Destroyed suitcase?

[lostinparadiseee]

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.

From a compo POV the airline's response is almost certainly going to be that because the problems with the bag weren't flagged up immediately on arrival at the airport the damage may have happened after the customer picked it up - e.g. caused by taxi driver/on bus/in hotel.

Buy a new cheap suitcase wherever you are. Surely you have money for food/meals. Skip a few lunches and buy the cheapest suitcase to get you home, is what I would do. Here you can get a suitcase that size for £30 ish. Failing that, get one of those large plastic laundry bag, the red and blue checked ones form a corner shop and use that. I've seen people travelling from India with these. Should last one journey, but a couple.

I use those everytime I move countries, then I tape them up all over to make them secure. Delicate stuff in the middle, soft stuff on the outside to pad it out.

Of course you can have deodorant and toothpaste in a carry on. Are you sure you're a seasoned traveller?!

Missing the point entirely but I can't believe you are in South America with no funds to buy another case. You can usually buy these or a big duffel bag cheaply.

And yes you can have deodorant and toothpaste on a flight in your cabin baggage. It just has to be within the limits allowed.

Is this thread real? I honestly can't believe someone would be in France, let alone South America without basic knowledge of flying and having funds in case of an emergency.

Honestly what I hate about MN. People pile on probably making a situation worse because they know everything and never make mistakes and it sadly makes them feel better to belittle someone.

Its actually embarrassing some of these responses were said with such smugness.about making someone feel worse who asked for help. Imagine someone you loved being worried asking for help and this was the response they got?

I hope the nose bleeds clear up soon from being so high up on your horses.

@waterwithaview "and where exactly do I buy gaffer tape"?

I think the OP is also high on a horse!!!

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

These are not the most important things in the world so if you have to leave them behind and replace at your destination you will be ok.

Are we really supposed to believe that someone who has made it as far as South America and is nearly on their way home is unaware of the rules for taking toiletries as hand luggage that have been in place for over a decade, how to buy common household items in foreign countries or how to use google if they're not sure what they are, or how to ask for them in a foreign language?

If the OP is really so inexperienced in life, is it really a good idea to be out in public like that without a responsible adult?

Tape it up.
Cling film it up.
Replace it for something cheap.
Speak to the airline - both the one that broke it and the one carrying you home to check if/what state of case they'd allow you to travel with.
Make do at your overnight hotel without opening it again (lots of hotels have small spare toiletries and it's not the worse thing in the world to wear the same pants or to take a spare set on carry on with you).
Dump your deodorant and toothpaste etc rather than try to carry on if they are too big, and just replace those when home.

All suggestions with the potential to provide an answer for you. In the end, you will end up home and clean and safe and this will just be another story you tell. Hopefully a funny one

Thank you for proving my point.