Qantas Damaged Bag

[Freq Flier 2013]

Buying a new bag is good for my own environment as there is less faffing about. But it is ecologically a disaster to throw out what is otherwise a perfectly good bag because the handle doesn't work. It is a contradiction and one that I do find hard to square away.

To be fair this is the first time I have had my checked bag damaged having taken over 270 flights so far (pre COVID most were carry on but during and post-COVID it was all checked due to the time savings involved). So I have no comparison about whether this is appropriate or not. I cannot tell you that the response so far is better or worse than when I flew Air Canada, United or FinnAir, because I haven't had them break my bag on me. Is it difficult to fix a handle which has separated from one of the rods connecting it to the case? Again, I am no suitcase expert, that's what I was hoping the gent at the baggage claim desk could help me with (but they didn't). I found a luggage repair place in Perth but it was a decent drive and they weren't sure they could fix it without me first taking it into the store.

It's for these reasons why I think I will purchase a higher quality luggage next time. Rimowa luggage whilst pricey (checked bags start at the $1400 range), do offer a lifetime warranty including for wear and tear on functional items. They also have service centres around the world where they can fix your bag on the spot. Then again, it is a big investment on a bag.

-RooFlyer88

What was the outcome in the end?

 

[pyffii]

What was the outcome in the end?

Only happened yesterday and Qantas replied same day denying my claim

Greetings from Qantas Customer Care about your damaged bag.
I appreciate you sending the photos of your damaged bag. It was never our intention to make things difficult for you.

Please be inform that Airlines do not accept liability for minor damage to baggage such as scratches, scuffs, dents and cuts or damage that arises from normal wear and tear. Therefore, I am unable to offer you any financial settlement in this matter.

Where a bag has sustained damage, causing a hindrance to the bags usage, we will assess the damage for repair or replacement costs, associated with the damaged bag.

Qantas is not liable for damage that occurs due to an inherent defect, quality or vice of the baggage or due to wear and tear. This may include:

• cuts, scratches and dents;
• damage to retractable or fixed luggage handles;
• external items missing from bag, e.g. wheels, feet, locks, zipper and zipper tabs, straps or name tags

My concern is they denied the claim as missing 2 wheels is regarded minor damage !! ( 2nd paragraph )

 

[DejaBrew]

Only happened yesterday and Qantas replied same day denying my claim

Greetings from Qantas Customer Care about your damaged bag.
I appreciate you sending the photos of your damaged bag. It was never our intention to make things difficult for you.

Please be inform that Airlines do not accept liability for minor damage to baggage such as scratches, scuffs, dents and cuts or damage that arises from normal wear and tear. Therefore, I am unable to offer you any financial settlement in this matter.

Where a bag has sustained damage, causing a hindrance to the bags usage, we will assess the damage for repair or replacement costs, associated with the damaged bag.

Qantas is not liable for damage that occurs due to an inherent defect, quality or vice of the baggage or due to wear and tear. This may include:

• cuts, scratches and dents;
• damage to retractable or fixed luggage handles;
• external items missing from bag, e.g. wheels, feet, locks, zipper and zipper tabs, straps or name tags

My concern is they denied the claim as missing 2 wheels is regarded minor damage !! ( 2nd paragraph )

Total BS. My girlfriend’s checked luggage was replaced (not repaired) when damaged inbound to Haneda last year. Would have fit the description of things not covered, but we got a damage report from a JAL representative, submitted to Qantas and had a no questions asked replacement offer. For reference, this was the damage…

 

[pyffii]

That’s what I would have expected……Will let you know the result when I know

 

[Happy Dude]

Arrived in London yesterday off QF1 and found one of my suitcases with both wheels snapped off….submitted my claim after discovering the damage when loading into the car service and QF denied my claim saying that their T & C explicitly state that any damage to wheels handles zips etc are excluded which in their language says they are not responsible for anything that damages your case and go claim on private insurance…had to buy another case immediately as going on a cruise and the $200 excess not worthwhile as the case only cost $287….do I have any recourse with Qantas or do I say the trip just cost extra !!

UA replaced my bag at LHR right there and then last year when it arrived missing a wheel. No questions asked, other than which bag would I prefer. Not unreasonable to expect the same from QF. The loss of a wheel, let alone two, is not wear and tear. I'd had my bag, and a few other like it, for quite a few years and not once have I ever lost a wheel whilst in my possession.

 

[MARTINE]

Only happened yesterday and Qantas replied same day denying my claim

Greetings from Qantas Customer Care about your damaged bag.
I appreciate you sending the photos of your damaged bag. It was never our intention to make things difficult for you.

Please be inform that Airlines do not accept liability for minor damage to baggage such as scratches, scuffs, dents and cuts or damage that arises from normal wear and tear. Therefore, I am unable to offer you any financial settlement in this matter.

Where a bag has sustained damage, causing a hindrance to the bags usage, we will assess the damage for repair or replacement costs, associated with the damaged bag.

Qantas is not liable for damage that occurs due to an inherent defect, quality or vice of the baggage or due to wear and tear. This may include:

• cuts, scratches and dents;
• damage to retractable or fixed luggage handles;
• external items missing from bag, e.g. wheels, feet, locks, zipper and zipper tabs, straps or name tags

My concern is they denied the claim as missing 2 wheels is regarded minor damage !! ( 2nd paragraph )

Could you make a consumer affairs type claim. It was a service ticketed in Australia (handling og baggage) and you suffered a loss. In Vic can submit an online complaint reasonably quickly. Worth a try

 

[pyffii]

Only problem with that suggestion is that the sectors involved were HND-SIN-LHR involving JAL/QF so the damage could have been incurred either in Haneda or Heathrow

 

[Roann]

We had a large suitcase destroyed by bagged handlers on a Qantas flight to Melbourne this year. It was a large good quality suitcase which costs $270 to replace. Because we purchased it in November 2018 Qantas only reimbursed us $32 for a destroyed $270 suitcase which was still inside it's 10 year warranty! The damage was reported to their baggage claim office immediately and they would have seen a large suitcase in like new condition except that it look like baggage handlers had dropped the heavy suitcase from height onto one wheel which had been completely broken off the wheel and caused a huge bend in the suitcase as well as rips and abrasions to the previously unmarked fabric! It seems unfair that they do not take into account the condition of the baggage prior the damage just done to it. It is not hard to see if a bag has been used a lot or hardly at all!

 

[Roann]

We had a large suitcase destroyed by bagged handlers on a Qantas flight to Melbourne this year. It was a large good quality suitcase which costs $270 to replace. Because we purchased it in November 2018 Qantas only reimbursed us $32 for a destroyed $270 suitcase which was still inside it's 10 year warranty! The damage was reported to their baggage claim office immediately and they would have seen a large suitcase in like new condition except that it look like baggage handlers had dropped the heavy suitcase from height onto one wheel which had been completely broken off the wheel and caused a huge bend in the suitcase as well as rips and abrasions to the previously unmarked fabric! It seems unfair that they do not take into account the condition of the baggage prior the damage just done to it. It is not hard to see if a bag has been used a lot or hardly at all!

And I will add that the lady on duty at the baggage claims office at the Melbourne Airport basically shrugged her shoulders and says damage happens as if to expect it!!! We are not impressed Qantas! Please train your staff to be at least apologetic and sympathetic when it's obvious, which was the case with my wife's suitcase, that their baggage handlers have destroyed your suitcase! The suitcase turned up very last on the carousel after a short delay so it was obvious that the bag was delayed when it was damaged and the handlers would have known about it but no help or sympathy forthcoming without my wife making a very determined effort to get help!

 

[Daver6]

We had a large suitcase destroyed by bagged handlers on a Qantas flight to Melbourne this year. It was a large good quality suitcase which costs $270 to replace. Because we purchased it in November 2018 Qantas only reimbursed us $32 for a destroyed $270 suitcase which was still inside it's 10 year warranty! The damage was reported to their baggage claim office immediately and they would have seen a large suitcase in like new condition except that it look like baggage handlers had dropped the heavy suitcase from height onto one wheel which had been completely broken off the wheel and caused a huge bend in the suitcase as well as rips and abrasions to the previously unmarked fabric! It seems unfair that they do not take into account the condition of the baggage prior the damage just done to it. It is not hard to see if a bag has been used a lot or hardly at all!

Could you claim under the bag's 10 year warranty then?

 

[DejaBrew]

We had a large suitcase destroyed by bagged handlers on a Qantas flight to Melbourne this year. It was a large good quality suitcase which costs $270 to replace. Because we purchased it in November 2018 Qantas only reimbursed us $32 for a destroyed $270 suitcase which was still inside it's 10 year warranty!

A very warm welcome aboard AFF @Roann Sorry to hear about the damaged luggage. A couple of thoughts…

1. Did you push back on Qantas’s offer of $32 or just grudgingly accept it. Personally, I would have been asking for more given the bag was within warranty.
2. Have you supplied feedback to Qantas about their airport staff? They can’t address what they don’t know.

Could you claim under the bag's 10 year warranty then?

My guess is that the 10 year warranty would only cover manufacturing defects rather than damage caused by airlines

 

[Roann]

A very warm welcome aboard AFF @Roann Sorry to hear about the damaged luggage. A couple of thoughts…

1. Did you push back on Qantas’s offer of $32 or just grudgingly accept it. Personally, I would have been asking for more given the bag was within warranty.
2. Have you supplied feedback to Qantas about their airport staff? They can’t address what they don’t know.

My guess is that the 10 year warranty would only cover manufacturing defects rather than damage caused by airlines

Yes, we have submitted a detailed complaint to Qantas as we agree, that they do need to know!
Yes, I know the warranty does only cover defects but just emphasizing the point that the bag is not that old! It hasn't been used a lot so this makes it an expensive bag. Just want to share our experience to make Qantas sit up and take notice. I know it's difficult to be watching baggage handlers and what they're doing too!

Post automatically merged: Yesterday at 7:17 PM

Could you claim under the bag's 10 year warranty then?

No, the warranty does not cover damage done by the baggage handlers. Part of the reason we made sure we claimed is so that Qantas know what is happening!

 

[Quickstatus]

The suitcase turned up very last on the carousel after a short delay so it was obvious that the bag was delayed when it was damaged

Welcome @Roann

That level of damage is unfortunately par for the course when flying commercial on any airline. No airline is going to look after luggage as fragile items.

A 6.5 year old bag $270 when new will be selling for less than $50 on the used market. IMO.

 

[DejaBrew]

Yes, I know the warranty does only cover defects but just emphasizing the point that the bag is not that old! It hasn't been used a lot so this makes it an expensive bag. Just want to share our experience to make Qantas sit up and take notice. I know it's difficult to be watching baggage handlers and what they're doing too!

If you see earlier posts in this thread - including mine - you’ll see examples of Qantas doing like for like replacements on in-warranty luggage. As mentioned before, if you haven’t already done so, I’d push back on their offer of $32.

And to be fair to airports/airlines, yep, sometimes damage does occur. Sometimes it’s mishandling by the ground staff, sometimes it’s just a bag unfortunately getting caught up in the machinery. It’s not nice when it happens to you, but it is a reality of travel and statistically it’s going to happen sooner or later. Of course that doesn’t give Qantas staff the right to respond without empathy, so glad to hear you provided feedback.