Hi, I tried searching for "lost luggage" and didn't find much so I'm starting a new thread. After a rather eventful trip back home from Florida, and arriving a day late because of a missed connection, my suitcase did not arrive with me. I waited in line for a few hours, filled all the paperwork, the woman who helped me was very nice and kind and professional. About two hours later she called me at home, Iberia had my luggage at De Gaulle airport in Paris. This was Saturday at 13,30. Ok, here we are, Monday, 17,25 as I write this and my suitcase has still not been returned to me. This same lady has called me everyday to reassure me that she's very angry and she's been trying to communicate with all these people in Iberia at De Gaulle and she has been sending all kind of claims and it seems that they're just so busy they haven't been able to get my suitcase here and she can't explain or understand why this is happening because there are so many ways of getting a single piece of luggage here from Paris.
Somewhere around I have heard that if they do not get my luggage to me after a certain amount of time they are under the obligation of reimbursing me for items I might have had to buy to replace needed objects in the luggage. Does anybody know anything about this?
Here are the details: I bought the ticket through AA but the transatlantic flights were both with Iberia. There was an AA domestic flight delay and seeing that I wasn't going to make it to the Iberia Miami-Madrid flight they transfered me to the AA Miami-Madrid flight, because it departed almost an hour later. I didn't make that flight either so they transfered me to the AA flight the next day because the Iberia flight on the next day was already overbooked. They put me up in a hotel at the Miami airport and gave me food tickets so there's never been an issue about who is responsible for all this.
Now I think AA should have made sure and gotten my luggage and changed the tags to indicate that I was flying transatlantic with them instead of Iberia, but apparently that didn't happen and Iberia kept my suitcase and furthermore decided to send it to Paris where they're still holding it hostage. Doesn't that just reassure you about all the security meassures and how they say that luggage never travels without its owner and all that?
This is just plain annoying but there are things there that I need and my nephew is annoyed too because all his gifts that the American Reyes sent with me are being held up Anyway, I do want to file complaints and see if I can get some money or at least a letter of explanation and apology from these clowns, so any advice or tips would be welcome.
By the way, happy new year to all, it's good to be home and looking forward to seeing many of you Friday.
saludos,
Lena

Lena, I totally understand, I got home on fridya dec 23rd ,and my bag was lost (british Airways) and they had no idea where it was for 1 week, the entire legnth of time i was home, it was delivered one hour before I left the following week. No clothes, no xmas presents for any of my friends or family, the one week a year that i see everyone, you know? And I had to buy an entirely new wardrobe because I'm short, pants are not easy to find and they must be altered, so not returnable, and since they had no idea where the bag was, I was like aaaaaah, I dunno what to do. THey are going to review the case and let me know in 6-8 weeks if I am eligible for reimbursement. But, if they know where your bag is, just keep calling and harrassing people, that's what I did! I totally hear you! Besos, Joy

hey lena.

good to have ya back and sorry to hear about the luggage fiasco.

may be nothing you don't already know but hope these links help...

- AA baggage liability

- AA delayed baggage info

saludos,
jer...

p.s. when you file your complaint don't forget to mention the gold bars and diamonds you had in there

My unsolicited advice? Lots of deep breaths and pleasant thoughts. My luggage has been lost since Friday night, and I have called everyone in Barcelona, Madrid, and Brussels (where it was last sighted) and pleaded, yelled, threated, cajoled. Finally gave up this evening. And then they called me. They found it and are bringing it by tonight. Give it a little more time. It will get here.

Thanks for the advice everybody. Seems that this Xmas break there have been an uncommon amount of suitcases lost. I have heard many horror stories, although I think Queensita's is one of the worst.
I finally got it back on Wednesday. One wheel had been ripped off. I called them back and they have authorized me to take it someplace here in Madrid to have it repaired or be given a new one, I just dropped it off this morning.
I heard from some people who lost all their suitcases on their way to Puerto Rico (some were returned a week later, others a couple of days before they returned) that at least Iberia gives you a set amount of money, I think it was around $70, for each day that the suitcase is lost. This is probably information that they don't volunteer unless you ask or start a complaint or something like that. I don't know if other airlines do this or not. I know in the past I have been reimbursed up to a certain amount spent on clothing and toilettries, but probably each airlines has different rules. Once I get my suitcase back fixed I will ask about putting in a claim and see if I can get any money out of them for all my troubles. I will post whatever happens.
Lena