Luggage is designed to carry clothing and other personal content from one destination to another sealed and protected from external damage/contamination.
Luggage is generally made from nylon, plastic (occasionally leather) and/or other petrochemical based plastic substrates which are extremely durable and resistant to bumps, knocks, scuffs and general wear and tear.
It is common for airlines to mishandle, drop, crush or violently knock luggage about whilst transiting through airport luggage management systems, travelators, conveyor belts, chutes etc. In these environments luggage is sometimes exposed to blunt (and sharp) violent force, which can and does penetrate or deform or damage luggage.
In the event of a claim for luggage you feel is damaged and falls under a warranty claim, please consider whether your
luggage has failed in terms of labour or material quality, or if in
fact the luggage has been subject to forces or events beyond what is
deemed fit for purpose. A car is manufactured from metal and plastic.
if you drive a car into a wall, the materials will bend, tear and
distort. A car manufacturer will not recognize this damage as part of a
warranty claim. However if the car's paint starts to peel for no
apparent reason, then this is a fault in materials and labour. The same logic needs to be applied when considering a damage claim on luggage.
If your luggage has been damaged by an airline please consider approaching them about damage to your suitcase or contact your travel insurer to identify if you have the ability to claim. It is ideal to notify your airline whilst still at the airport if possible for the fastest resolution to your problem. Some airlines have very short claim periods (Jetstar for example is only up to 72 hours after incident)
Below are some images of airline damaged luggage and links to popular airlines damaged luggage resolution pages
Links to Airlines Baggage Claims pages
Images of Luggage Damaged by Airlines
