ATLANTA — Millions of people are getting ready to fly for end of the year holidays and as travelers take to the skies, one Roswell woman hopes the frustration and fallout of her lost luggage will serve as a warning to others.
“We went straight to the carousel,” Jessica Krasinski shared, explaining that her return flight from Chicago had already been delayed multiple times when she returned to Atlanta in August. "We didn’t end up getting here until 3 in the morning.”
As her fellow passengers collected their luggage in the baggage claim area of Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, Krasinski said she soon realized she’d been left empty-handed.
“Everything stopped,” she said, remembering how she watched the carousel empty. “Until nobody was left, and it was me with no bag.”
At first, Krasinski didn’t think it’d be a big deal. She’d had other luggage misplaced or delayed with by other airlines before and anticipated the bag would be dropped off on her doorstep. However, she did take the time to file a claim with American Airlines’ on-site baggage office in Atlanta despite the late hour.
“I was ready to get home, but I did follow their instructions,” she said, explaining that an attendant told her to follow the QR code for further instructions.
On the way home, she also remembered what seemed like a win: an Apple AirTag tracker in her luggage.
“And I could see where my bag was,” she said. “And it was in the luggage claim office of American Airlines.”
The next day, however, the AirTag was no longer activated and showing up in her app, starting two months of back and forth between Krasinski and the airline over her lost luggage.
“I can't make sense of how crazy this whole experience has been,” she said.
Yet, millions of fliers each year get weighed down when their luggage is lost, damaged or delayed. Data from the U.S. Department of Transportation, which compiles consumer-reported incidents each month, shows that from January through June 2024, more than 1.3 million bags on domestic flights were mishandled. American Airlines repeatedly tops the list of the worst offenders.
Know your 'Fly Rights'
For impacted passengers, U.S. DOT does have protections in place known as ‘Fly Rights.’ Among those rights is a requirement that airlines pay passengers if their bags are lost, damaged or destroyed. For domestic flights, liability could be up to $3,800, while international trips, which fall under a different set of rules known as the Monreal Convention, can garner up to $1,700 back.
But as Krasinski learned, there can be a lot of fine print. On the agency’s website, DOT compares the process to filing an insurance claim, outlining that airlines consider the depreciated value of a traveler's possessions - not their original price. It can take an airline anywhere from four weeks to three months to pay passengers for lost luggage, too.
Krasinski shared documents, revealing that she filed a claim for $3,258.58 to cover AirPods, clothes, rollerblades and four pairs of shoes she’d packed on her trip. She said she followed all the deadlines provided by the airline and said she even maxed out the system in an effort to upload additional receipts. Two months after her August trip, she received notification via email from American Airlines that she’d be reimbursed her $251.02 for two pairs of shoes that were lost along with her bag.
“I have no idea how they decided anything,” she said. “I asked over and over.”
She’s since filed complaints with the Better Business Bureau and DOT, hoping for further accountability. But she also admits to feeling jaded given the back and forth.
“I don’t think anything’s going to happen for me at this point, she said. “But I think if other people aren't going to speak about this, they're (airlines) going to use it to their advantage.”
11Alive reached out to American Airlines about Krasinki’s claim. The airline has since contacted her, Krasinki said.
U.S. Department of Transportation tips for flying
Packing
Certain items should never be put into a piece of luggage that you plan to check into the baggage compartment:
- Small valuables: cash, credit cards, jewelry, an expensive camera.
- Critical items: medicine, keys, passport, tour vouchers, business papers.
- Irreplaceable items: manuscript, heirlooms.
- Fragile items: eyeglasses, glass containers, liquids.
Check-in
Don't check in at the last minute.
Even if you make the flight, your bag may not. If you miss the airline's check-in deadline, the carrier might not assume liability for your bag if it is delayed or lost. If you have a choice, select flights that minimize the potential for baggage disruption.
The likelihood of a bag going astray increases from #1 to #4 below (i.e., #1 is safest): 1) nonstop flight
2) direct or 'through' flight (one or more stops, but no change of aircraft)
3) online connection (change of aircraft but not airlines)
4) interline connection (change of aircraft and airlines)
When you check in, remove straps and hooks from the garment bags that you are sending as checked baggage. These can get caught in baggage processing machinery, causing damage to the bag.
The airline will put baggage destination tags on your luggage and give you the stubs to use as claim checks. Make sure you get a stub for every bag. Don't throw them away until after you get your bags back and you check the contents.
Claiming your bags
Many bags look alike. After you pull what you think is your bag off the carousel, check the name tag or the bag tag number. If your bag arrives open, unlocked or visibly damaged, check immediately to see if any of the contents are missing or damaged.
Report any problems to the airline before leaving the airport; insist on having a report created.
Open your suitcase immediately when you get to where you are staying. Any damage to the contents or any pilferage should be immediately reported to the airline by telephone. Note the date and time of the call, as well as the name and telephone number of the person you spoke with. Follow up as soon as possible with a certified letter to the airline.
Learn more about how to deal with lost, damaged or delayed bags and your ‘Fly Rights’ here.
