Looking for some advice regarding my gear lost by an airline

COSM · Post by **COSM** » Sat Sep 27, 2008 9:58 am

To fill you in, half way through my EU tour, Vueling airlines (spain) lost my main bag, which contained all my performance gear, clothing, gifts and various stuffs.

I managed to tackle the three weeks I had left with nothing (literally a laptop and the clothes i was wearing), relying on the generosity and hunting skills of the party promoters to track down some gear I could use.

It's now been over 6 weeks, and the airline has still not given me any good news. They found my bags once, about 3 weeks ago, and sent them to heathrow for me to pick up, but after 5 hours at the airport, they couldn't find them and they were declared lost again.

Now here's the thing, I have insurance here in Australia, so I can claim with them, but they require the airline to declare the bag lost first, settle me some compensation, and then the insurance will cover the rest... the problem is the airline is doing sweet fuck all.

I have been polite and both threatening and they tell me just to wait. According to my research they legally have to declare them lost after 21 days, but they won't even acknowledge that I know this information and ask me to keep waiting.

Email contact takes over 3 days to get a reply, and it impossible to get someone who can tell me whats going on over the phone.

The next interesting thing is they have just asked me to send all original documents (that's my boarding pass, bag ticket and lost bag report) back to them so they can send some temporary compensation for the time it has taken so far while they keep looking. That's the only legal proof I have that they have lost my bag....

So.. anyone have any experience with this kind of stuff? my bag has roughly 3000eu worth of stuff in it... ideally I would just like to get it back, as I have just moved to Australia and it contained almost everything I own (Apart from my girlfriend, apartment, laptop and horny cat) it is starting to wear a little thin.

Ideas?

Thanks!

cherry-k · Post by **cherry-k** » Sat Sep 27, 2008 10:24 am

wow, horrible story,
sorry Ican't give any advice but not losing hope and don't get pissed.
a prayer might help, too.

all the best and thanks a lot for your music.
michael

Crash · Post by **Crash** » Sat Sep 27, 2008 10:46 am

Do NOT send them original document by any means! They might get "lost", too. Go to a lawyer or notary, have the documents copied and stamped. While you're at it let the lawyer put up a letter that forces the airline to get going. The costs for the lawyer will have to be paid by the airline, have him put that bit into the letter as well.

rikhyray · Post by **rikhyray** » Sat Sep 27, 2008 11:02 am

If I ever fly cheap airlines, never check in anything of value unless specified as musical equipment and checked as special item ( some airlines have such thing). Anyway now too late for such advice. If you have some landline number I could call and negotiate for you (experience and Spanish might help a bit).
DO NOT SEND them any ORIGINAL bills. Notary is definitely good idea before you head downunder.
Cheap Spanish airlines - they have 'reputation" of recent, count yourself lucky it is just lost stuff , they could refuse you opening door of fucked airplane and by now you would be jamming with Hendrix and Miles.

sweetjesus · Post by **sweetjesus** » Sun Sep 28, 2008 5:10 pm

y0

where in oz have u moved to?

if ur stuff was lost at heathrow i wouldnt freak out to the max just yet.

heathrow has a stupid amount of baggage and the management system is not so great.

roach808 · Post by **roach808** » Sun Sep 28, 2008 5:18 pm

sweetjesus wrote: if ur stuff was lost at heathrow i wouldnt freak out to the max just yet.

heathrow has a stupid amount of baggage and the management system is not so great.

Very true, both of my bags got lost last summer when I was over working in Europe. Had a nice stop over in Heathrow, and when i got to Barcelona both of my two bags were MIA. About 4 months later, they just randomly showed up on my doorstep back here in the states. Don't give up hope, I'm sure they'll turn up....eventually.

pepezabala · Post by **pepezabala** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 6:44 am

Tom, i had sent you a pm, basically offering help if hyou need someone speaking spanish or being in spain.

cacti · Post by **cacti** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 6:00 pm

i wouldnt send them all that info, i would xerox it though, but keep the originals. bummer man.

nebulae · Post by **nebulae** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 6:05 pm

why do bad things happen to the nicest guys? sorry to hear about this, Tom.

andydes · Post by **andydes** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 6:14 pm

pepezabala wrote:Tom, i had sent you a pm, basically offering help if hyou need someone speaking spanish or being in spain.

Always good to see people going out of their way to deal with someone else's problems.

And people complain that this forum is full of unhelpful arseholes.

Nice one.

Tom: Bad luck. I agree with everyone else, just send them copies of everything. When dealing with them be as nice and polite as you can, but be persistent. You don't want to piss anyone off, be just annoying enough for them to want to deal with you quickly.

Moody · Post by **Moody** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 6:27 pm

Call your Lawyer

terborg · Post by **terborg** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 7:44 pm

sorry to hear about it mate.

as previously mentioned, i would seek a lawyer ASAP. usually you can call a firm and seek advice first, but even paying for a firm to write a letter on your behalf stating that you will file a suit if you aren't compensated will pay off. if you have even a decent lawyer, you'll get reimbursed. good luck

COSM · Post by **COSM** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 2:59 am

A bit of an update:

The airline came back to me a few days ago (months after the incident) and declared the bags officially lost.

All my gear, clothes, gifts, cables and various other shit gone forever.

The real pain is the gear... it is replaceable but the custom templates I had on the controllers was worth hours and hours and hours of my time, I have the padkontrol templates backuped however but wasn't as on to it with the x-station.

To twist the knife, their final settlement offer was 428 euros, and according to them, that's the maximum they legally have to pay me.

It's not all bad tho, my private insurer has advised that I can claim the rest of the expensis with them, but only AFTER I have received the money and written confirmation of settlement from the airline.

If its taken them this long to decide my bag is lost, I don't want to think how long it is going to take them to actually pay me out.

Anyway... at least the process has begun and I should hopefully be on my way to an insurance payout sometime in the next few months, if not next year and can finally buy some more gear so I can play gigs again!

Thanks for all the advice

nebulae · Post by **nebulae** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 3:27 am

sorry to hear this...but as usual, your uplifting spirit is a breath of fresh air. Good luck.

Cyberstar · Post by **Cyberstar** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 5:18 am

Damn mate that's a bitter pill sorry to hear this, I agree with Neb your out look on thing's is uplifting even when the shit is flying about.