Flying American To The Caribbean? Read This
Written: Oct 09 '00 (Updated Oct 09 '00)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: In the Caribbean, just about the only game in town
Cons: San Juan is the black hole for luggage
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| realtraveller's Full Review: American Airlines |
If you are flying American Airlines to any of the eastern Caribbean islands, chances are you'll have to change to an American Eagle flight in San Juan, Puerto Rico. San Juan is the epicenter of the Bermuda triangle for lost luggage. Here's my story.
In April, my husband and I boarded an American Airlines flight to San Juan with a stop-over in Ft. Lauderdale. We were to change to American Eagle in San Juan for the hour-long hop to Antigua. Now we are Caribbean travel veterans. We know that San Juan's airport has a terrible reputation for losing luggage. It has happened to us before. It has happened to our fellow travelers on cruises. We were prepared.
Everything we needed for a week on Antigua was packed into one of those small wheeled suitcases; exactly the same type the flight attendants use. We were going to be in complete control of our luggage. The only thing we checked was a duffle bag containing our snorkel gear and some odds and ends.
When we arrived at the gate in Los Angeles, the gate agents told us that the flight was full and that we would have to gate check our carry-ons. We argued with them. We pleaded with them. We reasoned that if the overhead bins were truly going to be full they should gate check the carry-ons of passengers going to Ft. Lauderdale. We told them that we knew San Juan loses luggage. They denied it. They said that we would not be able to board unless they gate checked our luggage through to Antigua.
Reluctantly, we had to give in. (As it turned out the overhead bins were not full.) In the anxiety of this hassle, it was not until he was seated that my husband remembered that his prescription medicines were in that carry-on.
Sure enough, when we arrived in Antigua, my husband's carry-on did not arrive. His prescription medicines, his clothes, the video camera, all missing. Then we got the royal runaround. First the bag was lost, then it was found, then it was lost again. We were told it would be on the next flight to Antigua, then it wasn't.
In frustration, we called American's Dallas headquarters and spoke to a supervisor. She confirmed that American Airlines has a significant baggage problem in San Juan. She told us, "But everyone knows not to check bags through Puerto Rico." She admitted that American's contractor for luggage in San Juan is notorious for misplacing luggage and out and out theft.
When the luggage failed to arrive and my husband was tired of wearing shoes on the beach, we went into St. Johns, Antigua to buy my husband some resort clothes and sandals. When we told the salespeople why he needed so many things they said, "Oh, you must have flown American!". These resort wear shops on Antigua get a lot of business because of American Airlines losing luggage.
Three days after we arrived, the bag reappeared. All the identification tags were torn off. That includes a business card in the plastic window slot, a leather tag and the airlines plastic tag. None of the contents were missing.
Here's my advice:
Never check your prescription medicine
The airlines are not responsible for prescription medicine. My husband called doctors in Antigua asking if they could write him a prescription. They could, but the medicine he was taking was not available in any of the pharmacies on the island. They do not have the newest medications. They are simply not sold there.
Hold onto your carry-ons
Take everything you will need, bathing suits, sandals, and resort wear in you carry-on. Make sure it is a reasonably sized bag. Never check cameras, jewelry or cash. American's policy statement indicates that American will not be responsible for "jewelry, cash or other valuable items" in checked or unchecked luggage.
Be persistent
Keep in mind that on some of these small Caribbean islands, a big airline like American, becomes one individual. The same guy who sold tickets, was the gate agent, answered phones and was responsible for looking for lost luggage. Looking for lost luggage was the lowest of his priorities.
Be prepared for huge phone bills
Calls to the mainland from Antigua were very expensive: $5 per minute!!
Keep all receipts
American Airlines will reimburse for replacement items such as clothing for "reasonably documented expenses". The luggage complaint agent at LAX told us that he had authority up to $150. (That does not go far when buying clothes on a Caribbean island.) More than that and you have to take it up with American's headquarters.
The DOT statistics
Apparently, the government does not keep statistics on which airports have the most complaints for lost luggage. I checked out the Department of Transportation's website: www.dot.gov/airconsumer/atcr00.htm. At that site, you will find the Air Travel Consumer Travel Report. You can find information on lost luggage complaints per airline, flight delay information and a host of other statistics, but no information on where the airlines have the most lost or delayed luggage.
While the evidence presented above may be anecdotal, I am convinced. Never, ever check your luggage through San Juan.
Recommended:
Yes
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Member: Kathryn
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