Air Canada has destroyed Donna Wells-Boyle’s expensive luggage, she claims. Is there a reason it won’t repair or replace her bag? And how much does it owe her?

Question

Air Canada destroyed my Rimowa suitcase on a recent flight from Toronto to San Francisco. 

The airline instructed me to send the suitcase to a repair agent in Texas. The agent declared the suitcase unrepairable, despite the fact that they have no contract with Rimowa and no product expertise in that brand. 

Air Canada then offered me a choice of inferior replacement bags, which I declined, and recently sent me a $230 check in proposed compensation. 

I paid roughly $1,000 for my Rimowa bag, and it was of a quality to be a lifetime suitcase, so neither of these options is acceptable to me.

I have had multiple unsuccessful phone calls with Air Canada. I’ve escalated my complaint to the CEO by email using the contact information you provide on your website. I have received no response.

I would like Air Canada to either send the luggage to an authorized Rimowa repair shop and pay for the repairs or refund me for the luggage. Can you help? — Donna Wells-Boyle, Portola Valley, Calif.

Answer

Air Canada should have handled your luggage with care. And if your checked baggage was damaged while it was in the airline’s custody, it should have promptly paid for a repair or replacement.

Before I get to what went wrong, I have to say something about checking $1,000 luxury designer luggage. (Related: Problem with luggage: I waited too long to file a claim with my airline!)

I saw this recently when I was standing in front of a five-star hotel in Barbados (I was not staying there — too expensive!). Another guest had Italian designer luggage that didn’t belong in a cargo hold. It was strictly for show. (Related: Where’s my Air Canada voucher for $528? I’ve been waiting more than three months.)

Elliott’s guiding principles for luggage are durability and inconspicuousness. You scored well on durability: Your checked bag was made of sturdy plastic and, in your words, it was in “perfect” shape after many years and tens of thousands of miles of commercial air travel.

But you also want your checked bag to hold up to the rigors of travel without attracting too much attention, and pricey Rimowa luggage is a little flashy. You were lucky that no one stole it.

How can you tell if you should check your luggage?

Checking a bag can feel a little iffy. Will your suitcase emerge unscathed on the carousel, or will it limp off with broken wheels and busted zippers?

Here’s what to look for to ensure your luggage is up to the task:

• Check the wheels: I always start there. The wheels should feel sturdy and roll smoothly. If they don’t, chances are the rest of the luggage isn’t made with quality parts — and it might fall apart.
• Consider the material: Hard-shell luggage offers better protection but can crack. High-denier nylon or polyester is durable and more forgiving. I like the newest hard-shell designs, but I’ve also seen some terrific nylon designs.
• Give it a squeeze: A sturdy suitcase shouldn’t flex much when you apply pressure. If it feels flimsy, it probably is.
• Look for reinforcements: Extra corner guards and edge protectors can prevent wear and tear in high-stress areas.
• Test the handle: Extend it fully and give it a good shake. Any wobbling is a red alert.
• Zip it: The zipper should glide easily and feel substantial. Look for models with self-repairing zippers.

Remember, even the toughest bag can fall victim to rough handling. Always remove valuables and fragile items before checking your luggage.

How can you get compensation if Air Canada destroyed your suitcase?

Under the Montreal Convention, which governs international flights, Air Canada’s maximum liability is $3,800, which is considerably more than you were claiming. 

If Air Canada accepted your bag, and you paid a fee to have your luggage transported, it is responsible for transporting it to your destination safely. And it is also responsible for repairing your damaged luggage if it damages the luggage.

Sending your bag to someone who doesn’t understand how to fix Rimowa luggage is not my idea of of assuming responsibility for the damage. (Related: What should you do when an airline overcharges you for luggage?)

You bought the bag over 10 years ago and do not have the receipt, unfortunately. The bag’s serial number (assuming it’s not been thrown out at this point) would tell me the exact year of purchase. It certainly is past what was, at the time, its five-year warranty. (I believe the manufacturer now sells most of its bags with a lifetime warranty.)

You kept an excellent paper trail between yourself and Air Canada, which showed that you followed all the correct procedures. It shows you trying to get the luggage repaired and Air Canada then offering you an unacceptable replacement and then sending you a $270 check, which wasn’t enough to replace the luggage.

Here’s where things went off the rails a little. You’d worn out your luggage and didn’t have a receipt for it. Air Canada can ask for proof of your purchase when you request a replacement. If you don’t have it, you may not get the full amount. Also, given the bag’s age, there’s some depreciation.

It looks like you appealed this to one of the executive contacts for Air Canada that I publish on this site. And it also looks like Air Canada didn’t bother to respond. Not good. (Here’s our guide to resolving your consumer problem.)

You contacted my advocacy team for help. I asked Air Canada to review your luggage claim. Air Canada says that “after further review” they are sending you a second, $270 check. So your total compensation with the two checks comes to $500.

 “I still think they owe me more,” you told me, “but I’m going to call it a day at this point.”