Delta Airlines Delta employees lost/stole identity and property Atlanta Georgia

Hello,

On the 16th of November, 2017, I took a flight from Delta Airlines from PDX to ATL. At PDX I checked in one large suitcase at the check-in services leaving me with two carry-on bags. Before boarding flight #2565, the Delta employee asked me if I wanted to check one of my remaining two carry-on bags. I did check in one of my bags with her which left me with one carry-on bag, a black Adidas gym bag with nearly every important/expensive item of mine within it. It carried most of my electronics, and a lockbox containing my birth certificate and social security card along with some other small items (foreign money, two rings, etc.). The total worth of everything within that bag was around $4,000.    You might be wondering why I had $4,000 worth of items with me at the time. I was leaving a hostile environment in Oregon and I had to take whatever possessions I could carry with me to move my life across the country. My move was last minute as my living situation in Oregon fell apart on the 14th of November. I had a ticket with Delta already established for mid-January, but I changed my ticket date for the 16th of November when I no longer felt safe at my residence. Packing was a rush job because I had two jobs.

By the time I had time to pack, I only had a few hours. I remember the expensive and important items, and what bags I placed them in, but the smaller, less significant items are harder to remember.   I am not a seasoned flyer. I chose Delta because I thought that such a well-known company would never allow a customer's personal property and identity to be stolen.   I boarded the aircraft and followed the line of passengers to the back where I was to be seated. The air-hostess took a look at my bag in disapproval. She told me that my bag was too big and that I might have to check it. I really wanted to keep this bag with me but I assumed that I either check my bag at her request or I don't fly. I sat down and waited as everyone on board found their seats. None of the Delta air-hosts communicated with me, but I figured that I'd better grab my wallet just in case I needed to pay for checking in yet another bag or possibly identifying myself later.

Eventually, before takeoff, one of the airline hosts/hostesses grabbed my bag without saying anything. I think it was the only male host that I saw on that flight, a person I wouldn't see again. I assumed they checked in my bag, and I was fine with that because I felt comfortable knowing my possessions were being cared for by Delta Airlines even though the contents were expensive. Any doubts and fears I experienced I waved off as me being irrationally afraid. Besides, my mind was preoccupied with the fact that I was leaving my state for a new life. I was calm and aware, but I was also filled with emotions. I was saying goodbye to family and my home, parting under unpleasant circumstances. The last thing I thought I've be dealing with is Delta Airlines losing my identity and property.   We arrived at the Atlanta Airport (ATL), but this was my layover airport. My other flight was already boarding, so I rushed to my next flight. While I was in line, I heard an overhead message calling some Delta passenger (no name or seat number given) traveling from PDX to ATL to come back and take his/her carryon. I didn't think it was possible that it was me they were calling back because the hostess checked my bag, so she said.

When I arrived at my final destination, I checked the Delta app on my phone which confirmed that I had only two of my three bags waiting for pickup. I immediately went to the Delta Baggage office and I started a claim there. The woman who helped me was the first to explain that if my bag was taken from an airline host/ess, my bag had to stay in the property of Delta. Later I would receive two other confirmations that my bag had to be in the care of Delta at all times if my bag was taken by the Delta host/ess rather than checked in; one by an ATL employee working in the Lost and Found, and one by a Delta Customer Service Representative.    After a month of phone calls and emails, I decided to call someone from Delta one last time before giving up to see if they had found my bag. Thankfully, I received help from a Delta employee who seemed to have the necessary alacrity to help me locate my things. She found a report in her system for an Adidas bag at the Delta Warehouse in Georgia vaguely matching my own in-depth description of the contents within the bag.

While I had remembered most of the important, expensive items, the report that was written from a Delta warehouse employee listed things that were minuscule and easily forgettable. Instead of listing an HP Computer, Canon Camera, iPod Touch, Pop Funko Toys from popular culture, Ralph Lauren eyeglasses, etc, they listed an Oregon 3 oz mug from Starbucks, medicine that was listed by its name (Bisacodyl), and running shoes. I can't recall everything that they listed on the report, but when I asked about my lockbox, the representative told me that she didn't see that listed. She assured me that the people who make the report generally don't list everything in order to save time. I wasn't worried at the time.   I received an email from the claims manager of Delta apologizing for "mishandling" my bag, and she offered a Delta voucher. That was the 18th of December. I received my bag on the 19th of December. I received most of my items except for my lockbox and my HP slim laptop. If there was anything else missing, I couldn't be sure because I was in a rush packing. The keys that open the lockbox were moved from one of the small pockets to the large pocket.   I have contacted Delta eight times since then in some form or another (email, facebook, corporate) but I have received no helpful response if a response at all.

I took photos of everything the bag contained upon arrived on the 19th of December except the black t-shirts I used as a cushion between the hard objects. I checked my Microsoft account to see if I could locate my laptop, but no luck.    If my bag was in the care of Delta the entire time, then I can only imagine that Delta was either negligent with my bag that allowed some random person to steal some of my possessions, or a Delta employee had taken my things. Either way, Delta is responsible and I need help getting resolution. Additionally, an investigation into the journey my gym bag took within the care of Delta is needed. If a Delta employee took my identity, that needs to be taken seriously. Delta holds a lot of responsibility caring for the possessions and personal information belonging to their passengers. A lot of money is paid to this company for a safe trip.    As far as proving that my items were in the bag, PDX should have some kind of surveillance at the airport. I had to remove all large technology before my bag could pass through the detector, and my laptop was one of them. I think my laptop was also listed in the report. I have saved every email and message to and from Delta employees. 

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Update: 11-Jan-2018

I planned on submitting this report on the 15th, waiting in good faith, but I received another email from Carla Johnson requesting that I call her. I called the number provided and we had a conversation lasting one minute. She told me that I have to file another claim.

Earlier, a few days after I received my bag and realized some of my possessions were missing, I called Delta. After waiting nearly two hours to talk to someone, they told me that I had to reach the claims manager (Carla) in order to adjust my claim. When I got off the phone with Carla, I tried to file the claim again, but the site would not allow me to submit another property loss claim. It will allow me to file an OPE (out of pocket expense) claim but not the property loss claim, which is what I need to fill out again according to Carla. This tells me that the agent who helped me many weeks ago was correct and I don't know why Carla would advise I do this since she knows I have already filed another claim.  

I am not a hostile and unreasonable person. I think most would agree with me that an airline losing, and possibly being responsible for taking someone's identity is a big deal. I have also seen from other Delta horror stories that they are not paying out the entire value to replace these items. What I'm asking for is help getting the just amount needed to replace my stolen items. I don't know how Delta will secure my identity but I hope they will launch their own investigation.