Travel help and advice please...

[wunt be druv]

Just arrived home from Majorca,some bastard baggage handler at Palma Airport broke the lock and stole from one of our suitcases.I have spent the last 4 hours trying to report this and no fucker (Airline,travel agent,insurance company) can be arsed to give any info on what to do.Have any of you good people out there in NSC land had a similar experience and how did you get on with trying to get the thieving fucker caught and claim off your insurance? All I am getting is passed from pillar to post and 'phone numbers that are no longer in use.

 

[Beach Hut]

Who are you insured with ?

 

[Springal]

Start with airline, it is their responsibility. They'll usually fob you off and give you minimal amount, then go to travel insurance company if they cover this.

If your travel insurance company are fobbing you off, its time to move.

 

[wunt be druv]

I am (very soon to be was) insured through Lloyds TSB the Airline was Thomas Cook,about as useful as a chocolate teapot now they have my hard earned cash!

 

[pishhead]

I am (very soon to be was) insured through Lloyds TSB the Airline was Thomas Cook,about as useful as a chocolate teapot now they have my hard earned cash!

Unfortunately that seems to be the way with most travel institutes, once they have your cash off you they couldn't give a toss.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Out of interest, how do you know it was a baggage handler at PMI, as opposed to one at Gatwick, or whichever airport you flew into?

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Unfortunately that seems to be the way with most travel institutes, once they have your cash off you they couldn't give a toss.

Ultimately, the theft is probably down to an airport employee, not an airline one, therefore Thomas Cook have as much responsibility for this incident as if you were pickpocketed in a town centre while on holiday. ie none.

 

[pishhead]

Ultimately, the theft is probably down to an airport employee, not an airline one, therefore Thomas Cook have as much responsibility for this incident as if you were pickpocketed in a town centre while on holiday. ie none.

Quite possibly, however my own personal experience is that travel institutes be that airlines, airports, travel agents or in this case service providers couldn't give a monkeys as soon as they take your hard earned.

 

[Razi]

Since I work for a major UK airline (though not Thomas Cook), I can advise that the only effective way to address this is to have reported it when you're still in the baggage terminal at the UK airport. You'd then complete a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) with the handling agent, and this could be used for any claim - whether through the airline, or insurance (if over a set amount). If you've not completed this form and left the airport, you're probably not going to have much luck, since you could've theoretically have just done this damage yourself since collecting your bag.

Each Airline usually has a "Baggage Claims" team (note, this won't actually be their own staff, but a baggage specialist like Menzies. Details of TCX's claims procedure are here:
Lost/Damaged Baggage : Thomas Cook Airlines

 

[LadySeagull]

This link may help, but I hope you did report it and fill in a PIR form at the Airport before leaving with that luggage:

The case of lost or damaged luggage :: The Travel Magazine

Also search for info about baggage and the Montreal Convention which is the EU law which may apply, I believe.

And don't forget to check your policies (not just your travel insurance, that's not what I mean). Many household policies contain coverage for legal disputes, giving free legal advice and sometimes legal representation. I eventually used my house contents policy 'legal cover' to threaten to sue an Airline after the ash cloud debacle - after all my correspondence over almost 2 YEARS it then took just one 'legal letter' to get a full settlement for denied boarding, including compensation. The cover would have also paid for a solicitor for my small claim if it had gone to court, whereas normally it's not worth paying a legal expert in that sort of claim as you don't get the legal costs back even if you win.