Air Canada liable for lost, damaged luggage

[W5]

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/Can ... story.html

[balfour]

Good. It's about time. That was just one more shitty thing about AC. You can fly with us but we could care less where your bags end up and it's not our problem. Idiots.

[Pretend-A-Jet]

This is terrible.

On two separate occasions I've had a zipper broken and a foot broken off of checked bags. I don't fly for an airline, so I have to load my passengers' bags myself. Somehow, in doing this loading, I've broken the zipper off of my own bag once and I've broken a foot off of someone else's bag. I don't smash the bags around, I use care in loading bags, it doesn't take much to break them.

People go out and buy the cheapest $#!ttiest bags and expect them to survive the airport experience and the airline to be liable for damage, but at the same time want to pay as little as possible for a ticket. The bags that broke for me were both Samsonite and I've also had a Travelpro bag's extending handle just give up the ghost on its own without any help from loading. Never mind these brand names, a lot of people are traveling around with some generic $20 bag. When it breaks you want the airline to pay to fix it? Just enjoy the low fares and realize that if you fly enough, your bag is going to be damaged at some point.

This guy took an airline to court for $6000 for canceling a flight, I wonder what he paid for the ticket. How are these companies supposed to make money when every time you turn around someone is suing them for 10x the ticket price.

[tsgas]

Raise the fares and reduce the cheap seats for trailer trash.

[C-FABH]

If anyone here has ever 'handled' bags, you immediately realize how many were never meant to handle airline use. People pack their bags so heavy, pulling on a strap or handle will immediately cause it to rip off without any hesitation.

Does this mean check-in agents will have to perform a thorough overview of every bag being checked to ensure it doesn't have existing damage, no matter how minor [such as a zipper] ???

[Blown Juggs]

So who do you suppose is responsible when you gather up your checked bag and find out that some expensive item from inside has been removed ?

[C-FABH]

I seemed to think that was already covered.

My understanding is that this ruling pertains to "damaged and delayed" luggage (big difference between delayed by a few hours and completely missing forever). In particular, "scratches, nicks, missing straps, zipper damage, scuffs, dents, soiling, damage resulting from over packing, damage to wheels, feet, extending handles"

It will be interesting to see how they deal with 'soiled' luggage. I've seen bags come down the chute at T3 where someone decided to pack a bottle of wine, case of beer, etc inside of them. Anyone wanna guess what the conveyor belt system does to these items? The bag will come down the chute, the supervisor will come over and write it off as the airport conveyor belt's fault and not caused by the airline.... Can't see much changing really.

[SenyorJim]

Israel has the right idea- pre test preboard
they shoot the bag out of a scanning machine!
they actually said 'stand back'
very impressed I am and glad nothing 'went off'

[Wilbur]

This ruling doesn't surprise me. Nobody gets to make a rule exonerating themselves from liability for damage they cause to other people and property. There is a legal principle (I can't remember the name for it) that says when you accept care and control of someone elses property to provide a service for money, you accept liability for damage that occurs when that property is in your possession. Some minor scratches, wear and tear would be expected with luggage because the point of it isn't to just contain your stuff, but also provide some protection. But no airline can make a rule that leaves them free to do as much damage as they like. AC is now going to have to come up with a coherent policy that defines the line between reasonable wear and tear, and unreasonable damage.

And this isn't just an AC issue, WJ is no better. My wife got off a WJ flight last week to find her new suitcase covered with oil/grease stains and a tear on one corner. Another friend got off another WJ flight a couple hours later without their luggage. My wife was told shit happens, friend's stuff was delivered to their hotel the next day.

[SenyorJim]

snip...
age. My wife was told shit happens, friend's stuff was delivered to their hotel the next day.

That's what my last dentist said- he has since left the area.
The market is driven by the buyer who insists on el cheapo and the trickle down is volume and less accountability

[The Old Fogducker]

Wilbur:

The term is "bailment."

Here's a link to a legal dictionary site. http://www.duhaime.org/LegalDictionary/B/Bailment.aspx

Old Fogducker

[godsrcrazy]

It is about time the baggage issue’s get addressed. The next issue should be over booking flights. I have traveled with expensive bags and cheap bags. I have now determined that expensive bags don’t hold up any better then cheap bags. At least when they rip the zippers of god knows how then I just whip down and buy another $49.00 bag.

Lets face it $500.00 for lost baggage is a f----- joke. What does $500.00 buy you any more. The airlines stand at he counter and preach how they can’t move you to an earlier flight cause your bags have to travel with you and the bags are already checked thru. But when your bags don’t show on your flight then how do they travel with you on the same flight? This rule only applies when they don’t lose or bump your baggage due to weight issues. I have seen bags get of airplanes in the Vancouver that were destined to Toronto from Edmonton. Wonder how that can happen when your bag has to travel with you?

Every one wonders why people traveling on flights try and pack every thing they can as carry on baggage. Well that’s the only way you are sure you will get your stuff and some baggage handler won’t steal it.

Anyway back to the topic. Sit in any airport observation area with a view of ramp activity. You can watch bags get thrown like trash. You can watch bags tumble of speeding baggage carts etc etc. Unfortunately allot of these guys just don’t give a dam and it shows. As far as over weight any time I have traveled and my bags have been a couple pounds over I get charged and pay a over weight penalty. He counter agent always insures that big orange tag shows the weight as well. What exactly does that get me?

[HavaJava]

The airlines stand at he counter and preach how they can’t move you to an earlier flight cause your bags have to travel with you and the bags are already checked thru. But when your bags don’t show on your flight then how do they travel with you on the same flight? This rule only applies when they don’t lose or bump your baggage due to weight issues. I have seen bags get of airplanes in the Vancouver that were destined to Toronto from Edmonton. Wonder how that can happen when your bag has to travel with you?

Actually this makes perfect sense if you think about it without getting emotional. If you do a last minute flight change then you will know for sure that your bags will be travelling on a different plane...pretty nice if you don't want to be near by when something in your bag "goes off". However, the random chances of your bags not travelling with you on a given flight are in the 1-5% range...not very good odds at all unless you have lots of virgins waiting for you on the other side.

[SenyorJim]

it looks like the only way to beat the problem is to carry on everything.
Would like to do that but I would have to be very disciplined to do without bag [ a place for everything and everything in its place ] and the airline prob wont like that kinda mass carrying ons ha ha
I remember reading of a woman who walked across canada and carried all her gear in her mackinaw ..
so it is possible.
I know a guy living in his truck who seems to have innumerable toiletries and other items secreted on his person when he hangs out in a local coffee shop.
His UI went belly up and the carpenter work around here is lean as everyone is holding their consumer breath
sj
their arent too many virgins who wait anymore on this plane that i know of

[Topspin]

People completely forget that a lot more people handle bags than just the carrier. This is what I do for a living right now. Our guys take the bag from check in, down to the security pukes, then over to the ramprats in the bagroom. Almost all of it is automated, and the equipment is capable of dishing out far more punishment than a person ever could. 90% of baggage theft is from the CATSA goblins. Lot's of damage results from physical searching.







This was a good one, I think HKG?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IcogRa9V1Y
Imagine what happens when those jaws close on bags. Our system is quite a bit more violent than that. Some of the equipment impacts baggage on the order of 40-50 PSI.

At our station AC has an exceptionally poor reputation for reconciling luggage. I'm not trying to slander, it is what it is, but this is getting just a little bit carried away with the usual degree of accuracy you can expect from those outside of the industry.

[Blown Juggs]

Hey I think I saw my computer in that pile

[yyz monkey]

If anyone here has ever 'handled' bags, you immediately realize how many were never meant to handle airline use. People pack their bags so heavy, pulling on a strap or handle will immediately cause it to rip off without any hesitation.

True. My particular favorites are the nylon bags with the 'Fragile' tags attached to them - usually crammed to the breaking point.

Does this mean check-in agents will have to perform a thorough overview of every bag being checked to ensure it doesn't have existing damage, no matter how minor [such as a zipper] ???

Yes. And an appropriate tag will have to be attached. Printed in both English & French.

[SenyorJim]

I'm gonna try for just carry on I think and take money- this is depressing

[balfour]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToZXT9EGf6g&NR=1

[mantogasrsrwy]

Why would anyone put something as valuable as a laptop in their checked luggage?

[Blown Juggs]

Yeah ! Not the best Idea but I had a long flighty through Dubai - Toronto and didn't feel like lugging it around with me. I also had my headset in my checked bag but apparently the thieves had no interest in becoming pilots..........smart guys !
I just figured that if my bag was in control of the airline they were responsible for making sure all items remained inside.
Nothing worse than a thief !
How many people lock their bags and is this even allowed ?

[SenyorJim]

I just pack an old handspring pda
l killed my laptop with spilled coffee but got a new imac out of it all [Ins claim]
My bag is just that- easily opened .
..maybe one should get just a camera box suitcase with a super lock if one is allowed to LOCK their 'bag'
..they are still portable stealable though
I know - rope some cardboard around it- lets get sickological here
sj

[sky_flyer]

you can lock your back but then the lovely ppl at us customs cnd customs will be more then happy to inspect your bag and as I understand it the tool of choice according to THEIR SOPs is a very sharp knife followed by a "WE ARE NOT LIABLE STICKER ATTACHED TO ALL YOUR BAGS"

[Blown Juggs]

So I guess we can conclude that one should not check anything that they can't afford to have wrecked or stolen !
I wouldn't be in business very long if that was our policy

[Topspin]

you can lock your back but then the lovely ppl at us customs cnd customs will be more then happy to inspect your bag and as I understand it the tool of choice according to THEIR SOPs is a very sharp knife followed by a "WE ARE NOT LIABLE STICKER ATTACHED TO ALL YOUR BAGS"

If you buy one of the newer locks with a combination, customs will have a brand specific generic code to open it. Not that it matters, all of those locks can be pulled open anyways.