[Leah123]

We flew from Melbourne to the Gold Coast Australia on August 25th 2008 on Tiger Airways. We arrived (after the one and a half hour flight had been delayed 4 hours already!) at 8.30pm.

When we collected our luggage we realised that my husbands hard case had had one of the wheels knocked right out of the socket (a mighty fall) and was totally missing.

We went up to the desks to report it immediately, and there was not a single staff member to be seen in the whole airport. We went back to the carosel and saw an outside luggage guy with a yellow vest on. We advised him that our bag had been broken and that there were no staff on the desks to report it to. He said that they were all out on the tarmac loading the next plane out!(leaving NO staff in the terminal at all???)

We waited another 10 minutes and no one arrived, so we left the airport. As it was the last flight of the night we weren't even sure if any staff members would appear back at the desk at all. We also had to get home to our children. We then had to drag the bag across the dirt path (no kidding!) of about 100 metres to the main terminal (in the dark, no lighting) to the cab rank. (VERY POOR! - VERY DANGEROUS)

I promptly rang them the next day Melbourne number but overseas call centre (of course not toll free, engaged lines continuiously, but finally on hold for ages to get a human) who asked me to fill in all the necessary paperwork.

We sent everything to them and clearly advised that there were no staff to report the damage to on the evening.

I just got a reply back two months later from them, denying that there were no staff on the desks. I was furious, at basically being called a liar. I said I would go down and take a photo of the staffless desks as evidence, as I am sure it happens regularily. Of course they refuse to do anything about it, saying "you needed to report it to staff on the night" but I kept clearly saying THERE WERE NO STAFF!!!????

Any future passangers be VERY CAREFUL. Even while waiting to board the flight the women beside us told us of there reluctance to refund a duplication of airfare, when their website crashed while she was booking. Of course you get put through to an overseas call centre, with phone operators with very limited English. As she said to them "why would I have two tickets for the same person on the same flight???" She had been arguing for 2 months to get back the money through their faulty web booking system. Why would a system accept an exact duplicate booking?

I've heard lots of other horrid stories about this airline. One of the worst being my brother-in-law, who had booked well in advance for a flight from Canberra to Melbourne for a good friends wedding. They emailed him a few hours earlier on the day that he left (having to be at the airport early in the morning) that the flight had been moved forward 2 hours. Of course checking your email on the day you fly out at 5am in the morning isn't something you do, and they didn't text him either, so he got told when he arrived. He was devestated, not only did he miss his friends wedding, but lost flight costs, but also $80 in taxi fees to and from the airport for nothing.

FUTURE TIGER AIRWAYS PASSENGERS BE CAREFUL!!!!!!!!!!! I would say, only book with them if you aren't bothered about actually getting there!!!!!! Otherwise pay the extra for another airline for the security of knowing you will at least be treated decently.

I wondered if anyone else had experienced a similar problem with Tiger Airways especially lack of staff at the terminals? Their flights may be cheap but they are horrendously run, and their lack of morals and ethics are very concerning.

[airhead]

I don't know of any airline that is liable for the damage of a wheel on a bag. You waited a whole 10 minutes? The staff told you they were boarding the next flight out. So they were there, they were just trying to get the next flight out. Be patient. I am sure if you were on that flight you would want it to depart on time. And if it is running late, all the more reason for everyone to be out there working it. Also, the lights outside in the parking lot are not the responsibility of the airline. Sorry to hear about your experience but nobody is at fault for what you are complaining about.

[Leah123]

Of Course the airline is liable for damaging your property!



I am not talking about a scratch here, I am talking about ripping the whole wheel from the bracket rendering the bag useless, unless of course you want to carry it everywhere!??? It must have been dropped from a great height to achieve the damage to a good quality hard structured case. This is plain neglectful.

Tell me... if you trusted your car to a parking valet and they ripped a wheel off it while parking it, rendering it unable to be driven, would you still say that "it's nobody's fault"? I don't think so. If you pay that parking service to provide such a service and through their neglect they damage your property, that is liability. These business have to have insurance for that very fact.

I am not a person who believes in suing for tripping over my own feet in a shopping centre, but when there is clear evidence of neglectful service that I paid for, I expect to have my property fixed by this company.

A 10 minute wait, yes, I had kids at home, and I wasn't even confident that any staff member would return to the desk as it was the last flight out of the terminal. Why should I have to wait even one minute, there should have been at least one staff member present at the counter? This is shoddy practice, particularity when their rules are that damaged or lost bags are to be reported to those very same "invisible" staff members.

Ensuring that passengers have a safe exit from their OWN terminal (it's not a combined terminal it is TIGER AIRWAYS own dedicated terminal and building) IS there responsibility.

I guessed from your response that you had to be an airline employee, and with an attitude like yours of "hey it's not my fault" it's no wonder there are so many complaints.

As a valid person in society I need to be responsible for my actions, and ensure others safety in my home etc, just as airlines are responsible to ensuring the safety of not only their passengers but their belongings as well, if they have been entrusted to them.

This site is called "Airline complaints" and I have done exactly what it is designed for. I have warned other possible passengers about bad practices by this airline.

You coming along and making statements of "no fault" is useless and meaningless. If everyone took that attitude the world would collapse in disarray, no one would take responsibility for their actions or ensure the safety of others or their posessions.

[The_Judge]

Leah.......it's unfortunate you had a bad experience on your trip.

You mentioned your luggage was damaged, in particular, the wheel. This is taken directly from AA's website (which is where you posted this complaint) but all airlines pretty much have the same rules so this would apply to Tiger I am betting, as well.

No liability for damage or loss of protruding baggage parts such as wheels, straps, pockets, pull handles, hanger hooks or other items attached to baggage

No airline requires them to fix a wheel if damaged. It would be nice if they did but unfortunately, this is in that little small print stuff that nobody reads.

Best of luck and I hope all goes well in the future.

And yes, I was an airline employee as well and you can see this but the little title just below the screen name of all posters.

[Leah123]

Hi Judge thanks for your reply.

I am new to this site and have as you said posted to the wrong area. I did post to the "other airlines" section too though so hopefully that will be seen.

Strange thing is that Tiger Airways have never stated that they do not cover "protruding baggage parts", simply saying that I hadn't reported it to the desk staff. Which is my big gripe, as there were no staff to report such to anyway?? Perhaps this is another tactic to ensure less claims, no staff... no claims!!?

There response saying that they checked and that there were staff on the desks, at that time really angered me the most as basically they are saying that I was lying.

If they had gotten back to me and said that "protruding parts" aren't covered then I guess I would have had to "like it or lump it."

Yes as you say it's not right, small print like this, but I guess I have gotten my point across now and any potential Tiger Airlines passengers from here on can make sound judgement as to whether they feel they treat their passengers in a professional and ethical manner! And then as to whether they "risk it with Tiger Airways".

For the record, I'm extremely glad my problem is so small in comparison to many others on this site, as I said somewhere else the legislation needs to change for tighter monitoring of these airlines. They seem to be a law unto themselves.

Ps. This may give you a look at the real "Tiger Airways" ...scary!!

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=gF3I6N5tqDA

[The_Judge]

Leah......you said your main concern was that there was no staff to help you. I did not work for Tiger so I can not speak with authority about them but the airline I worked for required us (as they cut staff so much there was no one left to do it) to work outside with the plane and then go inside after the plane was dispatched back to where it was going and then work the counter for cases like yours. (missing, damaged luggage)

So when we came back in, we were covered in the elements of mother nature (pouring sweat in the summer and covered in snow in the winter)

My point being, there was obviously staff there cuz the plane was directed into the gate. The captain of the aircraft may not approach the loading bridge without guides, so there was staff. Also, someone was working the gate to put people back on the plane to leave again. I'm sure they eventually came back to the counter. And that was always my favorite, after busting my a$$ unloading a plane full of bags then filling it back up again, being on my hands and knees in the belly, going back inside to take abuse that there was no one there to help them. Frustrating when you actually do care about how people feel and wanting to help them.

My advice, don't take Tiger anymore. But all airlines fail at some point......just read this board. All airlines accounted for here.

[airhead]

Once again, I am very sorry to hear about your experience. I agree it would be nice of the rules were different. I do care about you and the other's bad experiences. I log on here on my free time to either educate passengers on how the problem could have been avoided or in your case, why there may have not been someone available to help you at the counter when you needed it. Like the judge said, sometimes we are all needed to assist the aircraft, especially in the small cities. It is next to impossible to defend a position with all possible scenarios so I generally don't try.

It has only been with in the last 15 years since wheels and retractable handles have been added to luggage. Since then, the average weight and size of luggage has tripled. Just think, for nearly over 60 years, passengers have been "carrying" their luggage. The luggage goes through many many hands, belts, and other devices that direct the bag to the connecting flight after being stacked more than several times. Sometimes a handle, zipper, or wheel gets caught somewhere. I know AA will cover a rip on the bag, a broken handle (not a retractable handle). And wheels are not covered. I am pretty sure Tiger has the same policy.

I realize it is a major inconvenience when things go wrong but at the same time I have a job to do. I know that sounds cold and it is very hard for me to take that position. It would be great if the airlines could adjust to situations faster but that costs more money. And I am sure you know that is passed on to the passenger. Just like having more staff available dedicated to stay on the counter.

As far as the lights go, usually the city takes care of that. The airline pays the city leases to have things working properly. And sometimes I have seen city property break making my job very difficult.

You have every right to place a complaint here. I am just telling you what the airline you flew on would probably say if they had a chance. I really hope your future travels are much better than this mentioned trip.

And finally, I personally have received damage to my car, which is a convertible, because the valet hung my coat on a hook of the roof that is meant to for repair purposes and not hanging. The valet company was not liable. I know your frustration.