Damaged luggage (Aegean Airlines)

glocal

Aegean Airlines returned my suitcase with a wheel missing. I talked to the Star Alliance representative at the airport who gave me the details of the airline but he said that unless there is a hole in the suitcase airlines these days state in their T&Cs it's reasonable wear and tear. Indeed, Aegean sent me their T&Cs and claimed precisely that.

"AEGEAN is not liable for normal wear and tear such as scratches, dents, including zipper drivers, or the damage and loss of items attached to the bag (e.g. sleeping bags or mats, external locks). We trust you understand that we shall have no liability for this type of damage including but not limited to:

[...]
-Lost, broken or damaged feet / wheels.."

I suspect they wouldn't extend this definition of wear and tear to their car. Given that we don't have a choice and we must trust the airline with our luggage, and that this is apparently now common practice across the industry so the only alternative is not to fly, what can we do? They can put whatever they want in their T&Cs but surely this one can be challenged as unreasonable.

eDicky

It's the ground handling workers at each airport that process and load your luggage, not airline staff. They do everything the easy way for them, which can be quite rough. You just have to accept this, pay more for a durable case or less for a shorter lifespan.

glocal

Our contract is with the airline. It's their responsibility to demand that airport staff maintain standards, not ours. If we were to be pragmatic and accept such things as fact of life, then airlines would still be unaccountable for delays and poor standards. And it is a durable case, which shows the kind of abuse inflicted on luggage when we are not looking.

ttoli

!!!!!! did you expect flying with Aegean Airlines??, ALL Airlines use ground handlers whose responsibility it is to handle luggage, when did you last maintain the suitcase ?