American Airlines - Slow to Pay Up

Tommo99

Hi all,

Brief background:

Oct last year I took an internal flight in the USA with AA. Flight was delayed by about 8 hours. They lost my bag. I had to replace everything, kept my receipts and followed their lost baggage procedure. On my return journey I was let into the lost luggage store after almost begging, and found my bag myself. All labelled up still. They wouldn't load it on my flight free of charge so I had to pay excess baggage as I had already checked in (I was disgusted!).

They agreed to cover costs of what I had to buy on holiday, which was about $600. VERY slow to respond to e-mails and they lost my claim so I had to start again from scratch. Eventually received confirmation in early December that my payment had been sent and would arrive within 45 days(!). It hasn't. Messaged again, but no response. Messaged them on Twitter and they said someone would get in touch. No one has.

I am sick of waiting and also slightly aggrieved that I am only getting paid the cost I incurred for items I had to purchase and nothing for my lengthy delay, shocking customer service, or inconvenience. I had only 2 full days in New York, reduced by a day due to my delay, and spent quite some time trudging around buying replacement toiletries/underwear/clothing/new bag AND didn't have my camera so got no photos of my stay. Plus I walked around in the rain without my waterproof jacket, in the sun without my sunglasses etc...

Sorry that this has turned into a rant but I am sick of them and really want to see the end of this.

Thank you for any help!

wealdroam

Tommo99 wrote: »

Hi all,

Brief background:

Oct last year I took an internal flight in the USA with AA. Flight was delayed by about 8 hours. They lost my bag. I had to replace everything, kept my receipts and followed their lost baggage procedure. On my return journey I was let into the lost luggage store after almost begging, and found my bag myself. All labelled up still. They wouldn't load it on my flight free of charge so I had to pay excess baggage as I had already checked in (I was disgusted!).

They agreed to cover costs of what I had to buy on holiday, which was about $600. VERY slow to respond to e-mails and they lost my claim so I had to start again from scratch. Eventually received confirmation in early December that my payment had been sent and would arrive within 45 days(!). It hasn't. Messaged again, but no response. Messaged them on Twitter and they said someone would get in touch. No one has.

I am sick of waiting and also slightly aggrieved that I am only getting paid the cost I incurred for items I had to purchase and nothing for my lengthy delay, shocking customer service, or inconvenience. I had only 2 full days in New York, reduced by a day due to my delay, and spent quite some time trudging around buying replacement toiletries/underwear/clothing/new bag AND didn't have my camera so got no photos of my stay. Plus I walked around in the rain without my waterproof jacket, in the sun without my sunglasses etc...

Sorry that this has turned into a rant but I am sick of them and really want to see the end of this.

Thank you for any help!

So what's the question then?

If you want more than they are offering, you will need to send them an itemised bill.
Don't forget to include that excess baggage charge you mention, but forget "shocking customer service" and "inconvenience" unless you can show a financial loss there.

If that doesn't work, send a Letter Before Action giving them notice that if they don't conform within (say) 21 days, you'll start court action.

Plenty of sample LBAs out there.

There are other laws and regulations specifically for airline travel compensation. Perhaps you should ask on the Flights Board, or the Flight Delays Board.

Edit to add:
Just noticed that this was a USA internal flight. Did you book it in USA?
Did you book through a UK company?

bris

wealdroam wrote: »

So what's the question then?

If you want more than they are offering, you will need to send them an itemised bill.
Don't forget to include that excess baggage charge you mention, but forget "shocking customer service" and "inconvenience" unless you can show a financial loss there.

If that doesn't work, send a Letter Before Action giving them notice that if they don't conform within (say) 21 days, you'll start court action.

Plenty of sample LBAs out there.

There are other laws and regulations specifically for airline travel compensation. Perhaps you should ask on the Flights Board, or the Flight Delays Board.

Edit to add:
Just noticed that this was a USA internal flight. Did you book it in USA?
Did you book through a UK company?

It's an internal flight, small claims isn't going to work, any rights the OP has is going to have to be fought in the USA where it was booked.

Hermione_Granger

bris wrote: »

It's an internal flight, small claims isn't going to work, any rights the OP has is going to have to be fought in the USA where it was booked.

It might have been booked in the USA but then again it might not. This is why wealdroam mentioned this in their post that you replied to (but obviously you missed it)

wealdroam wrote: »

Edit to add:
Just noticed that this was a USA internal flight. Did you book it in USA?
Did you book through a UK company?

Tommo99

Hi guys,

Thanks for the replies. I hadn't realised there was a flights forum - I will ask there (and better word my question). It was booked in the USA though, yes. I worked over there for a while and had booked an internal one way journey, but am British.

Thanks again!

bod1467

Tommo99 wrote: »

It was booked in the USA though, yes. I worked over there for a while and had booked an internal one way journey,

In which case any follow up legal action must be taken through USA routes. There is no UK consumer rights issue here, sorry.