A passenger flying on Spirit Airlines says her baggage had been shredded, melted, and stuffed into a black trash bag. She filed a claim with the airline and was eventually given $480 for reimbursement and two $50 travel vouchers.
By Sophia Mitrokostas, INSIDER
- A passenger filed a claim with Spirit Airlines stating that when her luggage arrived at baggage claim it had been shredded, melted, and stuffed into a black trash bag.
- She said the airline asked for receipts for items in her luggage, which she did not have.
- Ford was given a $400 reimbursement check, which was about $80 less than she requested.
- According to ABC News, she was later given $80 to "to satisfy the amount" of the claim, as well as two $50 travel vouchers.
- "We greatly apologize for the damage to our Guest's luggage and personal items," Spirit airlines said in a statement. "In the rare event of damage or loss, we have a process of itemizing all belongings and their value."
Ivy Ford of Hazel Crest, Illinois, said she was horrified when she discovered that the luggage she had checked on a Spirit Airlines flight to O'Hare International Airport had arrived at baggage claim completely destroyed.
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According to an ABC 7 I-Team report, Ford did not immediately recognize the luggage as her own when it passed her on the baggage carousel. Closer inspection, however, revealed her bag and its contents had been shredded, melted, and stuffed into a black trash bag.
"I was more upset that nobody told me that you would allow me to get off the plane and discover it, versus coming to me and informing me as soon as we got off the plane," Ford told ABC7.
After filing a claim with the airline, Ford reported that Spirit asked for receipts for items in her luggage valued at over $50. She explained that she did not have receipts for all her belongings, which she said spurred a month of emails and calls with the airline regarding the receipt policy.
ABC7 revealed that Ford was eventually given a $400 reimbursement check, which was about $80 less than she requested. Spirit also gave her a $50 travel voucher. When Ford contacted the media about her experience, the airline granted her another $50 travel voucher and added $80 to her claim settlement.
Ford also said that the airline refused to cover the loss of her Versace perfume and that she was forced to choose a replacement suitcase from a Spirit Airlines catalog rather than receiving cash reimbursement for her shredded luggage.
In the carrier's contract of carriage, Spirit Airlines notes that it will not reimburse customers for damaged or missing perfumes, cameras, computers, money, jewelry, medicine, cosmetics, watches, or phones.
"I wasn't satisfied and to be honest with you, driving home from the airport I felt like somebody dropped the ball that works for Spirit. Somebody didn't do their job, mishandled some luggage, and no one's taking responsibility for it," Ford said.
When asked about the incident, Spirit Airlines told INSIDER: "We greatly apologize for the damage to our Guest's luggage and personal items. At Spirit Airlines we take pride in our luggage handling, but in the rare event of damage or loss, we have a process of itemizing all belongings and their value. Keeping in mind every incident is different, we have worked directly with our Guest and fulfilled her request for reimbursement."
The airline did not tell ABC7 nor INSIDER how the luggage was damaged.
"I was more upset that nobody told me that you would allow me to get off the plane and discover it, versus coming to me and informing me as soon as we got off the plane," Ford told ABC7.
After filing a claim with the airline, Ford reported that Spirit asked for receipts for items in her luggage valued at over $50. She explained that she did not have receipts for all her belongings, which she said spurred a month of emails and calls with the airline regarding the receipt policy.
ABC7 revealed that Ford was eventually given a $400 reimbursement check, which was about $80 less than she requested. Spirit also gave her a $50 travel voucher. When Ford contacted the media about her experience, the airline granted her another $50 travel voucher and added $80 to her claim settlement.
Ford also said that the airline refused to cover the loss of her Versace perfume and that she was forced to choose a replacement suitcase from a Spirit Airlines catalog rather than receiving cash reimbursement for her shredded luggage.
In the carrier's contract of carriage, Spirit Airlines notes that it will not reimburse customers for damaged or missing perfumes, cameras, computers, money, jewelry, medicine, cosmetics, watches, or phones.
"I wasn't satisfied and to be honest with you, driving home from the airport I felt like somebody dropped the ball that works for Spirit. Somebody didn't do their job, mishandled some luggage, and no one's taking responsibility for it," Ford said.
When asked about the incident, Spirit Airlines told INSIDER: "We greatly apologize for the damage to our Guest's luggage and personal items. At Spirit Airlines we take pride in our luggage handling, but in the rare event of damage or loss, we have a process of itemizing all belongings and their value. Keeping in mind every incident is different, we have worked directly with our Guest and fulfilled her request for reimbursement."
The airline did not tell ABC7 nor INSIDER how the luggage was damaged.
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