Thousands lose luggage on US Airways

"nobody" wrote in message
...
Service Tech wrote:
It's really sad, but there are too many people with the "I'm for myself
&
screw the rest" attitude.

Technically what exactly happened ?

Would the check in agent just put the luggage onto the belts where the
luggage
just accumulated without being sorted in the luggage hall ? Or did
check-in
agent get told very soon in the day to stop putting luggage on the belts ?

Could they not have told passengers to bring all their tagged luggage to
the
gate and have it gate checked there ? Wouldn't that have reduced the
number of
US Air luggage employees needed to do the job ?

I think they just sent the bags on their way, and didn't realize the problem
until it got overwhelming. By then, it was too late. All they could do it
throw luggage in any available open spot. I would suspect that most
handlers just threw up their hands, and didn't give a s**t after that.

"nobody" wrote in message
...
Service Tech wrote:
It's really sad, but there are too many people with the "I'm for myself
&
screw the rest" attitude.

Technically what exactly happened ?

Would the check in agent just put the luggage onto the belts where the
luggage
just accumulated without being sorted in the luggage hall ? Or did
check-in
agent get told very soon in the day to stop putting luggage on the belts ?

Could they not have told passengers to bring all their tagged luggage to
the
gate and have it gate checked there ? Wouldn't that have reduced the
number of
US Air luggage employees needed to do the job ?

I think they just sent the bags on their way, and didn't realize the problem
until it got overwhelming. By then, it was too late. All they could do it
throw luggage in any available open spot. I would suspect that most
handlers just threw up their hands, and didn't give a s**t after that.

wrote:


According to USAirways, the max liability for lost luggage is $2800
if
not found within 21 days. There is a mall in Alabama that sells
unclaimed and unidentified baggage and its contents.

As for the expenses of clean shirts, underwear, toileteries, it's max
$50 on day one, and $25 subsequent days, for a max total of $150.
And
that is only after presenting receipts.

I see you were able to get your mom's luggage back, congratulations!
i'm going through the same vicious circles with the 800 number and the
website to no avail.
actually i sent a letter to customer service on 26/12 and promptly
received a vacation message from someone saying they will not be in
until january 4th. (!)

But I am curious about the max liability claim for lost luggage with us
airways - how can I find out more about that? I'm interested in that
Alabama mall too - and I won't fly us airways to get there. ;^)

wrote:
mom came from Italy and had to connect to a domestic flight in
Philly.
Of course, no bag. There was a line of 300 in my local airport to
collect baggage claims, and only two employees to collect them, type
them in, and give oral instructions to each person. At that rate, if
you were to queue as the 301st person, it would be four hours later
that you will get your baggage claim. So we decided to make the
claim
the following day, Christmas Day. We show up at 10 AM, queue up on a
line that had three people, and still had to wait 20 minutes. The
lady
at the counter was very helpfull, addressed my mom by first name
(something that reassured her), and personally invited her into the
cordoned-off area with piles of luggage to see wether she could spot
her luggage. After 10 minutes search, they concluded her bag was not
there. The USAirways lady suggested to come back in 3-4 hours, as
more
planes from Philly are arriving with more luggage. We went back
home,
but decided not to spend Xmas Day frantically returning to the
airport
every 4 hours to look for a bag, and same for the following day,
Sunday
Dec 26. We have called the 800 number and answered the questions to
the Voice Recognition system (very very slow and frustrating) only to
get the answer "your baggage has not been identified". It is now
Monday Dec 27, evening, and now that 800 number doesn't even respond,
being overwhelmed with calls, now just replying "call again later".
The taped message on the 800 number also advices to try
www.usairways.com/baggage, but it is not like a Fedex-like package
tracking website where one can see the status and location of a bag:
all it is, is a message email service that collects your information
and forwards it to someone at USAirways, promising to respond by
email
sometime in the future. Did that this morning, and of course, no
reply
by email.

I think there is something here that airlines can learn from
companies
like Fedex. People seem reassured to be able to "track" the location
and status of a package. Same thing for a temporarily lost baggage.
Fedex scans their packages everytime they move it from one location
to
another. If an airliner had such a system, passengers would be
assured
that it is not "lost" since they would see as its location as being
"Charlotte, NC" [USAirways has flown five planes with just baggage
to
its hub in Charlotte where it has baggage handlers that DID show up
for
work- from there the baggage would be re-routed to their final
destinations]. It's a psycological thing: they "see it" and say,
"hey, it's there", and they feel ok, "it's not that bad". But having
a
800 number with a really slow voice recognition system, a website
that
gives you no immediate feedback, and now the 800 number being
overwelmed that it basically doesn't function, well, the distressed
passenger has absolutely no FEEDBACK, and thus is resigned to a sense
of LOSS. All this could be easily prevented if the bags are scanned
all the time, and passengers able to track them on a website.

I am taking bets now for the eventuality of my mom returning to Italy
this Friday without her bag. It would be pretty amazing if they
would
have to deliver it back to Europe. Sans passenger.

As far as its contents: personal clothing, pictures, a few books as
gifts, large chunk of parmesan cheese.

According to USAirways, the max liability for lost luggage is $2800
if
not found within 21 days. There is a mall in Alabama that sells
unclaimed and unidentified baggage and its contents.

As for the expenses of clean shirts, underwear, toileteries, it's max
$50 on day one, and $25 subsequent days, for a max total of $150.
And
that is only after presenting receipts.

- Alexis

ahhh....finally some news about this. I'm one of the thousands that
don't have their luggage... or gifts.I only wish i knew thatthere
was
some time of strike/work to rule thing going on that day. USAir @
philly was crazy. They were obviously seriously understaffed at the
tix
and baggage counters. One to two ppl servicing lines of 200-300.
it
was so ridiculous i felt sorry for anyone in the US air uniform.
baggage was strewn about the baggage claim floor, and they also had
luggage piles on the ticketing floor! I was tempted to look for my
own
stuff, but hell, i'd still be there doing it. and to top it off,
the
employees had bad weather and the xmas rush to make their point.
when
i
mentioned all of this to the airline that took me home, they just
described these actions by the usair employees as disgusting.

that union is simply out of control. only an idiot would use or
even
recommend usairways after this fiasco. hell i'd go out of my way to
tell anyone not to try usairways now.

btw, if anyone sees a green zippered suitcase bound for t.o. please
give me a shout here - my fam would like their gifts. :-/



well i feel silly answering my own post but just to make a close to the
above drama : my baggage was returned to me via a delivery service late
on new years' day. apparently, the luggage was sent to its destination,
but us airways never contacted me about it. in hindsight i could have
picked it up in t.o. *if* i had hung out @ the airport on xmas through
to the 27th - i have no idea which plane it actually came in on.
calling us airways did not work at all, resulting in either dropped
lines or just busy signals. i will admit the suits were out at the
philly baggage office on 12/30 and they made courteous attempts to
soothe customers with lukewarm results. but i doubt anyone wuold ever
try this airline agagin after this type of publicity. u know what i'm
telling everyone about my holidays.......

wrote:
mom came from Italy and had to connect to a domestic flight in
Philly.
Of course, no bag. There was a line of 300 in my local airport to
collect baggage claims, and only two employees to collect them, type
them in, and give oral instructions to each person. At that rate, if
you were to queue as the 301st person, it would be four hours later
that you will get your baggage claim. So we decided to make the
claim
the following day, Christmas Day. We show up at 10 AM, queue up on a
line that had three people, and still had to wait 20 minutes. The
lady
at the counter was very helpfull, addressed my mom by first name
(something that reassured her), and personally invited her into the
cordoned-off area with piles of luggage to see wether she could spot
her luggage. After 10 minutes search, they concluded her bag was not
there. The USAirways lady suggested to come back in 3-4 hours, as
more
planes from Philly are arriving with more luggage. We went back
home,
but decided not to spend Xmas Day frantically returning to the
airport
every 4 hours to look for a bag, and same for the following day,
Sunday
Dec 26. We have called the 800 number and answered the questions to
the Voice Recognition system (very very slow and frustrating) only to
get the answer "your baggage has not been identified". It is now
Monday Dec 27, evening, and now that 800 number doesn't even respond,
being overwhelmed with calls, now just replying "call again later".
The taped message on the 800 number also advices to try
www.usairways.com/baggage, but it is not like a Fedex-like package
tracking website where one can see the status and location of a bag:
all it is, is a message email service that collects your information
and forwards it to someone at USAirways, promising to respond by
email
sometime in the future. Did that this morning, and of course, no
reply
by email.

I think there is something here that airlines can learn from
companies
like Fedex. People seem reassured to be able to "track" the location
and status of a package. Same thing for a temporarily lost baggage.
Fedex scans their packages everytime they move it from one location
to
another. If an airliner had such a system, passengers would be
assured
that it is not "lost" since they would see as its location as being
"Charlotte, NC" [USAirways has flown five planes with just baggage
to
its hub in Charlotte where it has baggage handlers that DID show up
for
work- from there the baggage would be re-routed to their final
destinations]. It's a psycological thing: they "see it" and say,
"hey, it's there", and they feel ok, "it's not that bad". But having
a
800 number with a really slow voice recognition system, a website
that
gives you no immediate feedback, and now the 800 number being
overwelmed that it basically doesn't function, well, the distressed
passenger has absolutely no FEEDBACK, and thus is resigned to a sense
of LOSS. All this could be easily prevented if the bags are scanned
all the time, and passengers able to track them on a website.

I am taking bets now for the eventuality of my mom returning to Italy
this Friday without her bag. It would be pretty amazing if they
would
have to deliver it back to Europe. Sans passenger.

As far as its contents: personal clothing, pictures, a few books as
gifts, large chunk of parmesan cheese.

According to USAirways, the max liability for lost luggage is $2800
if
not found within 21 days. There is a mall in Alabama that sells
unclaimed and unidentified baggage and its contents.

As for the expenses of clean shirts, underwear, toileteries, it's max
$50 on day one, and $25 subsequent days, for a max total of $150.
And
that is only after presenting receipts.

- Alexis

ahhh....finally some news about this. I'm one of the thousands that
don't have their luggage... or gifts.I only wish i knew thatthere
was
some time of strike/work to rule thing going on that day. USAir @
philly was crazy. They were obviously seriously understaffed at the
tix
and baggage counters. One to two ppl servicing lines of 200-300.
it
was so ridiculous i felt sorry for anyone in the US air uniform.
baggage was strewn about the baggage claim floor, and they also had
luggage piles on the ticketing floor! I was tempted to look for my
own
stuff, but hell, i'd still be there doing it. and to top it off,
the
employees had bad weather and the xmas rush to make their point.
when
i
mentioned all of this to the airline that took me home, they just
described these actions by the usair employees as disgusting.

that union is simply out of control. only an idiot would use or
even
recommend usairways after this fiasco. hell i'd go out of my way to
tell anyone not to try usairways now.

btw, if anyone sees a green zippered suitcase bound for t.o. please
give me a shout here - my fam would like their gifts. :-/



well i feel silly answering my own post but just to make a close to the
above drama : my baggage was returned to me via a delivery service late
on new years' day. apparently, the luggage was sent to its destination,
but us airways never contacted me about it. in hindsight i could have
picked it up in t.o. *if* i had hung out @ the airport on xmas through
to the 27th - i have no idea which plane it actually came in on.
calling us airways did not work at all, resulting in either dropped
lines or just busy signals. i will admit the suits were out at the
philly baggage office on 12/30 and they made courteous attempts to
soothe customers with lukewarm results. but i doubt anyone wuold ever
try this airline agagin after this type of publicity. u know what i'm
telling everyone about my holidays.......

We got lucky with our ORD-CHO flight ... United gave us
code-share options on US including PHI. The timing was
right but, paranoid about a sudden insolvency, we took
a UA-only option through Dulles. Sincerely, we felt bad
for the young woman slumped over her luggage at PHI
on Christmas Day, who found out that her connection
to Denver won't be going until the morning of Monday,
the 27th ... )-;

My father-in-law has booked as many Lufthansa and
United tickets that he can use or gift in 2005, and is
looking to purge the rest of his account for charity.

gld