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A quarter million dollars for a suitcase?

The Dutch airline KLM has appealed a $238,000 fine imposed by a Philippines court for losing a passenger’s bag, a spokesman for the company said Friday. The court awarded the damages last month to a man who lost his suitcase eight years ago en route from Manila to Almaty, Kazakhstan, where he was giving a lecture at a World Health Organization conference. The passenger, identified as Jose Tiongco, claimed his reputation had suffered when he stood before his audience in jeans, T-shirt and sneakers.

Wow. Note to self: Don’t mess with Jose Tiongco.

That must be an expensive, sharp-looking suit that he was going to wear to the conference.

Nonetheless, I wonder if the whole affair could have been avoided early on. Most airlines have a policy to share the cost of necessary interim expenses if your luggage is delayed. So, for example, if you need to buy a suit at your destination, they might pick up half the cost. (They assume that you will use that suit again someday, after the trip is over, so they don’t pay 100%.) Policies vary slightly, though (see, for example, American and United). Notably, KLM doesn’t mention replacements for lost items on their site.

If your luggage is ever delayed, ask immediately at the airport for authorization to buy replacements for essential items (the agents will want you to itemize them).

Once luggage is officially lost, the airlines’ liability depends on where you’re flying. You may only get US$20 per kilogram of checked luggage on international itineraries, for example. Domestic U.S. itineraries are often, ironically, more generously reimbursed.

Beyond the airlines’ liability, consider the coverage that your credit card might provide. Visa Signature cards (pdf), for example, offer supplemental Lost Luggage Reimbursement of up to $3000 over and above the airlines’ payment. A nice cushion.

Though not as nice as Jose Tiongco’s. That is, if he gets to keep it…

tags: travel | air travel | lost baggage | KLM | Jose Tiongco