United killed my vacation!!

[orfreediver]

I just traveled in the US so I have no idea what kind of hole shipping outside US would rip into the wallet. Maybe back to the hard side idea. I have e-mailed Eric at Dessault US and he said "no problems on American Airlines" with his Essential bag (by the way great customer service at H. Dessault America). I am also looking at fins that can be "taken-down" for example the Sporasub Revolution (?) or I saw a guy that drilled holes in his fins and uses zip-ties to attach pockets but drilling into carbon fiber fins, wow!
The biggest thing that I am dealing with is the bad state of mind that I am in over my first "real" dive trip being shot to hell. I am just about ready to give up freediving right now, I mean isn't one of the reasons we dive, the end game of traveling for better diving? So if this is the possible outcome of traveling for diving, I'm not sure if it's worth it. I also don't understand these people who have these jobs (I've been unemployed for almost a year here in Oregon) and just don't care about the customer service, once again does it come back to corporate not caring? What is going on here? I of course can only speak about my experience here in the US so I am wondering if this is only here? I can also say that the old saying “if it wasn't for bad luck” is right up my alley. If a company wanted to test out their customer service, send me in and I will find the weakness in their service. Sorry, nothing like throwing money away to bring you down and like I said money is tight right now.
As for the suggestion of doing a video, I am working on it. I can't do a song or anything but I am thinking about a kind of review video about my experience. What do you think?

Again, thanks for the input-
D

 

[havnmonkey]

uggghhh.... Airlines... I know the FAA and TSC and whatever three letter government agencies regulate these companies into the ground for safety reasons, but there really needs to be a comprehensive consumer advocacy agency for these airlines.

I refuse to fly Delta due to their absurd and exorbitant fees for surfboards. Int'l flights are $300 per board, that is PER BOARD not per bag. I can fit 3 boards in my bag and it ways only 15lbs more than with just one board... Oh yeah, and that's each way!!!

I reluctantly flew Delta to Ecuador last year as my friend is a pilot and was able to get tickets for ~$230 round trip. However, our 4 boards would have cost us a total of $2,400 for the trip. I don't mind paying extra for my boards, like $100-150 eachway could be reasonable. But If I'm paying for them, Delta better be responsible for taking care of them and making sure they arrive with me.

I hired a private cargo shipping company to fly all four boards a week before the trip... $179 plus taxes and a $50 customs fee!!! They were waiting in a warehouse at the airport when we landed. EXCEPT, the customs agent in Ecuador refused to inspect the package and I spent 5 days stuck in a run down parking next to the warehouse. I'd rather not relive the story but it did involve armed guards pointing AK style assault rifles at me on three occasions, a near mental breakdown, and some favors that I will never be able to repay. If it wouldn't have been for some of the kind people I met and the strings they pulled for me, I would've never seen my boards again.

Anyways, my personal belief is that we should not fly any these airlines that charge these exorbitant rates for our gear... at any time. They need to realize that this affects them financially. I would gladly pay more for a ticket on another carrier that likes to treat us like decent people.

Delta, AA, Continental, United... you're losing business.

I have had excellent experiences with Air Jamaica and TACA.

 

[havnmonkey]

to Orfreediver...

A lot of the carriers do not care about the customers property... It is the "corporate" mentality. They put up all these disclaimers that discourage you from making a legal claim against them for damaging or losing your property. Odds are, if you fork out the cash for an attorney they will lose and have to reimburse you.

Like I said, avoid the companies that hate us and encourage your friends to avoid them as well. If the luggage size is questionable for a carry-on, always take your chances with the gate agent. If they won't let you board, they'll offer to stow it "beneath" without charge. "Beneath" is usually a seperate storage area that the flight attendants personlly place your luggage in themselves.

Another point... Remember that Ski equipment and Golf bags almost always fly free!!! up to a certain weight (~65lbs I believe) and as part of the 2 checked bag allowance. Airlines wouldn't dare to piss off the precious (wealthy) ski and golfing crowd. So get creative with your choice in gear bags.

 

[CCTX50]

I have flown for years with various airlines and had little issues. (Lucky Me) I have used Pelican or Storm cases for my equipment. Rifle cases also work great and can hold a lot of equipment. The idiots throw these around like a football and nothing has ever broken. The cases look like hell but will last me years. I know my day is coming that the airlines will loose my luggage and I hope by then there is a law that protects the passenger... not the airlines!!!

 

[ianr33]

I used to make maybe 25-30 round trip flights a year. Have 1.5 million miles on American alone.
Fortunately changed jobs last year which has allowed me to retain some semblance of sanity.

I hate flying so much these days I would rather drive 13 hours to Cave Country than fly to the Caribbean. IMHO the airlines are shooting themselves in the foot and they all deserve to go broke.

 

[orfreediver]

So for an up-date:
My mother, who was at the reunion, just got back from NY and United lost her bag. She had purchased both my ticket and her ticket to NY because of a "smoking deal" got nailed as well. She actually got her bag back when she flew back to DIA after her trip was over. What the H is going on with these companies? It is past time for the freakin government to step in but I think they also don't care. You know I am only 38 and even I remember a time when companies cared about service. I go into places around town and people just don't care about customer service. I am not even talking about quality of products being produced, thank the gods for China so these CEO's can make even more money (aka Nike). Sorry I went off subject there for a bit, so here is a new bit of news:
More airlines facing claims over unpopular baggage fees | NWCN.com | Northwest Business and Technology News

You know it really is sad when the only way these companies will listen is to hit them in the wallet!!! So lets go get 'em, sorry guys but that's the truth.

 

[daniel1948]

I find it interesting that Fed Ex and UPS can tell you at any given moment EXACTLY where your package is, but the airlines cannot even get your bag onto the same plane with you. Further, airlines will on occasion bump your bag off the plane in order to make room for paying cargo. If you're lucky you get your bag a day late. And when they do this, even though they've done it intentionally, and could tell you while you're on the plane, they instead let you wait half an hour for the luggage to get to the carousel, then another half hour for everything to be offloaded, when you realize your bag is not there, then you have to wait in a long line with everyone else waiting to report their missing luggage while one customer service rep takes 15 minutes with each person to fill out a report, so you are delayed at the airport for two hours just because they chose not to inform you that they decided to bump your bag!!!

And all of this is perfectly legal. They are not required by law to get your bags to your destination with you, and they are protected by ridiculously low liability limits when they lose your bags entirely or damage your property. For that matter, they are not even required to fulfill your reservation: They are allowed to overbook, and then bump you off the flight because they sold the same seat twice, and when they do that, they don't even have to refund your ticket fare, though they usually do give you a coupon for a discount on your next trip.

Unfortunately, shipping your stuff internationally is prohibitively expensive. I always carry irreplaceables (medicines, prescription mask and glasses, etc.) in my carry-on. Another thing that helps is spending the night at your international departure city: baggage transfers between airlines are a big place for luggage to get misdirected.

 

[JollyWaffl]

My experience - if possible, try to avoid checking anything at all.

I recently took a 3-hop flight from Belgium to Laos with an almost full 80 L trekking backpack as my only bag, carry-on. Just walked up to the counter with it on my back, told them "Nope, nothing to check in today" :cool2:, and walked right past gate security without saying a word. I assume they cut me some slack, not having any other bags. It was a European carrier, but I don't find they're much better than the US lines nowadays.

It does mean you're somewhat restricted in what you can take (no knives or spear guns please), but you're guaranteed to have your bag at the end of your flight. It's a bit antisocial, too, as you end up taking up a whole overhead compartment, but the airlines don't leave you much choice.

 

[orfreediver]

So another update,
After going down to United about the bag I was told that they don't cover handles (so why do they use them?) and they don't cover seam breaks. I guess some of what they say is true, should a brand new bag blow out like it did? I have talked to Andrew at Nautilus in Miami and he spoke with Eric at Dessault. This is where I am not sure how to go forward. Eric, who via e-mail did recommend the bag for flying, has said that he would not cover the bag due to "inappropriate useage". I don't even know how to take that. I must say it makes me think I won't be buying any other Dessault gear. Andrew has said that he would sell me another bag for half the cost, being $40, which makes for a $110 bag when all is said and done (not including airline fees). I sent the old bag to Andrew because I couldn't bring myself to throw it out. I am thinking it's time to just write this whole thing off; "bad" bag, bad airlines = lesson learned. Well I should say keep learning, because I am still not sure how to travel with the damn long blades. I have gotten great input from the two threads that I have going so hopefully these will help others in the future as well. At least my next trip, to PFI is just a driving trip.

 

[rexwang]

when i fly, many times i have a bag that is not "carry on compliant." no im not the assh*le that brings a huge bag and smashes into everybody as i walk down the aisle.

what i find is to make sure i get in the boarding line plenty early so im not the last guy on with a huge bag. it makes a big deal when overhead compartment space is running low and you walk on with a full garment bag (not compliant).

another thing that i do that may only be in my mind is when i hand the ticket to the person at the gate i act as if my bag is very light weight. i dont hobble up to the gate slinging my bag around. so far its worked everytime.