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Turkish Airlines lost baggage advice?

Squamish, Canada
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7 posts
13 reviews
17 helpful votes
Turkish Airlines lost baggage advice?
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It's been almost a year - and our claim for our lost mountaineering equipment bag en route to Pakistan is being - well - ignored? We aren't sure why Turkish Airlines is not attending to our claim...perhaps because there was an expensive list of items lost that they are not that interested in insuring.

Has anyone else lost expensive baggage (or not expensive for that matter) and had troubles getting the claim resolved with an airline?

New York City, New...
Level Contributor
10,158 posts
45 reviews
106 helpful votes
1. Re: Turkish Airlines lost baggage advice?
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Maybe they're ignoring it because it's from a year ago? Claim on your travel insurance and be done with it!

Squamish, Canada
Level Contributor
7 posts
13 reviews
17 helpful votes
2. Re: Turkish Airlines lost baggage advice?
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Thanks for your reply, the claim was put in immediately after the trip...we've been in touch 4 or 5 times with them - always with us initiating the call. Just wondering if it takes this long usually? It's not our insurance's problem it's the airlines actually.

Bangkok, Thailand
Destination Expert
for Bangkok, Air Travel, Thailand
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16,382 posts
62 reviews
240 helpful votes
3. Re: Turkish Airlines lost baggage advice?
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Hi,

A year?! Are you sure you did all the steps? It's not uncommon for a carrier to effectively stop working a case if a passenger fails to meet a deadline - like returning a signed claim form or other required documents.

Assuming you've completed all the steps, then the case should be well concluded by now.. The norm is that after 21 days is stops being a "tracing and tracking" matter and a claims/settlement matter.

The timeline to get the claims-settlement process all wrapped up and a check or electoronic debit sent, can be long -- like 12 to even 16 weeks in total.. Things that might impact that could be missing documents, lack of proof, there's something about your claim that requires another department to review (this is usually cases where there's a doubt about the voracity of one or more items on your returned claim form) time requres for rhe mailing of paperwork between both parties, etc...

I'd press them, in writing; asking for either a denial of your claim and the reason for such, or settlement of your claim in line with the regulations that covered your travel and the missing bags specifics..

Travel Safe,

Liverpool, UK
Level Contributor
34,041 posts
35 reviews
22 helpful votes
4. Re: Turkish Airlines lost baggage advice?
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"Has anyone else lost expensive baggage " - Without commenting on the timescale issue I assume you are aware that the airlines liability is limited by whatever convention applies (Montreal or Warsaw Convention).

Depending on how expensive the items were you might still need to submit a claim on your travel insurance.

Plainfield, New...
Level Contributor
248 posts
12 reviews
6 helpful votes
5. Re: Turkish Airlines lost baggage advice?
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Hi,

What eventually happened? I had the same thing happen on my June 2013 return from Istanbul to JFK with Turkish Airlines. I submitted a claim right at the airport. I've submitted photos, followed up by email and several calls. Last year they said they had submitted all to their insurer.

Still nothing now and it's over one year.

Does anyone know if any government authorities can get this taken care of?

Thanks

Bob

Bangkok, Thailand
Destination Expert
for Bangkok, Air Travel, Thailand
Level Contributor
16,382 posts
62 reviews
240 helpful votes
6. Re: Turkish Airlines lost baggage advice?
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Hi,

Bob,

If it has in fact been that long, then something's wrong or missing..

Normally a bag is delayed until the end of the 21st day after the date it is formally reported to the carrier as not arriving or being claimed..

After the 21st day the matter moves to claims...THiS is where things can be slow as it really depends on your claim, the docmentation the carrier requires, your timeliness in responding to such and the carriers processing of your replies..

In most cases before a case is paid it is reviewed by their internal corporate security, fraud or legal departments to make sure everything is right, all papers are completed and if there are any questions or concerns about the legitimacy or validity of the clam, that they're addressed before settlement.

Are you sure you haven't missed or failed (accidentally or otherwise) to reply to a letter or communication from them?

As to the notion that there is a government agency you can pass this off to for that agency to now oversee...... No... They ARE regulated by the DOT, in so far as they operate to/from the US, but matters revolving lost baggae when traveling internationally are governed by one of a few international conventions..

You may ask the DOT to see if there's a reason your claim hasn't been acted upon, but largely the DOT cannot force Turkish per se, to do X, Y or Z in this kind of matter.

I'd first review your own papers to see if you've missed something first.. If not, then is try Turkish again, and as a last resort I'd contact the DOT for their assistance.

Travel Safe,

Bangkok, Thailand
Destination Expert
for Bangkok, Air Travel, Thailand
Level Contributor
16,382 posts
62 reviews
240 helpful votes
7. Re: Turkish Airlines lost baggage advice?
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Hi,

"Just wondering if it takes this long usually? It's not our insurance's problem it's the airlines actually."

==>. Overall I'd say no... But.... No two claims are alike... A lot depends on things like the complexity of your claim.. How closely, or not, that its scrutinized.. Work load in front of you, etc, etc...

Then there's some logistical things too ....the time for maling of documets that might be rqquired... and lasty the recognition that these back-office departments are commonly only Monday to Friday operations, not daily like most operationally departments (like reservations etc) would be..

I will tell you - and without making any statements or implications about *your* claim - that carries tend to closely scrutinize them in an anti-fraud mechanism....

Rightly or wrongly, there is a percentage of folks who will - for whatever reason - make and file claims that are materially false, misleading or misrepresentative.. And the carrier usually takes time to review them as well as any documents you send in, for signs of fraud..

Again, this is not to say your claim is, or is not, like this, but to say that because there has and continues to be fraud cases, carriers don't just accept the claim and pay it...

I also agree that this should be addressed by the carrier first.. They should pay whatever your claim rightly supports under applicable law or convention... No more, no less.. Then you are free to pursue other forms of insurance you might have..

Travel Safe,

Toronto, Ontario...
1 post
1 review
8. Re: Turkish Airlines lost baggage advice?
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I have had a similar experience too - my husband and I personally packaged a few household items (a wall clock that was a wedding present) with multiple layers of bubble wrap duck taped all the way through. Its been two weeks since my arrival, and without fail I am calling Turkish Airlines everyday to hear the same response! This is ridiculous, if I am inconvenienced to such a great extent I should at least expect them to update me and not have to chase them around. They are overly optimistic about finding my lost piece by the way, but still have no idea what steps have been taken. A few days ago the agent told me to get my paperwork ready to file the claim, whilst assuring me at the same time it will be definitely be found! How can they be so irresponsible and callous? I have always enjoyed flying Turkish Airlines as their staff is friendly but they are now miserably failing at the stuff you take for granted - i.e. ensuring your luggage reaches safe and sound.

Bangkok, Thailand
Destination Expert
for Bangkok, Air Travel, Thailand
Level Contributor
16,382 posts
62 reviews
240 helpful votes
9. Re: Turkish Airlines lost baggage advice?
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Hi,

"irresponsible and callous?"

I can appreciate yourfustration with the delay and follow up... That said, I think that its a big stretch to say they are/were irresponsible or callous..

The hard truth is that things go wrong, bags are misrouted, they do get damaged, etc.. While in a perfect situation the number would be zero - it that's just not reality..

So, I'm not dismissing the aggregation of a delayed bag - but I also think that unless we (or you) have something more factual, that it's a stretch to say they've been irresponsible or callous at thins point.. Could it be so? Absolutely yes it could... And it also could be a simple human mistake,technology failure or failure by a third party they don't control...

I also do wholly understand why you're being told essentially that they'll find your bag AND being told to prepare your claim papers as well... I think the agent is just saying that while the odds still favor recovery, that it would be beneficial for you to use this time to prepare - as a proactive step - your papers for a *possible-* claim...

Had s/he not done so, and if it does become a claim, you'd now need to wait or waste time gathering papers for a claim versus being proactively ready to file ASAP.

So I don't see this part as anything more than a proactive step for you to do while you wait.. That agent doesn't *know* if your bag will or won't be found.. So I think he's just covering both possibilities at this pojnt.

Again a delayed bag is never good.. But it does happen.. Yes, I expect all reasonable steps be taken to recover them, but I don't think that the "average" (so to speak) delayed bag is a sign of irresponsibility, cliousness or the like..

Travel Safe,

Edited: 10 years ago
Shenzhen
5 posts
10. Re: Turkish Airlines lost baggage advice?
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I cannot recommend turkish airlines. We lost a bag from Houston to Istanbul. We filed a claim at the airport in Istanbul. When we email they never reply or even update us. We have called and they say that they cannot find our claim. This has been a nightmare because of the items in our bag. They are full of callous disregard. They don't have the decency to give us any information. I do not recommend this airline to anyone. There customer service skills in lost luggage needs a serious overhaul. I hope this word spreads.

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