TACA airlines gear theft problems

[skynscuba]

From a friend of mine, recently back from Honduras:





Back in August, I traveled to Roatan for a week of diving. On the way back,
I check by dive equpment into Taca Airlines. Upon picking up my luggage at
SFO, I discovered that both my regulators, SPG, Low pressure inflator and
several other pieces of equipment had been stolen from, my checked baggage..
It took 2 months for Taca to respond to my claim for the stolen equipment.
After waiting two months, their response was to deny the claim by quoting US
Department of Transportation rules (Taca is based in El Salvador) stating
that they may decline any claim for "lost" or "damaged" baggage. They
completely avoided the issue of the equipment being stolen by their
employees.

Beware of TACA Airlines

 

[RICHinNC]

Just out of curiosity.....was it in a bag with dive symbols all over it???

I used to use pelican containers until tsa started going nuts and the airlines started automatically charging more...at least in my area...

now i have an old beat up nondescript duffle bag like case....inside i have a tupperware like heavy duty plastic container that holds my bc and other gear.

always take on board regs, computer and signal devices...

sorry about the gear....makes gear insurance worthwhile

 

[Zippsy]

RICHinNC once bubbled...
Just out of curiosity.....was it in a bag with dive symbols all over it???

Good point. A lot of people have learned this lesson the hard way although I think TACA's response is the real issue being addressed here.

Those special made dive bags that you see in dive shops are good for one main thing - advertising their brand. Lots of divers make it through airports with no problem but you are tempting fate with a sign on your luggage that says "VALUABLE EQUIPMENT INSIDE - HELP YOURSELF". The bags themselves are too expensive as well.

 

[Doc]

To be sure, when equipment disappears, that's a bad thing.

I have flown directly from RTB (Roatan) to and from Miami and Houston many many times. I have never had an incident of theft, but for one (that was directly traced to non-TACA IAH Ground Personnel who was prosecuted and fired) that involved passage on TACA.

I will bet you money that NOTHING gets filched at Roatan itself. The place is crawling with security, front and back- not that they need it, just that's how the system works in Honduras. There might be the same coverage security force assigned to cover 5x more area at Tegucigalpa or San Pedro Sula.

Roatan knows that to keep the money flowing in, they have to keep visiting divers happy. Thus, the so called "Tourist Police"- they're not watching YOUR behavior! Unfortunately, in dealing with TACA, they have no stake whatsoever in whether Roatan succedes or not.

Plain bags are important in the US cities, but you still have to wonder why anyone would steal dive gear and try to fence it more than once. Not a big profit margin.

Pellican cases are designed to check in. Put them inside canvas bags and hide them. Please don't drag your precious shiny objects in a bulletproof case and take up all the room in the overhead bins. A nylon padded bag will do quite well for that and won't cause you excess baggage charges. Just cause you got talked into buying it doesn't mean that you have to bring it.

 

[Beach Bum k10]

skynscuba once bubbled...
From a friend of mine, recently back from Honduras:





Back in August, I traveled to Roatan for a week of diving. On the way back,
I check by dive equpment into Taca Airlines. Upon picking up my luggage at
SFO, I discovered that both my regulators, SPG, Low pressure inflator and
several other pieces of equipment had been stolen from, my checked baggage..
It took 2 months for Taca to respond to my claim for the stolen equipment.
After waiting two months, their response was to deny the claim by quoting US
Department of Transportation rules (Taca is based in El Salvador) stating
that they may decline any claim for "lost" or "damaged" baggage. They
completely avoided the issue of the equipment being stolen by their
employees.

Beware of TACA Airlines

I once took Taca round trip to Roatan from San Francisco. Total delay of the trip to and fro was over 35 hours! My bag was "lost" and arrived 3 days later.

After making a scene at the airport and " very loudly" complaining about employee theft, Taca gave me US$100 to compensate for my lost bag. That's not enough. Luckily the bag show up 3 days later.

When I got back to California I called to find out who is the president of the airline and what is his fax number. I then wrote a letter to him and complaining about the 35 hours delay and baggage lost. I request full refund. NO REPLY from them. I resend and fax the letter, on the bottom of the letter, I put down: CC the following agencies. It's a list of over 30 agencies, including department of tourism of many Latin countries, embassies of Honduras and many Latin countries. CC major tour operators that sell TACA, Travel publications, Dive magazines, News Papars. I am broadcasting my horrible experience to the world.

I received immediate respond from TACA of a US$250 voucher. I declined since the voucher was only good if I ever fly TACA again. Again, I request full refund and Faxed the letter and "claimed" to CC more than 40 agencies, news papers, magazines, embassies, and other airlines.

I was offered a free round trip airfare with guaranteed seat availabilty, and to any where they fly. Since I was going to Belize, I took the offer. However, I insisted on having ALL my bags with me, since they lost my bag the first time.

The key: On your letter, Claim you CC as many agencies as possible. Be creative about the list, government agencies, Lonely Planet, Discovery Channel, National Geographic, News papers, Embassies, Trade departments, Tourism boards, Airline regulations.... Minister of foreign trade of the country....

Good luck.

 

[FrenchAngel]

Beach Bum k10 once bubbled...



Again, I request full refund and Faxed the letter and "claimed" to CC more than 40 agencies, news papers, magazines, embassies, and other airlines.

I like your style BeachBum!