Here's his story:
I roll it out of the long passage way and into the terminal to catch the connecting flight. I have 15 minutes. I open the outside zipper area to place my laptop bag in and see that the bag is FREAKING SOAKED. DRENCHED. Nervously and in slow motion I open the zipper to the main compartment of my camera bag and there water all throughout my bag. EVERYUWHERE. Dead serious. A good 3 cups worth. My stomach is in knots. For a second I about ot puked. My head spins, I get light headed and then my wooziness is replaced with anger. I'm pissed. I immediately go to the lady at the gate from where I just exited. I tell her my story and she looks into my bag in shock. She is extremely apologetic but can do nothing. She leads me to where I need to go, U.S. Airways customer service.
The story continues as he explains the situation to an employee who he describes as a "women/behemoth/monster/creature/prawn/leviathan thing-person." This thing-person is convinced that the photographer had a water bottle in his bag.
Here's the complete story. Anyone have any advice for him? He's insured, but wants US Airways to pay the deductible.
U.S. Airways sucks so freaking bad. I HATE them. I HATE THEM! [FredMiranda] (Thanks, Steve!)
Tips on Avoiding Baggage Problems [DOT]
@thebaron: Oh, I absolutely blame him. That's just straight up ignorant, intolerant bullshit, and it illustrates his mindset perfectly. He's a douche-bag, plain and simple, and one has to wonder if his story is on the level in the first place, being that he sees nothing wrong with race-baiting someone for no good reason.
]]>Always assume that your bag will be exposed to hard impacts, freezing, and liquid. If you have anything that needs protecting, get a bag that can handle those problems.
]]>And that's why I REFUSE to set up shots as a wedding photographer. I was trained in actual photojournalism, unlike some of these other "photojournalists." Natural and candid - nothing posed, save for a couple of fun bridesmaid/groomsmen outdoor shots. My clients know what they're getting - and staged shots isn't in it.
But actually moving furniture and requesting everything to stop so I can get a shot? That's ABSURD.
Charging 5k for a wedding is where the entitlement comes from.
Ridiculous.
]]>@outlulz: Because suing is free! Oh, wait.
]]>@rbb: You can't guarantee what plane they will put you on, or whether you will get a random flight attendant who insists you MUST gate-check that bag.
]]>agreed!
]]>if you are any kind of pro, GET SOME INSURANCE. I barely call myself a pro but I have insurance on all of my camera gear and laptop...its STUPID not to have it! If you have insurance, this would not be a big deal at all! Inconvenient yes, but you wouldn't be out $17k
]]>@mizike: Watch this guy's video and you'll learn all about what he's done to accomplish the goal of packing expensive stuff when flying.
[www.vimeo.com]
Total cost for my insurance is $173 annually.
Changing to a $500 deductible reduces that by $30. It's worth it to me.
]]>If he has equipment that is worth that much money and that sensitive, he should have had those shipped professionally. His bad choice. I surely would not even hand carry close to $20 of equipment with me on a plane.
]]>B) Never check anything you don't want to lose. I've had the same situation happen to me with over $40k worth of equipment in a bag that I carry on. I *refused* to allow anything other than me carrying it on because then I would get *fired*. If you care enough, they will find a way to make it work. If you give in, you potentially lose $20k worth of equipment.
]]>Seriously... dunno what you expected. Most major domestic carriers are death traps.
]]>Page 25 of the US Airways Terms of Transportation Manual reads as follows (epmhasis added):
Unless protection is purchased (excess valuation), and unless it is international travel to which the Montreal Convention applies, US Airways assumes no liability for valuable/commercial items including but not limited to: money, negotiable papers, securities, irreplaceable business documents, books, manuscripts, publications, photographic or electronic equipment, musical instruments, jewelry, silverware, precious metals, furs, antiques, artifacts, paintings and other works of art, lifesaving medication, and samples.
According to this page, the OP could have paid US Airways an extra $50 for $5,000 worth of coverage for his camera equipment ("$1 per $100 to a maximum of $5000").
However, the US Airways Terms of Transportation also says, "When US Airways has exercised the ordinary standard of care, it shall not be liable for delay in delivery of any perishables or for damage to or damage caused by fragile items, liquids, or perishables which are unsuitably packed..."
Since, as others have noted, the OP's equipment wasn't suitably packed, it looks to me like US Airways is completely off the hook, and if he sues them and they actually contest the suit, he'll lose.
The lesson to learn here is to pack expensive equipment properly and buy excess valuation coverage if you want the airline, rather than your insurance company, to be responsible for paying if something gets damaged.
]]>It used to be that I'd jam as much gear as would fit into my J-1 and carry that on, along with my laptop/messenger bag. It fits fine into the underseat compartment (so long as I remember not to kick the bag), but now that most airlines are restricting you to one carry-on, and the TSA "experts" are puzzled by the need for extra camera batteries, it's such a PITA, that I rarely travel with my real gear.
]]>Be as thorough as possible regarding the contents and dollar value of the loss. Let insurance pay the value, minus the deductible. The insurance policy is a contract that has a coverage amount, limitations, deductible and outlines the responsibility of the insured and insurer. Insured's responsibility is, I'm afraid, the value of the deductible.
]]>That being said, he's getting good advice on that forum to check on the aircraft in advance. It won't always help because there can be last minute change, but this is something he could have known about in advance.
]]>And let's not forget those among us who believe in $deity[]
Not everyone's monotheistic, you know.
Maybe it should be a Deity*, to account for NULL values. Then we can allocate space for atheists, monotheists. and polytheists alike.
]]>Read the Tariff.
It ain't covered. It is your fault.
Read the Tariff.
Tariff = the airline's legal right to screw you over. Also known as the airline's means of protecting themselves from consumer fraud.
]]>@ShadowFalls:
I think what sonneilon was refering to is the distinction between criminal cases and civil cases. In criminal cases "beyond reasonable doubt" is a higher standard than the "preponderance of evidence" that is required in a civil case.
Firstly, the guy has insurance so his livelihood is not destroyed. At most, he is out a deductible which he doesnt state the amount of.
@acasto:
He is completely in the wrong to say "you will die alone" , belittle someone because they make $12/hr.
The point is, does he want to rant or does he want to get the problem fixed. The best way to be a good consumer is to take the moral high ground, explain calmly why you have been aggrieved and what you want.
For example a respondent in the thread:
"I had a problem with US Airways and I got a result by the following method.
I wrote the CEO of US Airways and explained what had happened to me while
flying his airline. The letter was respectful but ended with the fact that when flying
I have choices if you want me to continue to fly on your airlines treat me better and
solve my problem. I also let him know that I am a professional photographer and that
I am well know in the photographic community and that I would share my experience
with other working pro's who fly his airlines. It took 4 weeks but it worked.."
Hopefully he calms down before he talks to US Airways again. If not, he'll get nowhere.
]]>I'll keep this in mind in case I ever back over someone's dog. I can get out and say "Oh, yeah, that's horrible. Sorry I can't help you with that", then drive off.
]]>@SarcasticDwarf: That's true - we tend to think of the big/expensive things (electronics, furniture) and overlook the hundreds of $10 - 20 items most of us have. Kitchenware, towels, books... if I had to replace all that stuff at once, it would be quite a lot.
]]>I take offense to your "$deity" as it implies that there may be deities other than the One True Deity...Flying Spaghetti Monster.
I pray that he will lay his Noodly appendage upon the and grant you his wisdom and clarity.
]]>They just kind of wheeled the luggage out and left it there, not because they were doing something else.
My stuff was drenched, but thankfully it was just machine washable clothes.
]]>Yes, you have to prove your case. That is all part of the judge "believing" you.
]]>The majority of photographers we had to deal with for these weddings were the biggest pains in the ass. Most, not all, walked around with a sense of entitlement that made the wealthiest of guests look timid in comparison. Most expected general hotel operations to stop so that they could take a precious picture and most were indignant to your request that business continue to operate outside of the photographers bubble.
Myself and the rest of the lobby staff would get a simple pleasure out of being able to tell them that the antique furniture could not be moved around, or stood on. Or that the front doors could not be blocked so that you could get the perfect "walking in" shot due to the fact that there were three other events trying to get in as well.
Attempting to read this guys post caused numerous anti-photographer incidences to enter my head and remind me why I hate photographers, or at least one's who act like him.
Pay your deductible, accidents like this are why you have insurance. I wonder if he's doing a photo shoot for a client and they accidentally spill water on his camera, would he expect them to pay it?
]]>If I invested that kind of cash, I would have a hard case w/cutout foam.
]]>I really doubt the guy *can't* pay the deductible; it's that the airline is responsible for the damage and *should* pay for the deductible. (Actually, they should pay the whole bill, but that's a whole other discussion.)
]]>@Cant_stop_the_rock: that shit enrages me! and I hardly ever even fly.
]]>This guy is such a jerk. Insulting a person through the anonymity of the internet is one thing, but he admits to saying to the Indian customer service representative, "told him I didn't even steal his slurpee" and thinks he can justify it because he's middle eastern? It's not okay to insult someone else regardless of what ethnicity you are.
He never had my sympathy, but I definitely wasn't going to give any to him after reading what he said to the customer service rep.
]]>Body - EOS 1D MkIV - $4999
Lenses - [www.usa.canon.com]
The 400mm f/2.8 is $7999
The ever popular 70-200mm f/2.8 is $1999
]]>@Eigtball: I get that he's angry, but it's a while later and he's ranting about it to the internet, so I understand why he's letting loose about being a jerk - but he really is being a jerk because he's angry at the person for not going "OMG! Let me buy you new crap" rather than telling him bad news - that they w ouldn't be able to do anything, and that it was something he had to take care of at his final destination.
]]>If it gets to that point, then go ahead and sue them.
You might also want to mention in your letter that your story has been published on the wildly popular consumerist.com Web site, and the readers there are waiting with bated breath to find out whether U.S. Airways is going to do the right thing.
An issue to consider is that filing a claim on your insurance policy may cause your rates to go up the next time you renew. So even if U.S. Airways does reimburse you for the deductible, you may still end up losing out financially in the end (and that's in addition to all the time you're going to have to wait dealing with this).
]]>$17k in your travel camera bag is actually sounds about right. I know that when I travel with my gear, which is airline carry-on approved and am forced to check it plane-side on the smaller planes, I always get a little heartburn.... this is a good example why.
]]>@mizike: That is brilliant.
]]>This topic made me think of a post on Bruce Schneier's blog which has a quite brilliant work around for the terror of checking expensive goods:
"Then someone has the brilliant suggestion of putting a firearm in your camera-equipment case:
A "weapons" is defined as a rifle, shotgun, pistol, airgun, and STARTER PISTOL. Yes, starter pistols - those little guns that fire blanks at track and swim meets - are considered weapons...and do NOT have to be registered in any state in the United States.
I have a starter pistol for all my cases. All I have to do upon check-in is tell the airline ticket agent that I have a weapon to declare...I'm given a little card to sign, the card is put in the case, the case is given to a TSA official who takes my key and locks the case, and gives my key back to me.
That's the procedure. The case is extra-tracked...TSA does not want to lose a weapons case. This reduces the chance of the case being lost to virtually zero.
It's a great way to travel with camera gear...I've been doing this since Dec 2001 and have had no problems whatsoever."
]]>My stomach is in knots. For a second I about ot puked. My head spins, I get light headed and then my wooziness is replaced with anger
Then my pupils get small and I hear a ringing in my ears. Then my skin turns green, my muscles bulge, and might shirt rips. Then I let out a large roar, pick up a 1977 Ford LTD and heave it 90 yards in the air.
]]>But first I'd probably ask to look through all of the closed overhead compartments, because you know one of the dumbasses who got on early put their bag in sideways. They go in wheels first!
]]>I get a check in the mail to buy the equivalent of what I had before, no matter what it costs today.
]]>My wife and I usually bring some pretty expensive camera equipment on vacations, and the possibility of having to check it has always horrified me. I don't know what I would do if I encountered that situation... I always make an effort to board as early as possible, but I'm a rule-follower so I don't get in line until my section is called. :( I'd probably ask to be put on a later flight if they said I had to gate-check the camera bag.
]]>Of course, he could have bought the water after going through security. But still.
]]>Seems to be the most effective way to get action from airlines these days.
]]>Is there anyway to prove what happened to the bag? Can't US airways get away with using the water bottle excuse on he basis that this guy has no proof of what actually occurred?
I am not defending the company here, just posing a question.
]]>Thank $deity I do not have occupations/hobbies that cost me gazillions in equipment.
]]>