Luggage damaged in LHR. Make sure you get your PIR

[yonasl]

Just arrived with IB to LHR. Luggage had handle broken so went to the desks (with BA employees and logos) and was told to simply call Iberia. After a little insisting they simply handed an A4 piece of paper with Iberia branding with some contact details.

Called Iberia and the first thing they did was ask for a PIR reference number that, supposedly, should have been given to me at the airport.

I hope this will get resolved but it always strikes me how unnecessarily complicated these things are. This is the first time my luggage gets damaged and I already know a PIR number is needed. How come the BA people working there cannot be aware of that?

[yonasl]

Cannot make this up. Bravo BA you outdid yourself.

– landed in LHR with an IB flight and found my luggage had been damaged

– asked two different BA employees who both told me to simply go home and that all was done online

– got home and tried to do so. IB asks for a PIR number I don’t have (5 letters/5 numbers). Seems BA should have provided one at LHR

Thankfully my parents were flying into LHR so I asked them to to get the code. They went, told the whole story to the BA people and got a code from them (in the form of LHRBAxxxxx).

– I call IB again and when I provide the code they tell me this is for a BA flight. The code should be LHRIBxxxxx

At this point I just think BA must be trying to drive me crazy. Their only job at the luggage department is to deal with lost luggage and damaged luggage. I get BA and IB are two different companies but how much training does one need to know that:

– when luggage is damaged you have to give a code
– the code is the airport and the airline letters

Seriously BA, get your $hit together because it feels like you are doing these mistakes on purpose at this point!

[Lady London]

Good tip but actually I would expect you to be able to report damage up to 7 days after you get your luggage, technically. And especially if the airline is not providing adequate facilities to do this at the airport.

I am not sure where my feeling that you have up to 7 days originates, could be in the Warsaw/Montreal Convention, and might be in airline’s Conditions of Carriage.

[yonasl]

Lady London wrote:

Good tip but actually I would expect you to be able to report damage up to 7 days after you get your luggage, technically. And especially if the airline is not providing adequate facilities to do this at the airport.

I am not sure where my feeling that you have up to 7 days originates, could be in the Warsaw/Montreal Convention, and might be in airline’s Conditions of Carriage.

I called Iberia the moment I left the airport when I realised that online I needed a PIR code to start a claim.

A very helpful lady opened a “claim” for me and took all my details.

The next day I received an email stating that since I had left the airport without the code there is NOTHING that could be done now.

I replied with the photos from the airport and a piece of A4 BA had given me with simply IBs contact details. No answer.

I also called Iberia again to explain this to them and their only answer was to open a claim for just anything and on the comment box detail what had happened to me. I did so and no answer.

Now that I have the wrong PIR code, again, they are unable to proceed and recommended I contact them through the claim form entering the incorrect PIR code and detailing what happened. Waiting for an answer on that one too.

[Lady London]

I think I might send them a signed-for letter with my claim amount to UK Iberia address ideally at Heathrow and attaching a note of the efforts you’ve made. Give them 30 days to pay. An MCOL would cost you practically nothing and you get that back when you win.

I have always regretted letting Air Canada get away with a stolen-from-my-delayed-luggage claim several years ago, when they made a responsible department impossible to contact. I should have just sent them a signed-for letter and MCOLed them.

[Lady London]

PS K2 in Maidenhead are excellent, deal with all the major airlines and will give you a quote. I walk in to them but they are worth the courier fees to and from (which you will also claim). Thry are fully on your side, and will tell you and the airline uf a replacement is more practicable. They also know the guarantee policies of the likes of Briggs & Riley Samsonite, Tumi etc. Replacements can often be provided directly and immediately by them (they have some onsite). I’ve dealt with them for many years.

Your neighbourhood luggage shop could also quote but K2 has knowledge and contacts that can save a lot of hassle.

[PeteM]

Lady London wrote:

S K2 in Maidenhead are excellent, deal with all the major airlines and will give you a quote.

Most useful, LL – thank you!