My checked baggage was severely damaged during a Delta flight two weeks ago (JFK-YVR) There were some items stuck in the conveyor belt and baggage was delayed getting to passengers. I don't believe I was alone in this incident as other bags looked worse off than mine.

There was no Delta representatives in Vancouver at the time due to the late arrival so I filed a complaint online through Delta, providing several photographs and detailed descriptions.

Since I live in the UK, this complaint was automatically passed onto KLM by Delta (dont know why) and I received a generic email stating that my claim was being processed from KLM. This was 9 days ago. There is no claim number or contact details for KLM and have not heard from them since.

  • What is an acceptable amount of time before I chase the claim?
  • Is it worth re-contacting Delta?
  • Is it worth contacting Vancouver?
  • Is it worth making a claim through the baggage supplier who provides a 30 year warranty on said bag?

What is the standard process when dealing with baggage damage? I have not experienced this before.

  • From personal experience, it takes several weeks, and they will probably mail you a check. Be aware that the maximum amount is $20 per pound of luggage (according to the transportation contract), and if they have no record of the weight of your luggage, they pay for the max weight allowed (50 pounds for most airlines). – Aganju Jun 14 '16 at 14:11
  • Have I read that correctly? The maximum they will pay is $1000 for a 50 pound bag (pound as in weight not money)? That seems an awful lot of money. – davidb Jun 14 '16 at 14:18
  • That is just the maximum - if the luggage is considered a total loss. If only the bag is damaged, they might mail you a cheapo-replacement bag that fits yours in general size and form. It all depends on how they want to treat you – Aganju Jun 14 '16 at 14:21
  • Consider if you had your four Armani suits in there and it's destroyed - 1000 $ is nothing – Aganju Jun 14 '16 at 14:23

KLM serves as Delta's representative for customer service in Europe, same as Delta does for KLM in the USA. So KLM will be your contact for this claim, contacting Delta will not really influence the processing time.

You might call KLM baggage office (you can call the reservation phone number to get the correct direct number) and ask for the claim number / case number so you can follow up later.

Processing is never quick, it can commonly take several weeks, before any offer is made. But Delta is usually pretty good at honoring their responsibilities.

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