No compensation for baggage damaged by Wizz Air

FUDbyDesign

I returned from a trip to Budapest to find that my 23kg hard-shell suitcase had been very badly damaged around the wheel area, with a crack running through one entire side. I'd only noticed when I got home so I hadn't had a chance to file at the airport.  I immediately raised a case with Wizz Air online and they requested me to get a quote for the repairs from a baggage repair shop.  After a lot of enquiries, I finally found a shop in London that was willing to provide a written statement (based on the photos I sent them) about the un-repairability of the suitcase, but they would charge a £30 fee.  I asked Wizz Air to cover the cost of that since they were the ones insisting on this process, but they flat-out refused.  After a lot of back-and-forth with the airline, they told me they had added a £50 credit to my account - unilaterally, I might add, and only valid for 1 year!  Obviously, this was not acceptable to me as it would mean I'd have to bear the entire cost of replacing the suitcase myself.  By now I was pretty annoyed and so I raised a claim with ADR explaining everything that had happened and adding all supporting evidence.  However, they sided with the airline, awarded me nothing and closed the claim.  I got the email last Friday.

Is this it, then?  Are there any more options available to me or will I have to just "suck it up"?

Thanks in advance!

Emmia

Unfortunately hard shell suitcases do crack, was it a particularly expensive one?

Grumpy_chap

FUDbyDesign said:

I returned from a trip to Budapest to find that my 23kg hard-shell suitcase had been very badly damaged around the wheel area, with a crack running through one entire side. I'd only noticed when I got home so I hadn't had a chance to file at the airport.  I immediately raised a case with Wizz Air online and they requested me to get a quote for the repairs from a baggage repair shop.  After a lot of enquiries, I finally found a shop in London that was willing to provide a written statement (based on the photos I sent them) about the un-repairability of the suitcase, but they would charge a £30 fee.  I asked Wizz Air to cover the cost of that since they were the ones insisting on this process, but they flat-out refused.  After a lot of back-and-forth with the airline, they told me they had added a £50 credit to my account - unilaterally, I might add, and only valid for 1 year!  Obviously, this was not acceptable to me as it would mean I'd have to bear the entire cost of replacing the suitcase myself.  By now I was pretty annoyed and so I raised a claim with ADR explaining everything that had happened and adding all supporting evidence.  However, they sided with the airline, awarded me nothing and closed the claim.  I got the email last Friday.

Is this it, then?  Are there any more options available to me or will I have to just "suck it up"?

Thanks in advance!

How old was the suitcase?
Tesco had large hard-sided suitcases on offer recently for £30 (clubcard price) - I am sure there will be other retailers with similar offers now the peak summer travel period is drawing to a close.
Any compensation would only be for the value of an X year old suitcase, not necessarily a brand new suitcase.
Plus you have £50 off your next flight.
If you are still out of pocket, have you checked whether your travel insurance is a viable route?

eddddy

FUDbyDesign said:

By now I was pretty annoyed and so I raised a claim with ADR explaining everything that had happened and adding all supporting evidence.  However, they sided with the airline, awarded me nothing and closed the claim.  I got the email last Friday.

Is this it, then?  Are there any more options available to me or will I have to just "suck it up"?

It depends on the type of ADR you used. Some are legally binding, and you cannot now go to court. With others, you still have the option of pursuing your case in a court.

FUDbyDesign said:

I raised a claim with ADR explaining everything that had happened and adding all supporting evidence.  

Did you explain the legal basis for your claim? i.e. Stated how the airline had breached the law.

For example, was it breach of contract? (if so, which contract terms?)

Or Negligence (if so, what did the airline do that breached their duty of care?)

What reasons did the ADR give for rejecting your claim? Why do you disagree with those reasons?

FUDbyDesign

Emmia said:

Unfortunately hard shell suitcases do crack, was it a particularly expensive one?

I believe it was about £50 when I bought it. There are cheaper equivalents now.  

FUDbyDesign

Grumpy_chap said:

FUDbyDesign said:

I returned from a trip to Budapest to find that my 23kg hard-shell suitcase had been very badly damaged around the wheel area, with a crack running through one entire side. I'd only noticed when I got home so I hadn't had a chance to file at the airport.  I immediately raised a case with Wizz Air online and they requested me to get a quote for the repairs from a baggage repair shop.  After a lot of enquiries, I finally found a shop in London that was willing to provide a written statement (based on the photos I sent them) about the un-repairability of the suitcase, but they would charge a £30 fee.  I asked Wizz Air to cover the cost of that since they were the ones insisting on this process, but they flat-out refused.  After a lot of back-and-forth with the airline, they told me they had added a £50 credit to my account - unilaterally, I might add, and only valid for 1 year!  Obviously, this was not acceptable to me as it would mean I'd have to bear the entire cost of replacing the suitcase myself.  By now I was pretty annoyed and so I raised a claim with ADR explaining everything that had happened and adding all supporting evidence.  However, they sided with the airline, awarded me nothing and closed the claim.  I got the email last Friday.

Is this it, then?  Are there any more options available to me or will I have to just "suck it up"?

Thanks in advance!

How old was the suitcase?
Tesco had large hard-sided suitcases on offer recently for £30 (clubcard price) - I am sure there will be other retailers with similar offers now the peak summer travel period is drawing to a close.
Any compensation would only be for the value of an X year old suitcase, not necessarily a brand new suitcase.
Plus you have £50 off your next flight.
If you are still out of pocket, have you checked whether your travel insurance is a viable route?

I've looked around and there are other hard-shelled suitcases selling for around the same price, although without the aluminium frame that mine has.  It's fairly old (7 years?) but it was very sturdy up to this point.  Honestly, the baggage handlers must have really gone to town with this one to have damaged it beyond repair like this!

£50 off my next fare is neither here nor there as I know I won't be travelling again before the voucher expires.

I did check with my credit card travel insurance provider but unfortunately this sort of stuff isn't covered.

Isthisforreal99

FUDbyDesign said:

Grumpy_chap said:

FUDbyDesign said:

I returned from a trip to Budapest to find that my 23kg hard-shell suitcase had been very badly damaged around the wheel area, with a crack running through one entire side. I'd only noticed when I got home so I hadn't had a chance to file at the airport.  I immediately raised a case with Wizz Air online and they requested me to get a quote for the repairs from a baggage repair shop.  After a lot of enquiries, I finally found a shop in London that was willing to provide a written statement (based on the photos I sent them) about the un-repairability of the suitcase, but they would charge a £30 fee.  I asked Wizz Air to cover the cost of that since they were the ones insisting on this process, but they flat-out refused.  After a lot of back-and-forth with the airline, they told me they had added a £50 credit to my account - unilaterally, I might add, and only valid for 1 year!  Obviously, this was not acceptable to me as it would mean I'd have to bear the entire cost of replacing the suitcase myself.  By now I was pretty annoyed and so I raised a claim with ADR explaining everything that had happened and adding all supporting evidence.  However, they sided with the airline, awarded me nothing and closed the claim.  I got the email last Friday.

Is this it, then?  Are there any more options available to me or will I have to just "suck it up"?

Thanks in advance!

How old was the suitcase?
Tesco had large hard-sided suitcases on offer recently for £30 (clubcard price) - I am sure there will be other retailers with similar offers now the peak summer travel period is drawing to a close.
Any compensation would only be for the value of an X year old suitcase, not necessarily a brand new suitcase.
Plus you have £50 off your next flight.
If you are still out of pocket, have you checked whether your travel insurance is a viable route?

I've looked around and there are other hard-shelled suitcases selling for around the same price, although without the aluminium frame that mine has.  It's fairly old (7 years?) but it was very sturdy up to this point.  Honestly, the baggage handlers must have really gone to town with this one to have damaged it beyond repair like this!

Yet you didn't see the damage till you get home.

What price do you put on a 7 year old case that cost £50? £10, maybe £20 as that is all you would be entitled to, not tbe cost of a brand new case.

NoodleDoodleMan

Don't you have to report damaged luggage to the airline or their agent at the airport as soon as is possible ?

Not sure how you can claim after arriving home.

FUDbyDesign

NoodleDoodleMan said:

Don't you have to report damaged luggage to the airline or their agent at the airport as soon as is possible ?

Not sure how you can claim after arriving home.

Yes, I would have but I didn't notice the damage until I got home. Anyway I explained the situation to the airline the next day and they told me it was fine to file the claim online.

FUDbyDesign

Isthisforreal99 said:

FUDbyDesign said:

Grumpy_chap said:

FUDbyDesign said:

I returned from a trip to Budapest to find that my 23kg hard-shell suitcase had been very badly damaged around the wheel area, with a crack running through one entire side. I'd only noticed when I got home so I hadn't had a chance to file at the airport.  I immediately raised a case with Wizz Air online and they requested me to get a quote for the repairs from a baggage repair shop.  After a lot of enquiries, I finally found a shop in London that was willing to provide a written statement (based on the photos I sent them) about the un-repairability of the suitcase, but they would charge a £30 fee.  I asked Wizz Air to cover the cost of that since they were the ones insisting on this process, but they flat-out refused.  After a lot of back-and-forth with the airline, they told me they had added a £50 credit to my account - unilaterally, I might add, and only valid for 1 year!  Obviously, this was not acceptable to me as it would mean I'd have to bear the entire cost of replacing the suitcase myself.  By now I was pretty annoyed and so I raised a claim with ADR explaining everything that had happened and adding all supporting evidence.  However, they sided with the airline, awarded me nothing and closed the claim.  I got the email last Friday.

Is this it, then?  Are there any more options available to me or will I have to just "suck it up"?

Thanks in advance!

How old was the suitcase?
Tesco had large hard-sided suitcases on offer recently for £30 (clubcard price) - I am sure there will be other retailers with similar offers now the peak summer travel period is drawing to a close.
Any compensation would only be for the value of an X year old suitcase, not necessarily a brand new suitcase.
Plus you have £50 off your next flight.
If you are still out of pocket, have you checked whether your travel insurance is a viable route?

I've looked around and there are other hard-shelled suitcases selling for around the same price, although without the aluminium frame that mine has.  It's fairly old (7 years?) but it was very sturdy up to this point.  Honestly, the baggage handlers must have really gone to town with this one to have damaged it beyond repair like this!

Yet you didn't see the damage till you get home.

What price do you put on a 7 year old case that cost £50? £10, maybe £20 as that is all you would be entitled to, not tbe cost of a brand new case.

Then that's fine, I'll take it.  But what I got was a £50 voucher which I can't put towards the cost of a new suitcase, that will expire before I can use it.

michael1234

FUDbyDesign said:

  I immediately raised a case with Wizz Air online and they requested me to get a quote for the repairs from a baggage repair shop.  

..........

Is this it, then?  Are there any more options available to me or will I have to just "suck it up"?

Thanks in advance!

Everybody is different but if it was me and I was sufficiently annoyed then I would probably sue. It sounds dramatic but these days it isn't. You can file a small claim online (Google "MCOL"). If you have proof your case was fine before the trip and damaged afterwards I would think you have a strong case (I'm NOT a lawyer). Someone else mentioned your alternative dispute resolution complaint that you have already made might stop you going to court so check that first.

Morally and hopefully legally they should not get away with doing this to us "little people". If you do claim and win, I hope you will come back here and tell us the good news.