Czech Airlines Lost Baggage, concealed claims procedures from traveller, refused to reimburse traveller Prague, Czech Republic

This is the most disorganized, incompetent, unresponsive, customer-unfriendly airline I have ever dealt with. Yes, worse than Aeroflot.

I flew Czech Airlines to Krakow, Poland in July 2010 with a carry-on backpack. The airline forced me to check my bag because it weighed too much by half a kilo, even though it had my laptop, camera, wristwatch, iPod, and clothing. They then promptly sent the bag to Russia under somebody else's name. Needless to say, it was never recovered.

Initially, Czech Airlines told me to buy whatever I needed to get by without my property. One phone rep actually encouraged me to replace everything and keep receipts for reimbursement. Three weeks later, they declared my property lost and gone forever (duh!), and I submitted a detailed list of everything they lost, with receipts for the newly-purchased property, and researched replacement costs from manufacturers' websites. For nearly two months, nothing happened despite repeated follow-up calls.

Eventually, a phone rep told me that because it was a total loss, Czech Airlines would NOT reimburse the expenses that resulted from losing the property...just the cost of the original property (in other words, never mind all those receipts).  Still fuming from this snub, I recieved a letter stating they would process a claim, with just one catch: I had to present receipts for the original luggage they lost. Wait?! Really?! Never mind that some of those items were gifts, that my financial records were in the lost computer, or that civilized people do not keep store receipts unless necessary to make a return or get warranty service. It's a scam: They can lose or steal everything you own, then reimburse the depreciated value of only the things you happen to have a receipt for.

Three months after the incident, I have no money, no idea when they will pay, or how much (if anything). Czech Airlines phone operators have no authority to make any decisions and are prohibited from putting me through to a supervisor or decision-maker. Over $3000 may has well have just evaporated.

HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE comptence at luggage accountability, communication, efficiency, and customer service. NO discounted fare is worth this headache. NEVER fly Czech Airlines.