British Airways

sunflower_2

why do they take so little care with baggage?

my brand new case has clearly been thrown about so much that it has cracked all round the edge :mad:

the stitching has come away on my workmate's case, who was on same flight

am furious

have filled out a compensation form - does anyone know where I stand?

raeble

From their website -

Damage or delay
When claiming your baggage at your destination, many suitcases look the same, please make sure you have collected your own. We recommend that you check the name on the baggage tag and compare it to your receipt.

Should you find that your baggage is damaged or has not arrived, please contact the British Airways staff immediately. Details of your baggage will be taken and you will be offered immediate assistance.

If your baggage has been delayed, arrangements will be made to have it delivered to your local address when it arrives (this service is not available in some countries due to local government authority restrictions). Arrangements will also be made to assist you should items of baggage arrive damaged.

In both situations, of either damaged or delayed baggage, liability could be reduced if baggage was presented for check-in unsuitably packed or after the recommended check-in time.

Should you need to make a claim, this will be required in writing within seven days after your arrival to your nearest British Airways airport office or your insurance company.

To help us process your claim quickly, please quote the reTo help us process your claim quickly, please quote the reference given to you when you made your report for delay or damage.

I also found this

The Warsaw Convention states that international airlines must pay compensation for lost, damaged or delayed baggage. However, there is a limit to the payment that will be made. This is currently based on weight - it doesn't matter what the value of individual items in your luggage are. The amount is always quoted in an standard international currency, so it varies in pound value because of exchange rate fluctuations. At the moment, it's around £15 per kilo. This means that an airline's maximum liability for your luggage in the event of damage, delay or loss would be £15 times the weight in kilos of the bag in question. That said, you should also note that where individual items are missing from baggage, many airlines will at best pay compensation according to the weight of the items.

N9eav

It's not just BA. They all do it, usually poorly paid baggage handlers who don't give a toss.
Last Oct me and the missus went to USA on KLM. She bought a £1000 guitar with hard case. Carried it all the way back. In Amsterdam we got a small commuter plane to Bristol. We gave the guitar to a baggage chap on the ground to 'CAREFULLY' place into the hold. We watched him throw it up to his mate in the cargo hold, miss the hatch and the guitar crash on the tarmac. That was the attitude right in front of the passengers!!!!!!! Naturally I almost got kicked off the flight for causing a major incident with the staff......... Guitar was OK in the end and they sent us money for the case. Took several week of writing letters and providing receipts.

NOTE If you have damage report it before you leave the airport to the baggage claim dept, get a reference and then make the claim. It works a lot quicker.