Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - Dear Spirit Airlines Baggage F^&k Up Artists

I wasn't sure where to post this little rant but since at this point it's really just a tragic comedy I'll post it here for a good laugh. :D

This is the text of an actual letter to Spirit Airlines. The sad story continues and has resulted in certified mail to the president of this two bit mickey mouse outfit...no response yet. Don't fly with them. If you do then check baggage with them at your own peril. Here goes...

Quote:

April 29, 2008

Attention: Spirit Airlines Luggage Resolution Department
Spirit Airlines, Inc.
PO BOX 350506
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33335-0506

Dear Sprit Airline Luggage Resolution Department:

On April 13th, 2008 I, Blackthorn, and two others traveling in my party checked in at Cyril E. King airport in St. Thomas for Spirit Airlines flight 212. I checked in at approximately 2:00PM for a flight with a scheduled departure of 3:50PM. The other two travelers, Nicelady's Mother and Nicelady, and I each checked in one suit case in addition to our small carry on items that were also one each.

I was quite happy when we arrived in Ft. Lauderdale about 30 minutes ahead of schedule but then that happiness quickly left me as I discovered that one of our checked baggage suitcases did not appear with the other two. I immediately reported this to the baggage claim office on-site at Ft. Lauderdale.

The process for reporting the missing bag left me with less than a satisfactory feeling because the three agents that were working that evening were quite distracted with other non-customer oriented matters. Once I gained the undivided attention of one of the agents the process for reporting the details of our missing luggage was convoluted at best because even though I had a bar-coded claim check the system where the incident was being recorded could not tell us for sure that the suitcase was even registered as checked baggage.

I became more concerned about the missing suitcase when I discovered that the baggage claim number assigned to the missing suit case at check in was actually in my name and associated with my reservation but the missing suitcase actually belonged to one of the other travelers in my party, Nicelady's Mother. So this means that there is a mismatch between the name on the report and luggage tag that is on the suitcase. Further complicating this is that the luggage tag has a former address for Nicelady's Mother which is Houston, TX.

A complete description of the suitcase was provided to the agent although the specific details as recorded in the incident could not be provided to me so I’m not certain of exactly how the detail reads or if it is at all accurate. I had to repeatedly remind the agent who recorded the incident that I was the customer being served because as I noted earlier there were several non-customer facing distractions occurring in the claim office. The lack of focused attention at that time left me with a sinking feeling that we were going to have trouble getting this suitcase returned but I held on to the faith that in 2008 misrouted/mishandled luggage always makes it’s way home.
As it turns out my sinking feeling was spot on. For the next five days, April 14th – 18th I repeatedly telephoned the baggage claim office requesting status on this incident. On most of those calls I was unable to speak with a live representative. In fact on many of those calls went without answer and for the ones where the call was answered the voice mail greeting ended with the call being dropped without offering the ability to leave a message.

On April 17th a representative from Spirit Airlines returned a call to my home number and spoke with Mary Catherine. The agent reported that the suitcase had been found and that it would be shipped to us via FedEx for delivery on April 18th. When Nicelady's Mother asked about the contents of the suitcase the agent reported contents that were not in line with what she would have expected to be in her suitcase which raised the concern that we might be getting someone else’s luggage. It turns out that was not the case because that commitment to have a suitcase delivered to us via FedEx on Friday April 18th turned out to be false. There was no FedEx delivery and further calls to the baggage claim office have since gone unanswered regarding the status of this incident.

On April 21, 2008 I actually became frustrated enough that I called your reservation department asking to speak with a manager or person of authority who might be able to help me get a response from your baggage claim office. Although polite and empathetic with me regarding this incident the agent with whom I spoke offered no real assistance or even clear direction on how to proceed.

I then telephoned Spirit Airlines in St. Thomas and spoke with an agent at that location. She informed me that she recalled the luggage from that day and that there were several bags that did not make it on that flight. She also said that the luggage was dispatched on the next flight out the following day. The luggage is in Ft. Lauderdale.

Nicelady's Mother, the owner of the missing suitcase, is my future mother-in-law. She is a retired senior citizen who has not been a frequent traveler. After recently moving to Jacksonville from Houston to live with nicelady and I this incident has left her without medication that she needs to treat a fairly serious health condition. It also left her without personal belongings and nominal gifts she had purchased for grandchildren. As a person of very modest means it’s difficult for her to replace these items that are seemingly now lost. The most important of these items is obviously her medication and this point was explained to the agent in the baggage claim office.

In 2008 I find it extremely hard to believe that you can check in for a flight nearly two hours in advance and arrive at your destination to find that your luggage did not make it. I find it even further hard to believe that after a week of repeatedly trying to obtain information about the status of the incident that there is absolutely no follow up on the part of Spirit Airlines to resolve the issue. I am appalled that in 2008 a baggage claim office can be allowed to perform at such a low standard. I am outright dismayed that systems and procedures are not in place to trace bar coded luggage that is entrusted to you for passage to ensure that it is ultimately delivered to its final destination. Finally I find the lack of follow through on the part of Spirit Airlines regarding an open incident for mishandled baggage unacceptable.

I do not believe that this suitcase is missing. You have it somewhere in your possession and I will now once again provide you with a description of the suite case and its contents with the one thread of hope that I will connect with someone who will be proactive about locating this suitcase and take ownership of having it returned to us.

Missing Suitcase Description (dimensions are approximate)

Incident # : FLLNK0000####

Manufacturer : Delsey
Color : Black
Type : Suite / Roller / Extending handle
Height : 28 inches
Width : 18 inches
Depth : 10 inches
Weight at Check In : 32.8 LBS
Bar Code Claim # : NK ######

Distinguishing : Attached to the top handle is a very long and very bright PINK shoe string. It was tied in a double bow.

Luggage Tag Info : Nicelady's Mother
1234 thestreetoverhere
Houston, TX

Make us all proud! See the bag. Be the bag. Find the bag and return it to its rightful place in this world. Continue to do nothing and face the eternal curse of Blackthorn which is a fate much worse than that bestowed upon the Chicago Cubs...

In all seriousness: This was a direct flight so how have you managed to fuck this up and then not care enough to resolve it?

Regards,

Blackthorn
1234 thestreetoverthere
Jacksonville, FL