Consumer Watch: Oklahoma Family Left Stressed After Returning From Vacation

The 10-year anniversary trip for Serena Cummings and her husband, Caleb, went great, but little did they know, one of the bags they left Oklahoma City with wouldn't make it back.

Thursday, May 5th 2011, 11:17 pm

By: News 9


Amanda Taylor, News 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- The 10-year anniversary trip for Serena Cummings and her husband, Caleb, went great, but little did they know, one of the bags they left Oklahoma City with wouldn't make it back.

"I just kept thinking, with my luck, they lost my bag," Serena Cummings said.

"Oh, I knew it. When it got down to a couple of bags, it's done, it's gone," Caleb Cummings said.

Sure enough, one of their bags was gone to another country. It had been mistagged in Hawaii and sent to Edmondton, Canada. Serena Cummings said a United Airlines representative gave her a bag tracing number and told her to expect her bag to be delivered within a week. But when it never came, she started calling.

Three weeks later she said she sent a letter to United detailing all her bag's contents. But she said no one could even tell her if they received her letter. So a month after that, she made a smart move. She sent United a certified letter. She said it was only then she got a response that it would take them another 45 days to look into it.

"I'm just frustrated at how they're treating me," Serena Cummings said. "I've seen that you've been able to handle situation or save someone heartache. Maybe it'll wake up someone at United Headquarters and say, 'I'm sorry.'"

News 9's Amanda Taylor made a phone call to United. A spokesperson wouldn't comment on how long it's taken to find Cummings' bag or settle. The airline did send News 9 a statement saying they have now reimbursed her more than $1,000 for the bag and contents and refunded her baggage fees. And because of her frustration, the airline gave her a $250 travel certificate.

We checked several different airlines on their lost luggage policies. Most require airline passengers to report a lost bag no more than four hours after landing. Airlines will then search for a bag until it's found.

If you need to file a claim for a missing bag, you typically need to do that within 30 days of the flight. And beginning in August, if an airline never finds your luggage, not only will it have to pay for what was in the suitcase, it will also have to refund your checked bag fee.

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