[Kella]

Hello,

I have been in contact with American Airlines via certified mail, several e-mails, and numerous telephone calls to Central Baggage in Dallas-Fort Worth, Tx. since my luggage was "lost" at St. Louis Lambert Airport on June 8, 2007.

I arrived in at Raleigh-Durham International minus my REI Valhalla backpack on June 8, 2007; my lost backpack housed all of my camping gear for a 3-day vacation in the Blue Ridge Parkway that never got off the ground. As a result, when working with the Customer Service Representatives at RDU, I was told that despite the fact that my "home" for the next 3 days was in that pack, I would not receive any help from AA.

I maintained a civil and polite manner until I was convinced that AA did not care about where I was to spend the night for the next 3 days. I began, unfortunately though understandably, to weep at the Customer Services desk. I think the woman who helped me, Carol, finally felt sorry for my situation and put me up at the Radisson in Triangle Park.

When I called the next day, June 9, 2007, I was told they would not put me up for a second night and that they still had not found my luggage. Thankfully, a friend in North Carolina was able to let me spend the night. I called again on that day, June 9, and asked for AA to fly me back home to St. Louis, Mo. since the purpose of my vacation could not be fulfilled without all of my camping and hiking gear. To their credit, AA did honor my request and flew me home on a direct flight to St. Louis.

Since that kind gesture though my experiences with AA have been exceedingly frustrating. I received a phone call from the Customer Service Desk in Raleigh on July 3, 2007 informing me that my luggage had arrived from St. Louis to Raleigh that day. I explained I did not live in Raleigh, but rather in St. Louis; could they please send my luggage back to St. Louis? The clerk herself was baffled that AA had sent my luggage from its airport of origin a month later to RDU. She apologized profusely. My lost luggage arrived to my home in St. Louis on July 5, 2007. I even tipped the courier who brought my belated backpack to me.

Since my baggage's month-long sojourn, I have still not received reimbursement for the toiletries and make-up I had to purchase while my luggage was lost for close to a month. I have submitted receipts (and kept copies for myself). I have also contacted AA in June through September asking about when I will receive reimbursement and my request that they issue me a credit for the vacation I was unable to enjoy minus my camping and hiking gear. I have received an automated response from Sean Bentel, as well as personal e-mails from Dinah Montez and Ruthie E. Washburn. My request to speak to a supervisor or manager at Central Baggage was ignored in August of 2007. I have kept detailed phone and e-mail logs of my interactions with AA to date.

While AA has issued me 10,000 points to my Frequent Flyer account, I do not believe their "Act of Goodwill," as Ruthie E. Washburn called it in her most recent e-mail to me on Sept. 2, accounts for the responsibility this otherwise great airline has to customers in extraordinarily difficult situations as the one I was placed in. While I'm thankful I at least received my luggage, I am upset that items I had to pay for out-of-pocket have still not been reimbursed and that my reasonable request for a flight voucher or reinstatement of the Frequent Flyer points I used to book this trip has gone unanswered.

I am normally a very understanding customer and person, someone who goes out of her way to commend excellent customer service when she receives it, and yet, I have never been treated in such a manner as before.

Just today I sent another e-mail (9/15/07) to AA. I sincerely hope they respond to my reasonable request and fairly unreasonable treatment to date. I would love to hear from other travelers out of St. Louis-Lambert to see if this is a consistent problem.

Sincerely,
Michaella Hammond

[Kella]

Remember that e-mail I said I sent on 9/15/07? I still have not received my reimbursement from American Airlines for all the toiletries and make-up I had to purchase when they "lost" my bag for a month. Any advice anyone can give me would be much appreciated! I am sending an interaction log and my additional copies of receipts to the President and CEO of American Airlines. Has anyone had any luck with getting reimbursed for items when their luggage has been lost?

Please help. Thank you!