Lost baggage: Airlines blame travellers

Last month, an international air traveller touched Delhi from Toronto via Paris, but his check-in baggage didn’t. “Upon enquiring about its status, an official told me it would be delivered at my residence the next day,’’ he said. In the meantime, he was asked to fill a form listing luggage details. While the luggage did arrive as stated, “Its zipper was damaged and a laptop, which I had mentioned in the list, was also missing”.
Consumer organisations say such cases of pilferage, lost and damaged baggage have only increased alongwith air traffic, especially in transit flights on international routes.
Although both airlines and consumer groups advise against carrying valuables in check-in baggage, a traveller may have genuine reasons for doing so. A 60-year-old Jaipur resident always checks in his laptop since he suffers from arthritis. Says Mumbai consumer activist Jehangir Gai, “They are supposed to make a special declaration (of checked-in valuables) for which they must pay a charge. One must not try to economize on that.’’
The Delhi traveller says he wasn’t given any declaration form to fill.
at Air Passengers’ Association of India. Reddy says the traveller must approach the airline’s help desk, and claim compensation after filling a baggage details form.
The Delhi traveller, however, was not offered any compensation, although he did receive a letter of regret. “When you are paying Rs 80,000 for a ticket, and this happens, it only shows that there is a clear lapse in service, and I am really disappointed.’’
Locally, says Kirti Bhatt of Ahmedabad’s Consumer Education & Research Centre (CERC), according to the Carriage by Air Act, 1972, domestic airlines must offer Rs 450 per kilo for lost or damaged baggage.
23/11/07 Rucha Biju Chitrodia/Times of India

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Categories: Airports Nov 2007, Foreign Nov 2007, General Aviation Nov 2007