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Original poster

Destroyed suitcase?

37 replies

lostinparadiseee · 22/11/2022 03:37

I’m on the last part of my travels around South America (2 flight still to get home) and the airline has destroyed my suitcase. They ripped the handle off, pulled it apart from the fabric.

I can’t afford a new suitcase. I don’t know what to do or if it’ll even be allowed to go back on another flight.

Destroyed suitcase?
OP posts:
LightUpTheWoods · 22/11/2022 03:45

Take it up with the airline.

When you say 2 more flights, do you mean that you are doing these imminently, or do you have any more stop over/out of airport travelling time? If the former, I've seen airlines put broken suitcases into giant plastic bags and seal them up, just to get home. Obvs not useful if you still have any stopover time.

In the longer term, travel insurance?

amylou8 · 22/11/2022 04:12

Can you secure it with luggage straps or pallet wrap/cling film for the remaining flights? Doesn't need to look pretty, just not fall apart.

chatw0o0 · 22/11/2022 04:33

you can pay (don't know how much) for the airport to wrap the suitcase up in clingfilm. As far as I can tell so far, all airports seem to have the facility. If you do it on your last trip/set of flights, you won't need to unwrap it until you get home again.

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Flying Holidays
nophonesonbed · 22/11/2022 05:17

You can claim for the suitcase although from my experience it took several weeks and I think I got the princely sum of £14!! (About 8 years ago)

MistyRock · 22/11/2022 05:29

Just gaffer tape it up. Job done.

Original poster
lostinparadiseee · 22/11/2022 05:59

I fly back to a capital city for one day (hour flight) which means I can then get a direct flight home. But I do have one night stay in the hotel so will likely need to access it again 😓

Its just so bad, they security checked it, knew they’d damaged it to wear its unusable (without being wrapped) and said nothing. There wasn’t even staff around to ask.

OP posts:
Trumpton · 22/11/2022 06:13

Put your overnight stuff in a day bag and have the suitcase wrapped. Or ( disclaimer…. I don’t know if this is possible) use cable ties -if you can get holes drilled - to “stitch “ it together.
but you do need to report it to the airport.

Original poster
lostinparadiseee · 22/11/2022 06:15

Trumpton · 22/11/2022 06:13

Put your overnight stuff in a day bag and have the suitcase wrapped. Or ( disclaimer…. I don’t know if this is possible) use cable ties -if you can get holes drilled - to “stitch “ it together.
but you do need to report it to the airport.

I don’t think you can have things like deodorant in carry on? Not even sure toothpaste would be allowed 🤔

OP posts:
greenacrylicpaint · 22/11/2022 06:19

get 2 luggage belts. then you can wrap them round your case like a present.

tbh if the case is damaged like that it might have been tampered with. check carefully between linings ir you might end up on a border force show style scenario...

as you are in south america I simehow doubt the airline will be interested in any way.

newusernamegloria · 22/11/2022 06:52

This happened to me on my last flight. Before I left the airport I went to the airline desk that I had used by baggage claim. They took pictures and gave me the info where to go online. When I got home I submitted my claim, including pictures. It took some weeks for them to process it but then I was able to choose a new suitcase from a catalog and got a way nicer one than they ruined. It was shipped to my house in days. They did try to offer me a duffel bag at the airport and I said no, as my suitcase was a lot more expensive.

MistyRock · 22/11/2022 07:00

I don't know why you're making it so difficult for yourself. Gaffer tape it up. At the hotel cut it open. Before flight gaffer it up again.

girlmom21 · 22/11/2022 07:03

Use the airport shrink wrap service and buy some luggage straps for the journey from the hotel to the airport.

brittanyfairies · 22/11/2022 07:06

This happened to me coming back from Australia about 6 years ago, because I had time before I caught my train home I went along to the airline desk in the airport and they actually replaced my suitcase there and then, in those days they carried stock for situations just like this. It's worth a try

Original poster
lostinparadiseee · 22/11/2022 07:27

MistyRock · 22/11/2022 07:00

I don't know why you're making it so difficult for yourself. Gaffer tape it up. At the hotel cut it open. Before flight gaffer it up again.

And where exactly do I buy “gaffer tape” from?!

OP posts:
notimagain · 22/11/2022 07:35

I'm afraid unless the baggage damage was reported to the airline on arrival, before leaving the airport, the chances are there's little possibility of the airline providing compensation or a replacement, but I guess it's worth asking.

deplorabelle · 22/11/2022 07:37

A hardware store in the capital city. Orif you're staying in a non budget hotel just ask for their help

Beeboppy · 22/11/2022 07:41

The airline baggage desk normally will often replace it there and then or give you the form for the money if you go to the desk by the baggage carousels but I’d imagine there is a way to do it from the other side of the airport too as sometimes the desk is closed.

heldinadream · 22/11/2022 07:46

How are you feeding yourself en route? Cafes etc? Eat cheaper and buy a cheap replacement suitcase. Hard to believe you're travelling with no slack at all in your budget to deal with this by getting a bog standard cheap replacement.

BarbaraofSeville · 22/11/2022 07:49

lostinparadiseee · 22/11/2022 07:27

And where exactly do I buy “gaffer tape” from?!

Show quote history

A shop? South American equivalent of B&Q or a hardware store. They probably have ferreterias there, which always makes me smile because, while I know it is Spanish for Ironmonger, it always gives me the vision of 'ferreting around' which, if you've ever been in one, is exactly what you often have to get the owner to do.

Costs a fiver, if that, and probably cheaper than using the plastic wrap up service at the airport.

SheWoreYellow · 22/11/2022 07:53

lostinparadiseee · 22/11/2022 06:15

I don’t think you can have things like deodorant in carry on? Not even sure toothpaste would be allowed 🤔

Show quote history

Check the website of the airports you are using, but usually in hand luggage you can take liquids in bottles of 100ml or smaller, put into a clear plastic bag, usually available at the airport, up to a total of 1l.

Did you not have this on the way there? And have to put lip balm etc in a clear bag?

ordinarilyordinary · 22/11/2022 08:04

You are travelling around South America. Surely that takes resilience, a sense of adventure and a problem solving nature. Surely you can handle this?

mrsbyers · 22/11/2022 08:08

Contact the airline now and take photos incase they claim the damage happens on next flights , tape the case shut put a change of clothes etc in carry on and buy a stick deodorant

MistyRock · 22/11/2022 08:10

ordinarilyordinary · 22/11/2022 08:04

You are travelling around South America. Surely that takes resilience, a sense of adventure and a problem solving nature. Surely you can handle this?

My thoughts exactly. How can one broken suitcase be such a huge issue?

greenhousegal · 22/11/2022 08:12

I wonder what you would do if your luggage went missing, as that's very common these days. Always have a contingency back up in hand luggage, spares of essentials and A roll of gaffer tape. 😉

As others have said, you do sound a bit naive regarding international travel. The liquid allowance etc. comes to mind.

Safe travels

tinyorchid · 22/11/2022 08:13

You're on travels in South America and you really can't figure this one out yourself? I had much worse happen to me back in my backpacking days there including being robbed and kidnapped. How have you managed to get this far on your trip if you can't figure out what to do about a broken suitcase, and you have to actually ask MN for ideas? Come on OP, you can do this.