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Emirates broke my bike!!! And then they p***ed me off!


Spirog

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So, I recently had the incredible opportunity to ride London to Paris. That's a story for another day as it is just full of happiness.

 

However, on my return, when I unpacked my BMC from its Evoc bag, I saw that the airline, Emirates, had broken the rear right-hand seat stay. I've been around long enough to know that sh*t happens. I call my insurance company and put in a claim. That part of this tale is proceeding..

 

I contact Emirates. On making the phone call, I am told to fill in the online form. I duly do so. I get an email response from a "Do Not Reply" address, so find the online chat function.

 

The gist of our two conversations is in this line:

00:07:20 Tamara : Our team does get back to you within 30 days maximum after reviewing the case

 

Basically saying - ****you. We don't care that we destroyed your 80k bike. We're not interested in moving any faster than sloths. We will ignore you for a month and then hope that you go away.

 

My wife and I have done two return flights to Europe this year. The second one in business class. You'd think this would get someone to respond with a little more interest than a chat bot... apparently not.

 

I'm fortunate that I'm insured. I'm even more fortunate that I've got mates that are able to lend me a bike while this issue gets resolved. My complaint is not that my bike got damaged. I understand that this could happen to anyone. My frustration is with an airline that really doesn't give a damn.

 

So. If you're thinking of flying with your bike, check that it's insured for it's replacement value. Plus, DON'T FLY EMIRATES - you might "Fly Better", your bike certainly won't!!

 

 

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Honestly, you'll get nothing out of an airline. They are 'all care but no responsibility'. BA lost my luggage for my entire holiday, we had to purchase everything (clothes, cosmetics, everything) out of our pocket after a year chasing we were offered £150 and 20% off any flight booked in a year. 2 years later still waiting for that cheque and the discount code. 

 

Only thing that works is insurance, insurance, insurance (and not usually travel insurance). My bike are insured up to the hilt for accidents of any nature. 

Edited by T-Bob
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That is why call those baggage handlers at the airport "baggage manglers".  Also on a flight from Cape Town to JHB got my bike back with a fork cracked at 4 locations.

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got friends of mine that have received the same dont give a damn attitude from them over lost luggage

I had the opposite last year. Bag never made it out the other side, they found it and delivered it to the hotel I was staying at 24 hours later, and bumped me to business class on the way home. 

 

Judging from the bad and good bike travel stories it seems like it can go either way!

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That is why call those baggage handlers at the airport "baggage manglers".  Also on a flight from Cape Town to JHB got my bike back with a fork cracked at 4 locations.

I understand that stuff gets broken. I don't understand that they are so disinterested. 

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its interesting to note, place of travels... ie. OP and Pikey had similar experience and both flew to the UK.

 

I've just come back from Switzerland using a cardboard box, and the only damage to my bike was me not taping my bar properly to the downtube. So no issues whatsoever

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I understand that stuff gets broken. I don't understand that they are so disinterested. 

apparently when you sign the form, which i wasn't given, it states that anything can happen and zero phucks are given by Emirates

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its interesting to note, place of travels... ie. OP and Pikey had similar experience and both flew to the UK.

 

 

I flew into London but back from Paris.

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I understand that stuff gets broken. I don't understand that they are so disinterested. 

 

I think they are like that because they don't find the necessity to be? You might have flown twice with them during the year and once in business, but I pretty much have an idea that you would be a rather small, insignificant blip on their radar. 

 

Not saying their handling of the situation is correct, just remember that to you it's a massive deal, but to them it's a minor inconvenience.

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apparently when you sign the form, which i wasn't given, it states that anything can happen and zero phucks are given by Emirates

the biggest problem is that the airlines dont really choose the baggage handlers, the particular airport does.

And these baggage handlers seem to be so well protected by their individual unions they are almost untouchable.

 

Does this mean the airline should not give a damn, no. They should have their own insurances against these things happening, as pinning it down to where it happened and who is to blame would be near impossible.

 

 

On a side note. If you ever get the opportunity to visit or watch videos of the baggage conveyor belts in operation in an airport you should take a look. A lot of questions about baggage damage will be answered.

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Last year I flew to America with Emirates with my road and track bicyles. They broke my road bike on the way there - couldn't care, claim from your insurance. 

 

On the way back, suddenly they decided the dimensions of the bike boxes were "oversized" and tried to charge me $250 per box to come home. Eventually, I only paid for one and was advised to claim the amount back from them on my return to South Africa, since I hadn't been charged an over size charge on the way out. Still trying to get this money back, 14 months later. The boxes were also searched by TSA and they tried to pry the batter cover off of my Power2Max and broke the casing. Que a replacement query with Power2Max as it's integrity was finished. 

 

On the same trip this year, we built bullet-proof "plastic cardboard" boxes (I don't know how else to describe the material, but sure you get the idea) with PVC tubing frames inside to prevent anything being squashed. We got the boxes down as small as possible to still fit a bike inside. I managed to get in writing from them that they would accept the boxes with the stated dimensions at no extra charge (and they aren't the 150cm total dimensions either...) so my return flight check-in was fine. 

 

On arrival in Joburg, the boxes had been opened by TSA and one of them was never re-sealed so it arrived with flaps wide open. Everything was still in there by some miracle, but I don't think I've ever experienced such a sinking feeling seeing the box coming out wide open. 

 

I don't think I'll ever fly with Emirates with bikes ever again. They are beyond un-helpful. Their call centre is manned by a bunch of robots reading off a script and can't give any more information on anything than what they have on their website. 

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I understand that stuff gets broken. I don't understand that they are so disinterested. 

entitiled much.?................the world doesnt stop just because its YOU.

 

come on here and whine when nothing gets done about it but seriously you are whining because its not quick enough ... :thumbdown:

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