carry on that much "product".

It's very simple. Just catch a repositioning cruise from Florida to Civitavecchia, the Port of Rome. Take the cruise ship bus to one of the Roman train stations. And there you are!

 

[ivinsfan]

It's very simple. Just catch a repositioning cruise from Florida to Civitavecchia, the Port of Rome. Take the cruise ship bus to one of the Roman train stations. And there you are!

Genius at work, after all who care if the bags get misplaced when you are on your way back home?

 

[supernova72]

I had this happen on a trip to Florence, Italy, before I retired. I flew from Tokyo to London, to Rome, and on to Florence. My bag made it as far as Rome. I had a 3 day meeting in Florence, so I bought a shirt at the hotel's boutique, and while my colleagues were wearing suits and ties, I was wearing a polo shirt...sent one out for cleaning and used the other each day. The concierge at the hotel was great...he followed up with me during breaks at the meeting. He called the airport several times a day to chase it down, and as many promises the airline made to have it to me that very day, they broke. I mentioned this to my Italian colleagues, and they asked me "which airline did you fly?" I told them "Alitalia". Their response was, oh...sorry...never check your luggage on Alitalia...only take a carry-on. Then it made sense. The inbound (to Florence) aircraft had about 100 people on it. 20 of us showed up at the claim counter to fond out where our bags were...and I don't think any of us in that line were Italian...The Italians know better than to trust their bags to Alitalia.

Fast forward 5 years. DW wants to go to Rome. It is the only major place left in Europe that we want to see some day. I've told her that she should plan to have only a carry-on, because of what I was told by my Italian colleagues. It seems we'll never be going to Rome, because a carry-on sized bag will only carry her cosmetics and hair products...but you can't carry on that much "product".

OP here. That is a sad but very funny write up! "Carry on bag will only carry her cosmetics and products". Ha!

 

[supernova72]

OP here.

Great news!! My bag showed up this morning at 8:15am. One may never know why it sat in San Francisco for 7 days. Feeling relieved to have "my" clothes. Cheers!