A little bit of background: I *never* check bags. If the trip isn't longer than a week, I fit everything into a backpack or little mini- (super mini) duffel, and carry it on with me. Unfortunately, that liquid bomb thing happened, and we're no longer allowed to take liquids on. So, I was forced to check my bag, 'cause I have things like my facewash and facelotion that I had to bring. I put everything into it, 'cause I didn't want to lose something while travelling just because I'm absentminded and happened to be holding it in my hand in the airport. Remember that time with the blowguns in Brazil, Ben K? Classic absentminded Mandy. So I put my wallet in there (except for my driver's license, that went into the back pocket), my recently acquired Stitch'n Bitches book with my newly purchased needles and yarn (Ann Niblock taught me to do the seed/moss stitch while Julie was in labor). My Golas (most highly worshipped shoes) were in there, as well as my American Apparel skirt (present from Anne), my cell phone charger (yes, I did actually keep my cell phone on my person in case I missed a flight), my digital camera, and who can remember what else. Luckily, I'm a light packer, so it couldn't have been *that* much else.
So, the story:
I reported my bag as lost at the airport. They called me asking for clarification of contents, since the tag had fallen off. (Since my wallet is in there with my name in plenty of places, this seems kind of silly to me.) I called them back with what I could remember was in the bag. When I called again to check on the status, they said they no longer had the file. Since the claim was now more than ten days old, I needed to call US Airways Central Baggage Claim. I called Central Baggage Claim with my cell phone, sat on hold for five minutes, and gave up (didn't want my battery to die, since my cell phone charger is in that bag). I tried again one or two days later, and got through. The lady I spoke to said that I had to submit a "Central Baggage Resolution" online under the Contact Us section. So I submit a Central Baggage Resolution thing. I called back four days later to see if anything had happened. The lady informs me that it would be at *least* a week before I got a response to that Central Baggage Resolution form, and then after that it would be 6-8 weeks before I got a definitive answer about my bag. A week and a half later (yesterday), I got an email Which said, "Ms. Kessler,Thank you for contacting the Central Baggage Resolution Office at thenew US Airways, the combination of US Airways and America West. I regret our records do not reflect receipt of your correspondence. Please resubmit your claim paperwork to our office at the address or fax below." So there's this claim paperwork that that woman hadn't told me about, which I found, but I don't even have a printer, so I can't print it off!! And what do they want us to include with this claim paperwork??
ITEMS NEEDED TO PROCESS CLAIM
Copy of flight ticket or ticketless receipt
Copy of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Notification of Baggage Inspection, if
applicable
Baggage Claim Check(s)
Receipt for items with value of $100 or higher
Receipt if Excess Value was declared and purchased
Signatures of all affected customers
Notary seal if claim exceeds $500 (required for U.S. residents)
So does this mean that I need the receipt for the camera and for the yarn (which was in a little yarn store that barely had the technology to *make* a receipt!)?? And they want me to give them my Baggage Claim Checks? If I give them my baggage claim checks and flight tickets, what proof do I have left that I ever even *went* on that flight, and that they ever had my bags. I feel like they can just screw me over then, and now I feel like a yelling conspiracy theorist! So they're never getting they're sticky little fingers on *my* baggage claim checks. I would just copy them...but I don't have a copier.
Oh, and what do they call my lost bag on the receipt they gave me that says I told them about it? Property Irregularity Receipt. I find that verrrry funny. Irregularity.
Anyways, I was so upset last night when I got that email from US Airways, that I was planning on just giving up. I could buy myself a cheap digital camera sometime, my Golas were dying anyways, the skirt I can get again, and I can find some new yarn. Dad, however, is determined not to let this rest. So, now I'm on to write an email to him about *when* I made these calls, and what my flights were, and what my baggage claim numbers are, and it will continue to keep me from feeling well. I don't know why. But it will.
