Alaska Airlines Ripped Me Off

This past weekend I received my check from Alaska Airlines. As you recall, it was for a whopping $50! On the check stub it says "Claim settled. Thank you!" I suppose they think everything went smoothly. The thing that really blew me away was the fact that there wasn't an appology letter. I at least expected that much. This is yet more proof that they really don't care about me. I think I'd almost trade the $50 for an appology letter. I still have yet to write my letters to the head people of Alaska Airlines. Hopefully I'll have time to do that this week.

It is now August 1st and I'm still waiting for my check. You would think that Alaska Airlines would at least send me an appology letter with-in a month of the accident happening. I suppose that just goes to show how much they value their customers. I'm not really sure what my next course of action is going to be, but I suppose I will try writing to the corporate office and see if I can get anywhere there. Any suggestions???

If you read my post from last month about my trip home to see my family, you'll remember that my luggage was destroyed in route to Ontario, CA. Well, I filed my dammage claim and finally was able to call them to see what the status of it was. They're going to send me a whole $50 to cover my dammages. Apparently, no matter how negligant they were with my bag, they aren't responsible becuase I had fragile items in my bag.

What does it all mean? Well, I don't have a computer any longer and I can't afford a new one, so I won't get a new one anytime soon. All the cd's and DVD's that were broken are probably not going to be replaced either. So what should I buy with that $50 check they're sending me???

I Think My Luggage Got Smushed
Dear Alaska Airlines,

I’m writing to you regarding the above claim number. On Friday, June 28, 2002 to Saturday, June 29, 2002, I flew on Alaska Airlines from Kodiak, AK to Ontario, CA. After more than fifteen hours of flying and layovers, I retrieved my baggage and left the airport to my final destination.

Once there, I discovered that my Dell Latitude LM laptop and a compact disk wallet had been damaged. I phoned Alaska Airlines and was instructed to immediately return to Ontario International Airport to file a claim. Having done that, later that evening I discovered there was addition damage. My suitcase had a hole in the bottom and looked like it had been run over. This is my complete list of damages and the replacement costs.

1. Dell Latitude LM laptop. Bought new for $2500.00
2. Case Logic 96 disk compact disk wallet-$30.00
3. Kyocera cell phone battery charger-$25.00
4. Nokia cell phone battery charger-$25.00
5. Personal bathroom items-$20.00
6. Compact disks damaged-$235.00 (prices from CDNOW.com and Barnes & Noble.com. Does not include what OUT OF PRINT compact disks are worth.
a. Old Time Radio All-Time Favorites-Box Set (disk #2 of a 4 disk set)-$28.00
b. Old Time Radio Comedy & Laughter-Box Set (disk #2 of a 4 disk set)-$28.00
c. The O.C. Supertones-Adventures Of-$10.00
d. The O.C. Supertones-Live Volume 1-$17.00
e. The Mr. T Experience-And The Women Who Love Them-$13.00
f. Jeffries Fan Club-Live (UK)-$12.00
g. Jeffries Fan Club-Nothing To Prove-$10.00
h. Buck O Nine-Songs In The Key Of Bree-$13.00
i. Less Than Jake-Greased-OUT OF PRINT
j. Less Than Jake-Live In Las Vegas-OUT OF PRINT
k. Less Than Jake-Losers, Kings & Things We Don’t Understand-OUT OF PRINT
l. MxPx-Ten Years And Running-$18.00
m. MxPx-Teenage Pollitics-$15.00
n. MxPx-Renaissance-$13.00
o. MxPx-The Ever Passing Moment-$18.00
p. Five Iron Frenzy-Upbeats & Downbeats-OUT OF PRINT
q. The Insyderz-Motor City Ska-OUT OF PRINT
r. Legends Of Comedy-Box Set (disk #10 of a 10 disk set)-$40.00
7. DVD movie/tv series disks damaged-$64.00 (prices from CDNOW.com and Barnes & Noble.com. Does not include what OUT OF PRINT compact disks are worth.
a. Money Talks-$14.00
b. Ed TV-$14.00
c. Mash-First Season On DVD (3 disk set)-$36.00
d. The Best OF Barney-OUT OF PRINT
8. Jaguar suitcase-$100.00
9. Parking fees to return to Ontario International Airport to file claim(s)-$7.00

Total for all items listed-$2,986.00
(Total does not include tax and shipping which can be costly to Kodiak, AK.)

Serving in the US Coast Guard, stationed in Kodiak,AK, I have flown more than a dozen times in the last year to various destinations on Alaska Airlines. I have never had a problem with your service. It is a reasonable expectation that my baggage would arrive undamaged at its destination point. Thus you could imagine my astonishment. It looks as though my baggage has been run over.

I await your response and a timely settlement of my claim.

Very truly yours,



Ryan J. Hodges