Coming back from Namibia, my wife lost a bag on AA in Dulles. She had a camera (full of a safari's worth of invaluable pictures) and binocs and a bunch of gifts and momentos. It has been ten days and I am not hopeful. What is their policy and do they place any dollar value on the loss the camera and card?

Sucks bad. Lesson learned here. NEVER EVER EVER leave high dollar items in a checked bag unless required by law.



http://www.aa.com/i18n/travelI...ilityLimitations.jsp

I agree. It is kind of a drag to lug around the airports a heavy carry-on loaded with camera, binos, cell phone, toiletries, books and anything else you can't do without if checked bags disappear-- but the alternative is a lot worse, in my opinion. Whenever I travel in or to developing-world countries I travel as light as I possibly can.

Man.........that is the pits! I am sorry. But as many have previously said....NEVER, EVER, PUT ANYTHING IN A CHECKED BAG - OR GUN CASE YOU CANNOT AFFORD TO LOSE! In fact, of all the things on the face of the earth that I keep on my person, or in my hand carried bag, it is the PICTURES OF THE SAFARI. I would rather lose, guns, binos, cameras, absolutely anthing but those pictures. Those camera cards come out of the camera and go right next to my eternal soul!! A true, honest to goodness travisty has happened to you! Pray!

I seriously doubt that you will ever see any of it again. I had a bag pilfered of my cameras and other electronics some years ago. Taught me to put all that stuff in carry-on and not let it out of my sight. Fortunately, I had a small camera with many of my pics on it, sitting in my carry-on. That saved the safari for us, but it was a bummer to lose all of the video from the hunt and the other still photos. No electronics in checked baggage for sure! Sorry about your loss!

I always carry on cameras and expensive optics, on all legs of a trip.

That has always been my thought. But my wife who is new to international travel, bought some expensive lotion in the Jo-burg airport after being assured by the clerk that it was alright to take on the plane. When we landed in Dulles they challenged her (the scrutiny was quite stringent given the recent turmoil in the middle east earlier that week)and instead of forfeiting the lotion which she had looked all over for, she unwisely chose to check the bag without asking me or our other fellow travelers (we ended up in different lines). I told her she would know better next time but we lost a lot of great pictures.

I travel a lot, and I carry cameras, both still and video, a computer and an ipad in my carry on.

NEVER, EVER, put any of these in the hold.

The only exception is when I am travelling with underwater cameras and housings.

I put these in their own separate bag, and make sure the airline knows it at check in.

I only do this when using a direct flight.

Because your bag made it from Namibia to Dulles OK, there's still a chance you might get it. There's a possibility that the destination tag came off and it is sitting untagged in one of their offices. Keep calling AA and checking, and call their baggage service office in Dulles directly. Make sure they have the correct description of your bag and its contents.

The reason I'm saying this is that many years ago United "lost" my bag, and it went missing for 2 weeks. I kept calling them and checking. Finally, I got the funny feeling that they weren't trying very hard to find it, so I drove out to O'Hare in Chicago to talk to them personally. There was a large locked "cage" in the claim area with about 30 bags in it. There, right in the middle, was my bag. I was furious and relieved at the same time. They had had a perfect description of my bag the whole time, but failed to find it. If I hadn't gone out there in person, I probably never would have seen it again.

About 15 years ago I had a bag get lost from Jo'Burg to Miami never to be seen again. The dollar amount they covered was very little. As I recall max amount was $900, but since I had two bags (and one made it through)I only got $450. They quoted me all kinds of fine print, International agreement crap. Didn't matter if I could document a bunch more in value in the bag, I got a set amount.

My carry-on contains all the vital stuff and most certainly the camera stuff.

they lost my bag once and it took three months to get it back. when i sent them a bill for the items in the bag i had reciepts for everything. it was amazingly it was found three days later. they had shipped it back to kenya ? they never did answer me when i asked why they shipped it back to kenya from the usa. the bag went from new jersey back to kenya.

quote:

American

Take back all the shitty things I said about American. My wife's bag showed up 17 days later with everything still in tact. Been sitting in Houston.

Don't take them back, 17 days is pathetic.

Your wife is one lucky person!

Maybe having her buy a lottery ticket for the Wednesday drawing is in order? Glad you got the bag back.

Larry Sellers
SCI (International) Life Member

Very happy for you.
Lesson learned & still got your valuables back.

That is just wonderful and amazing!

quote:

Originally posted by R. Gunn:

quote:

American

Take back all the shitty things I said about American. My wife's bag showed up 17 days later with everything still in tact. Been sitting in Houston.

Damn Houstonians!! (says the guy who is repatriating there in a few months )

On September 6, my bag was gone through at Dulles. However, Nothing was taken.

I always put my zippers in a spot and when they are moved i know some one was in the bag. My zipper had a flap covering it with 4 tie down straps. Flap was up and zippers tabs were in a spot never used by me.

I had all my cameras, memory cards and journal in my carry on bag. My carry on bag was at 9 kilo's. Next time i will use a bag with rollers to shlep through the airport.