Monarch Airlines - Damaged Baggage

legranfromage

Hello - I am hoping someone can offer me some advice please.

I recently travelled to Malaga for an annual mountain biking holiday with a few friends. I travelled with my full suspension carbon frame mountain bike and, as I have done in previous years, packed it in a soft bike bag. I've never had any issues with transporting it and always package it well with pipe lagging on the frame, bubble wrap etc etc. I always pack clothes around it for extra protection.

Anyway, on this occassion, on the rturn flight I got home, unpacked my bike to find the swing arm (the 'A' frame at the back of the bike connecting the seat post with the rear wheel) splintered and with a hole in it.
This was not caused whilst I was biking as I would have noticed it when packing before heading home.
I contacted Monarch who asked me to obtain a repair quote, which I duly did. The total cost of repair is £3200 - effectively the bike has been written off.
I sent this through to Monarch and they have offered me a maximum payment of £1074 as stipulated in the Montreal Convention.

I am assuming this is correct and wanted to confirm my next course of action. It seems from the wording that an appeal would be fruitless given the maximum level is set by the Convention.
My bike is covered under my house insurance so presumably I should contact them next to cover the shortfall? Is that the best move? I was trying to avoid the home insurance route due to knock on effects to my premium.
I get slightly frustrated that due to some heavy handed baggage handler who couldn't give a monkeys about the possessions he / she is throwing around, I could end up eventually being out of pocket

As always, any feedback and advise is greatly appreciated

Thank you in advance

PeacefulWaters

Long shot, but does your travel insurance offer any protection (to protect your home insurance policy from use).

legranfromage

I don't think it does because I'm sure I removed damage to possessions as it was covered under my home insurance. I'll double check though

DomRavioli

legranfromage wrote: »

Hello - I am hoping someone can offer me some advice please.

I recently travelled to Malaga for an annual mountain biking holiday with a few friends. I travelled with my full suspension carbon frame mountain bike and, as I have done in previous years, packed it in a soft bike bag. I've never had any issues with transporting it and always package it well with pipe lagging on the frame, bubble wrap etc etc. I always pack clothes around it for extra protection.

Anyway, on this occassion, on the rturn flight I got home, unpacked my bike to find the swing arm (the 'A' frame at the back of the bike connecting the seat post with the rear wheel) splintered and with a hole in it.
This was not caused whilst I was biking as I would have noticed it when packing before heading home.
I contacted Monarch who asked me to obtain a repair quote, which I duly did. The total cost of repair is £3200 - effectively the bike has been written off.
I sent this through to Monarch and they have offered me a maximum payment of £1074 as stipulated in the Montreal Convention.

I am assuming this is correct and wanted to confirm my next course of action. It seems from the wording that an appeal would be fruitless given the maximum level is set by the Convention.
My bike is covered under my house insurance so presumably I should contact them next to cover the shortfall? Is that the best move? I was trying to avoid the home insurance route due to knock on effects to my premium.
I get slightly frustrated that due to some heavy handed baggage handler who couldn't give a monkeys about the possessions he / she is throwing around, I could end up eventually being out of pocket

As always, any feedback and advise is greatly appreciated

Thank you in advance

Just as an aside - make sure any travel insurance covers the full value of items taken with you (including your bike) for next time. An extra twenty quid premium is well worth it if you need to fork out 3 grand for a new one.

And monarch are correct in their payment as per the convention.

legranfromage

thanks both. I double checked my travel insurance it doesn't cover any equipment as I purposely omitted it (DomRavioli - I'll take your advise for next time)
I have spoken to my home insurance company and it looks like the shortfall will be funded through themselves - just waiting on the phone call to confirm.
Wish I knew about the limits with Monarch though - oh well I will know for next time

DomRavioli

legranfromage wrote: »

thanks both. I double checked my travel insurance it doesn't cover any equipment as I purposely omitted it (DomRavioli - I'll take your advise for next time)
I have spoken to my home insurance company and it looks like the shortfall will be funded through themselves - just waiting on the phone call to confirm.
Wish I knew about the limits with Monarch though - oh well I will know for next time

Super good news about the home insurance - but it isn't just Monarch who have the limits, its most airlines (anyone from a country signed up and there's 119 of them!, or the EU which signed up as a whole entity), so that covers the majority of providers that cover flights in and out of the UK.

bigadaj

DomRavioli wrote: »

Super good news about the home insurance - but it isn't just Monarch who have the limits, its most airlines (anyone from a country signed up and there's 119 of them!, or the EU which signed up as a whole entity), so that covers the majority of providers that cover flights in and out of the UK.

So potentially one of the very few perks of flying air Somalia or equivalent, though not so comforting if you are just about to crash, even if your estate might benefit.