Baggage chaos gets worse – one traveller’s bag is shredded and clothes are ripped in HALF
BRITS have faced huge baggage problems in recent weeks due to staff shortages across the travel industry.
Yet one woman was left stunned after her husband received his suitcase bag - only for it to be completely shredded.
Passenger Karen Nowland was travelling with Etihad from Manchester to Colombo in Sri Lanka.
However, the bag they received was destroyed, with huge holes it in and falling apart.
What was even worse was inside, with his clothes also in tatters - one image showed his t-shirt complete backless with a panel ripped out.
Another one of his tops was left as rags, covering very little.
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Karen wrote on Twitter: "Look what happened to my husband’s bag somewhere between Manchester and Colombo!
"My husband looks like a pirate. Not the tropical holiday look he had in mind."
She added: "Not sure the backless look suits my husband."
And Etihad spokesperson told Sun Online Travel: "We were unaware of this case, but reached out directly to the guest to provide full support as soon as we were alerted.
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"We are conducting a full investigation into the cause of the damage to the guest’s baggage, as well as our partner’s guest communication process to ensure this doesn’t happen again. We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience our guest experienced.”
They also said guests can make a baggage claim online here
It isn't the first time this has happened to passengers, sadly.
In 2019, a woman was left fuming after the airline lost her suitcase, only for it to turn up in pieces, while another passenger was given his checked luggage after a flight, only for it to arrive with a gaping hole in the middle.
According to the (CAA), the airline is at fault for broken and damaged suitcases under the Montreal Convention if you have checked your luggage.
An ABTA spokesperson told Sun Online Travel that passengers should immediately report the damage to both the airport and the airline, and take photos of the damage.
Some airlines have designated baggage desks you can talk to and the staff may be able to solve the problem straight away with a replacement suitcase or confirmation of reimbursement for a new one.
If not, the passenger will need to fill in a form known as a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) - which they will be given at the airport - explaining the damage and send it back within seven days.
Booking references, travel insurance details, photos of the damage, luggage tags and receipts for the damaged contents must be included to make the claim.
Passengers can only claim up to £1,150 per bag for any damaged bags according to ABTA.
However, the maximum payout for compensation does not often cover the cost, so it could be worth claiming on travel insurance instead.
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A study recently revealed the airline most likely to damage your luggage - and it isn't good for budget airlines.
And an airport worker has revealed the suitcases which are most likely to get damaged in transit.
