I am dealing with a claim for damaged baggage on a Qatar Airways flight from Doha to Bangkok lat November.

On 25th December, the claim was acknowledged, and I was advised I would hear further when investigations had been carried out.

Despite many e-mails to their claims centre, and a personal letter to their MD I have heard nothing further.

Is anyone aware of whether there is an Airline Ombudsman or something similar to whom I could direct my complaint.

In the meantime I suggest keep clear of Qatar. Clearly NOT the worlds No 1 airlline!!!

Thanks

I have had 4 suitcases damaged by Qatar airways in the past 6 years.3 times when i arrived at LHR,and they just gave me a replacement case.

Once here on arrival in Bangkok.At Bangkok the handeling agents took my details and dispite contacting them several times did nothing about it.

Then i contacted Qatar airways in Doha and a financial settelment was made.

Perhaps when the new airport opens the transfer baggage will be done more gently.

Good luck,but don't give up.

I have had 4 suitcases damaged by Qatar airways in the past 6 years.3 times when i arrived at LHR,and they just gave me a replacement case.

Once here on arrival in Bangkok.At Bangkok the handeling agents took my details and dispite contacting them several times did nothing about it.

Then i contacted Qatar airways in Doha and a financial settelment was made.

Perhaps when the new airport opens the transfer baggage will be done more gently.

Good luck,but don't give up.

So i guess you did not have any travel insurance. Travelling "Cheap Charlie" does'nt always pay !

Baggage at Swampy is handled on contract and my experience is that one must call the airline main office for results. The last time I had bagage damage at Swampy the contractor finally repaired the bag after I called the airline. Always make a report and keep a copy.

I had a claim with Qatar that didn't involve external airport service company like yours, just in-house Qatar. They took responsibility and offered compensation, both independent acts surprised the hell out of me. I accepted and it still took a few weeks of persistent follow up with the normal, interesting mix of nationalities, to see it through. Culminated in a small office with a gang of Indian accountants who, until the last moment, were gnashing their teeth handing over the equivalent of $300.00.

Be persistent, organized and keep a track of all communications. If you are a member of their frequent flyer programme, login and send messages from your account side citing the claim/case # and reference dates of previous communications.

Even though you are already frustrated since November (wow!), suggest that you do not lose your cool, make degrading statements about the airline to them in emails or phone calls, or threaten them by saying, "I'm never flying your airline again if you don't_______". This can be hard not to do, but it most often leads to you being ignored in the 100s of other claims and complaints flooding into the airline from around the world each day.

I have had 4 suitcases damaged by Qatar airways in the past 6 years.3 times when i arrived at LHR,and they just gave me a replacement case.

Once here on arrival in Bangkok.At Bangkok the handeling agents took my details and dispite contacting them several times did nothing about it.

Then i contacted Qatar airways in Doha and a financial settelment was made.

Perhaps when the new airport opens the transfer baggage will be done more gently.

Good luck,but don't give up.

So i guess you did not have any travel insurance. Travelling "Cheap Charlie" does'nt always pay !

What complete and utter rubbish. If suitcases are damaged during travel the first thing your insurance company will do is tell you to contact the airline.

I travel with pretty expensive business travel insurance and when my samsonite was trashed at LHR the only thing my insurers did was tell me to make a full report to the airline. Happily a brand new suitcase was delivered by the airline in less than 48 hours.

I have had 4 suitcases damaged by Qatar airways in the past 6 years.3 times when i arrived at LHR,and they just gave me a replacement case.

Once here on arrival in Bangkok.At Bangkok the handeling agents took my details and dispite contacting them several times did nothing about it.

Then i contacted Qatar airways in Doha and a financial settelment was made.

Perhaps when the new airport opens the transfer baggage will be done more gently.

Good luck,but don't give up.

So i guess you did not have any travel insurance. Travelling "Cheap Charlie" does'nt always pay !

I see more comments on TV about travel insurance than I've ever seen in my life. What's the deal with that? I'm old enough to have been around, heavily traveled, never had travel insurance, never wish I did, I have no idea where or how to buy it even if I wanted it, and I'm not even sure what it's for. What am I missing? Is this a European or a Brit thing that us Americans haven't figured out yet?

For those of you who trumpet the merits of travel insurance, take a moment to add up how much you've paid in premiums over the years, then calculate how much you've received in benefits. Can you honestly say this is one of life's necessities?

I have had 4 suitcases damaged by Qatar airways in the past 6 years.3 times when i arrived at LHR,and they just gave me a replacement case.

Once here on arrival in Bangkok.At Bangkok the handeling agents took my details and dispite contacting them several times did nothing about it.

Then i contacted Qatar airways in Doha and a financial settelment was made.

Perhaps when the new airport opens the transfer baggage will be done more gently.

Good luck,but don't give up.

So i guess you did not have any travel insurance. Travelling "Cheap Charlie" does'nt always pay !

I see more comments on TV about travel insurance than I've ever seen in my life. What's the deal with that? I'm old enough to have been around, heavily traveled, never had travel insurance, never wish I did, I have no idea where or how to buy it even if I wanted it, and I'm not even sure what it's for. What am I missing? Is this a European or a Brit thing that us Americans haven't figured out yet?

For those of you who trumpet the merits of travel insurance, take a moment to add up how much you've paid in premiums over the years, then calculate how much you've received in benefits. Can you honestly say this is one of life's necessities?

One of the main reasons for travel insurance is when you visit medical rip off countries like the USA. Get a quote for rest of the world excluding USA then see the premiums jump when USA is added.

I have had 4 suitcases damaged by Qatar airways in the past 6 years.3 times when i arrived at LHR,and they just gave me a replacement case.

Once here on arrival in Bangkok.At Bangkok the handeling agents took my details and dispite contacting them several times did nothing about it.

Then i contacted Qatar airways in Doha and a financial settelment was made.

Perhaps when the new airport opens the transfer baggage will be done more gently.

Good luck,but don't give up.

So i guess you did not have any travel insurance. Travelling "Cheap Charlie" does'nt always pay !

I see more comments on TV about travel insurance than I've ever seen in my life. What's the deal with that? I'm old enough to have been around, heavily traveled, never had travel insurance, never wish I did, I have no idea where or how to buy it even if I wanted it, and I'm not even sure what it's for. What am I missing? Is this a European or a Brit thing that us Americans haven't figured out yet?

For those of you who trumpet the merits of travel insurance, take a moment to add up how much you've paid in premiums over the years, then calculate how much you've received in benefits. Can you honestly say this is one of life's necessities?

One accident is all it will take for you to understand - unless you are incredibly wealthy & have little to do with your $.