Lost my favorite dress - cursing Delta Airlines

[olivia.glossing]

Just need to vent a little bit... :Pullhair:

I went to Las Vegas earlier this week with visions of nights out, dressed. So, naturally, I packed some of my favorite fanciest things!

Most things were in my checked luggage but I had a garment bag with my dress jacket and two dress shirts - being Vegas, of course I packed my nicest M clothes, too for daytime dress. In the same bag were two of my nicest dresses, one of which I paid full retail $600 plus another $80 to get it altered for my skinny little bum...

Well, maybe you can guess where this is going. I got off the plane and forgot my garment bag, and didn't realize it until I had checked in to my room. A frantic call to 800-Delta resulted in "fill out the form on the website". And trying to call the Delta counter at a specific airport? Forget about it.

I called 800-Delta several times to get a status, ask for help, etc and in the rare instance when you can navigate the phone tree to speak to an actual human you will get a different answer each time. Best help I got was from someone at McCarran lost and found who actually talked to the Delta people at the gate but they don't recall seeing my bag.

On my flight home I asked the gate agents, and finally got some real information. They said after they found the bag I would have been paged (if I was, I didn't hear it), then the bag is brought to baggage claim. After 24 hours all of the lost bags are scooped up and FedEx'd to Atlanta where a third party is in charge of returning the items. So if Delta can't screw it up enough, now there's a third party involved too! I have visions of a warehouse full of luggage that will never be returned to anywhere other than a thrift shop.

Of course I'm going through the hindsight/coulda/woulda/shoulda on who I called, why didn't I just go back to the airport etc.:bonk: After being angry for the first 2-3 days I'm now resigned to the fact I'm never going to see these things again. OK, maybe I am still angry! :Angry3:

Thanks for letting me vent.

--Olivia

[RachelB.]

Sorry for your loss. All the unclaimed luggage is eventually sold at a location in Scottsboro, AL. The Unclaimed Baggage Store. They have a huge bldg and are a stopping point for bus tours passing through the area. I've been there a couple of times and find it hard to believe more of the things couldn't be returned.

[SmoothLegs]

Ive had this happen, it is such a terrible feeling ..I was fortunate it was found after 2 days

[Yoshisaur]

wow that's a big shame sorry for your lost. I've lost some of my male cloths before while flying back from New York it was annoying as heck. I'm still angry about it to this day because I lost my favorite hoodie and a bunch of cool shirts.

[Leslie Langford]

That's really a shame, olivia, and I truly feel for you and the loss of those cherished dresses. Especially galling is the run-around you received from Delta in trying to determine what happened to them, and eventually coming to the sad realization that you will likely never see them again.

Of course, you can always follow the example of musician Dave Carroll who had a similar experience when United Airlines broke his precious Taylor guitar. ;) :eek: :heehee:

He chose to fight back by composing a song about the incident and posting it in a youtube video that ultimately went viral. This was his way of publicly shaming United for not taking ownership for the incident, preferring instead to give him the royal run-around while he spent an endless amount of time trying to get compensation for his loss. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YGc4zOqozo

Needless to say, United ultimately went on to deeply regret their callousness and indifferent customer "service" when an outpouring of outrage and strong support for Dave ensued...

[Ineke Vashon]

Leslie, thanks for posting that video. Hilarious, and it brought results.

Sorry you lost a valuable dress, Olivia. Perhaps you could video tape an all CD band and put the loss into song also: "Delta Gown, where's that flight my dress was on? Could it be on ways gone bye?":devil:

Ineke

[Sometimes Steffi]

If your name was on the bag, you could still get lucky. Otherwise, you're probably out of luck. But, persistance might pay off.

I left a pair of glasses in the seat back pouch on Jet Blue. These cost me over $400 (after insurance) with the progressive lenses and special glass coating. When i first called, I thought it was pretty hopeless. I was told all the glasses left behind were thrown in a box at wear ever the plane stopped at the end of the day. Then I remembered that my glasses were probably in their case, and my name an address was marked inside the case. It took a while, but they eventually were returned to me.

[olivia.glossing]

Thanks to all for your words... I am holding out a shred of hope! Will keep you posted if I hear anything.

Love that video lol.

[Beverley Sims]

Thanks Olivia, I am about to spread my wings and I dread the loss of luggage.
I believe there is an auction clearing house for lost luggage as well.
Just read Rachel's comment on that one. :)

I mislaid a GPS on Pacific Airlines out of Hawaii once, they returned it to me about three days later.
If you have a name on the bag you do stand a good chance of getting it back.
Mostly I will be AMTRAKKING it around and my bag is tied up in the seat behind me usually.
I did have a bag waiting for me in DC for a week some years ago.