Local woman leads national charge over baggage fees
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SEA-TAC AIRPORT, Wash. - Airlines keep adding more and more fees - but how many things have to go wrong during your trip before you get your money back?
One local woman is trying to lead a national charge to get that answer.
Danielle Covarrubias of Tacoma has filed a $5 million class-action lawsuit against American Airlines for not only losing her luggage - but refusing to reimburse her for the baggage fee.
It happened back in May of this year when Danielle made a routine flight from Seattle to Grand Rapids, Mich.
Danielle's luggage was lost by American Airlines - and with it more than $800 worth of clothing and personal items.
When she asked the airline if there was anything she could do, airline personnel told her nothing. And when she demanded they at least refund her baggage fee immediately - she was denied.
According to court documents filed in her lawsuit, American Airlines damages, loses or delays more than 2,400 pieces of luggage a day.
Now Danielle is saying "enough is enough."
And she has plenty of moral support among travelers at Sea-Tac Airport.
"If they lost my luggage I would ask the same exact thing," said Kaylin Turner of Atlanta while traveling through the area. "How much money do we spend every day on flights? Air fares are going up. We spend so much money on flights - I mean that's unconscionable."
Others agreed.
"Especially because you do have to pay extra fees now, I think it's their responsibility - that they at the very least should reimburse those fees," said Zac Smith of Tacoma.
"Because they're charging people to take your bags on the plane, I think they have a responsibility to make sure you get your bags back," added Rebecca Brown of Seattle.
American Airlines was the first major carrier to implement baggages fees back in June 2008.
And a majority of the people who talked to KOMO News at Sea-Tac on Tuesday said they wished all airlines would just include the cost of the baggage fee with the original ticket price.
One local woman is trying to lead a national charge to get that answer.
Danielle Covarrubias of Tacoma has filed a $5 million class-action lawsuit against American Airlines for not only losing her luggage - but refusing to reimburse her for the baggage fee.
It happened back in May of this year when Danielle made a routine flight from Seattle to Grand Rapids, Mich.
Danielle's luggage was lost by American Airlines - and with it more than $800 worth of clothing and personal items.
When she asked the airline if there was anything she could do, airline personnel told her nothing. And when she demanded they at least refund her baggage fee immediately - she was denied.
According to court documents filed in her lawsuit, American Airlines damages, loses or delays more than 2,400 pieces of luggage a day.
Now Danielle is saying "enough is enough."
And she has plenty of moral support among travelers at Sea-Tac Airport.
"If they lost my luggage I would ask the same exact thing," said Kaylin Turner of Atlanta while traveling through the area. "How much money do we spend every day on flights? Air fares are going up. We spend so much money on flights - I mean that's unconscionable."
Others agreed.
"Especially because you do have to pay extra fees now, I think it's their responsibility - that they at the very least should reimburse those fees," said Zac Smith of Tacoma.
"Because they're charging people to take your bags on the plane, I think they have a responsibility to make sure you get your bags back," added Rebecca Brown of Seattle.
American Airlines was the first major carrier to implement baggages fees back in June 2008.
And a majority of the people who talked to KOMO News at Sea-Tac on Tuesday said they wished all airlines would just include the cost of the baggage fee with the original ticket price.
