in this case
- David Tashji bought a Travelpro Platinum suitcase in 1998 that included a lifetime warranty. Almost three decades later, the retractable handle finally broke, making the bag inoperable.
- When Tashji filed a warranty claim, Travelpro refused to fix the suitcase. The company claimed it no longer manufactured the necessary replacement parts and offered no alternative solution.
- A “lifetime warranty” should guarantee a functional product, not just a promise that expires when replacement parts run out. Find out how federal warranty laws forced the luggage maker to honor its original commitment and provide a brand-new replacement bag.
David Tashji purchased a Travelpro rollaboard in 1998, which came with a lifetime warranty. Now the retractable handle has broken, but Travelpro claims it can’t repair it because replacement parts are no longer available. Is he out of luck?
Question
I purchased a Travelpro Platinum 29-inch suitcase with a lifetime warranty in 1998. The bag handle broke and is inoperable.
My attempts to get it repaired have not succeeded because the parts are not available to make the repair. I think Travelpro should replace the bag with a new one because I paid for a bag with a lifetime warranty. What can I do? — David Tashji, Westford, Mass.
I would guess that the fine print of the warranty answers this question. In this case, both the product and the purchaser are within their lifetime, so TravelPro should provide a new suitcase, which they did.
I voted yes.
Read more insightful reader feedback. See all comments.
Answer
You’re absolutely right to be frustrated. Travelpro stopped manufacturing replacement parts for your suitcase. It should have offered you a comparable replacement or a refund.
That’s what “lifetime warranty” means — not “lifetime warranty unless we decide to stop making parts.” Travelpro’s limited warranty covers defects in materials and workmanship for major components like wheels, zippers, and handles
The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, the federal law that governs warranties, requires companies to honor their written warranties. Travelpro’s own warranty language specifically covers a retractable handle, which is exactly your situation. A company can’t simply abandon their warranty obligations because it’s inconvenient. (Related: Frontier Airlines melted my stroller. Why won’t it pay for a replacement?)
In fairness to Travelpro, the rollaboard lasted 28 years, which is a long time for luggage. To put this into perspective, my luggage lasts about a year (but I live out of my suitcase). Typically, the wheels are the first thing to go. Modern handles are practically indestructible.
It looks like you talked to Travelpro’s AI chatbot when you were trying to get this resolved. I’ve found better results by keeping everything in writing and dealing with real human representatives. When you email a business, it also creates a paper trail, which is essential to resolving a problem.
You also could have escalated this to Travelpro’s executive team. I publish the names and contact information of company executives on my website, Elliott.org. The Travelpro contact page has the information you need to reach the decision-makers.
I’ve owned Travelpro luggage before, and I’ve found the company to be responsive, so I was curious about what happened here. Could Travelpro really weasel out of a lifetime warranty obligation by saying it no longer manufactured the part? I didn’t see any fine print in its warranty that suggested it could do that. I think most reasonable customers would take “lifetime” to mean exactly that.
I contacted Travelpro, and a representative said the company needed more documentation from you about your broken handle. It also reviewed your case and agreed to send you a replacement suitcase. So apparently, “lifetime” really does mean lifetime.
When a company promises a “lifetime warranty,” consumers expect them to honor it—even decades later. But what happens when the manufacturer stops making the parts? We want to hear your thoughts on long-term warranties and luggage durability.
Your voice matters
What you’re saying
Readers debated the true meaning of a lifetime warranty, with many questioning whether a 28-year-old broken handle qualifies as a manufacturing defect or simply normal wear and tear.
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Defining a “lifetime”
Kevin R and Catfrog pointed out the ambiguity of the word “lifetime,” asking whether the policy applies to the product’s natural life expectancy or the purchaser’s lifespan. LonnieC and TimeForAVacation argued that as long as the original buyer is still alive, the company must honor its warranty without asking questions.
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Defect vs. wear and tear
Several readers defended Travelpro. Jason Hanna, emanon256, and Berkinet noted that any suitcase lasting 28 years is an incredible success story. They argued that a broken handle after almost three decades of use clearly falls under normal wear and tear, rather than a defect in materials or workmanship.
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The marketing promise
Other readers held the luggage maker to its advertising claims. mss FL and M.C. Storm pointed out that travelers pay a premium price specifically for that lifetime promise. George Schulman added that if Travelpro didn’t want to replace 28-year-old luggage, the company should have limited its warranty to a specific number of years instead of using the word “lifetime” to sell bags.
