A passenger is suing Spirit Airlines, claiming that over $14,000 of luxury goods were stolen from a checked bag, including a Rolex. While I don’t want to make any excuses for theft, who the heck puts a Rolex in a checked bag?!
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Woman claims to have $14K+ of luxury goods stolen from bag
As reported by PYOK, a woman is suing Spirit Airlines over an incident that occurred back in April 2023. The traveler was flying from Montego Bay (MBJ) to Detroit (DTW) via Philadelphia (PHL). During her connection in Philadelphia, the bag was lost. The airline ended up finding her bag and delivering it to her home address a day later. However, the locks had been tampered with, and she noticed that over half of the bag’s contents were missing.
She claims that stolen items included a $5,700 Rolex with a $1,500 gold bangle, a $1,780 Louis Vuitton bag, $1,150 Gucci trousers, a $660 Marni shirt, a $600 Gallery Dept trucker cap, and more.
Spirit Airlines reportedly refused to reimburse her for her total loss, so she filed a lawsuit against the airline in Michigan, claiming breach of contract and negligence. Spirit Airlines has been able to move this case to federal court, and is making the argument that the airline is only liable for damages under the Montreal Convention, which sets the standard for airline liability.
The Department of Transportation sets the maximum required compensation for a lost bag on a domestic itinerary at $3,800. Meanwhile the Montreal Convention limits the maximum compensation for a lost bag on an international itinerary at around $1,700. Since this was an international itinerary, the Montreal Convention figure would apply.
I’m not sure what to make of this case…
I don’t want to blame the victim here, but to be constructive, let me just emphasize that you should never place valuables in your checked bags. Ever. We hear stories quite often of people having stuff stolen from checked bags, ranging from computers, to jewelry, to cash.
Ultimately limits on compensation for lost bags exist for a reason:
- If there were no limit, airlines would potentially be on the hook for a virtually unlimited amount of compensation, even if people weren’t using common sense in deciding what to place in a checked bag
- There’s a big risk of fraud when it comes to people making claims about what was stolen from a bag, since you can’t really prove what you put in your bag; “oh, I had a rare million dollar diamond in my checked bag!”
If this traveler just honestly didn’t know better, and didn’t realize it’s not advisable to put valuables in your checked bag, then I feel pretty bad for her.
Bottom line
Spirit Airlines is being sued by a traveler who checked $14K+ worth of luxury items in a bag, including a Rolex. The bag was lost while in transit, and was delivered to her a day late, reportedly with broken locks. Spirit Airlines wasn’t willing to reimburse her for the full value of missing items, so she’s now suing the airline.
The Montreal Convention limits the compensation that airlines have to pay for lost bags, and the maximum is way below how much this traveler claims to have lost.
How sympathetic should we be to the traveler?
Spirit✈️ did the same thing to my daughter. The bag left Chicago to New York via Dallas and it stayed for a day. They tagged it wrong. When it got to New York, a day later she opened her suitcase and all her make up and her make up cases, and some clothes were missing from the middle half of her suitcase which she had packed at. Spirit✈️ refused to pay anything because she waited...
Spirit✈️ did the same thing to my daughter. The bag left Chicago to New York via Dallas and it stayed for a day. They tagged it wrong. When it got to New York, a day later she opened her suitcase and all her make up and her make up cases, and some clothes were missing from the middle half of her suitcase which she had packed at. Spirit✈️ refused to pay anything because she waited more than four hours to report it. She was 21 years old and the doorman held it at a friends apartment until they came back from the concert and at that point Spirit✈️ said too bad so sad we don’t care the things were stolen. It came back 14 pounds lighter. I try to report it at the airport when she got off the plane but Spirit✈️ did not care. I hate that Airline and the people that own it. Her contact lenses and glasses were packed and who in their right mind would steal those but apparently people didn’t care.
All she has to do is provide receipts for the items when she bought them or look on cc statement. Btw u have 14k worth or stuff n u flying spirit Air hummm.
If you have all that why not just pay the extra buck yo fly delta or United
Wat about the fact her bag was robbed not lost the fucking locks were broke. Som e scumbag p o.s that makes 12 dollars an hour probably
Why would anyone take expensive jewelry and clothes on vacation?? Leave them at home. This is going to be a very expensive lesson.
Checks Rolex on Spirit.....
Also...Someone took my $500 bottle of wine I brought to Chipotle.
Spirit doesn’t make it easy to carry on bags. If all of her items are too large to be checked together, she probably felt safer putting them into 1 checked bag and locking the suitcase. I have heard about SO MANY thefts out of PHL, and not just from Spirit. But in my own experience, I missed a flight into PHL from MIA in July so our bags were there waiting on us. Our bags had been opened and rummaged thru. I didn’t have anything worth stealing in there though.
If you have that much money to spend on a 600 T shirt alone you shouldn't be flying commercial you should be flying on a private jet.
This is such a naive comment. I have plenty of luxury items that are worth these amounts. But you won't find me flying private and there's several reasons. The cost disparity between commercial and private is astounding, even the difference between commercial first class and private. Another obvious reason is the impact it has on the environment. And guess what. I've even flown Spirit when it's the only nonstop option that works with my schedule...
This is such a naive comment. I have plenty of luxury items that are worth these amounts. But you won't find me flying private and there's several reasons. The cost disparity between commercial and private is astounding, even the difference between commercial first class and private. Another obvious reason is the impact it has on the environment. And guess what. I've even flown Spirit when it's the only nonstop option that works with my schedule - it's my last choice besides Frontier. But I pay to bring my valuables onboard with me because I'm not an idiot.
Yeah, people in these comments are mostly idiots. I am not siding with the woman in the story, the rules stand where they do and she should have been aware of the reimbursement limits before checking those items. But it is obvious these people have no idea how to manage their money or the realities of the world.
You have $14K in luxury items but taking the cheapest airline in the skies. Yeah right...
A person that travels with that much value would never in the right mind get on Spirit airline and I've been traveling on Spirit all my life. And what precisely she had in her personal bag, lipsticks and sunglasses. Ohh yah you can full me with that shit.
You've been flying spirit all your life? How old are you? 10?
What a bunch of bull. This is nothing but an attempt to squeeze the airline out of some money.
And they lost the $100,00 cash I had in my checked baggage, too. Nice try, sweety but you should have stopped at the hat.
The watch and the bangle I would carry on my person, maybe in the waist bag I carry my passport, credit cards and cell phones in. Then other valuables (the clothing) would go into the personal item under the seat in front of me. I would not give the luggage thieves at the airport a way to steal much. If this story is true, she is a very foolish person. I wonder if she will be compensated.
I feel her pain. I once had a bag fu of diamonds taken from the stora compartment on a greyhound bus I was riding from St Louis to Baltimore.
You are an idiot I travel with David Yurman and I carry a small bag with me you never put jewlery in checked luggage. You do not deserve one penny from spirit you are a stupid person many people touch the bags that do not work for the airline like sky caps.
Was the victims name “Shamika” Talisha” “ Falisha” or similar sounding?
If it was then she is telling the “truth “.
I'd love to hear you try to come up with a non-racist explanation for what you mean by this.
She’s lying, people that can afford those items don’t fly on Spirit.
I have all those things and more and as long as the flight is domestic I fly whoever is flying nonstop and usually that’s Spirit or SW.
If u have that much valuables? Why are u flying Spirit anyway!
Being rich doesn't preclude someone from flying Spirit. I'm a multimillionaire and sleep in my rental car usually when traveling. Not everyone is like you. I don't fly Spirit very often though tbh.
Sometimes people have no choice but to check expensive items. Too many bags, gate checked, etc.
As I've said elsewhere, the issue isn't how much money the person has, but how they spend it. Someone dropping this kind of money on status symbols is much less likely to fly Spirit than someone who sleeps in his rental car, regardless of how much money they have.
I don't like this company, and I will never nor relatives or friends will flight with Spirit anymore. Despite that,she or he should put her valuable in a carry on or in thehand bag.Sorry,this might be a lost case.
Bullsh*t.
Had a similar situation with a customer claim years ago on another (full-service) airline. The customer stated that they were an elementary school teacher and these expensive items were their life savings. The claim ultimately was settled for far-less.
If you can afford a Rolex how come you are flying spirit.
[ ] Believable [x] Not believable
Why the *** would you put a Rolex in a checked bag?
Why would a person who could casually afford these items fly Spirit? I get they could be items that they're selling for whatever reason... Something just doesn't add up here.
Why do you assume a person with Rolex and designer items don't fly Spirit.
You are ignoring a possibility that the person scammed the Rolex out of someone else.
If a person can scam someone, a pattern scammer would possibly scam an airline too.
You think every gold digger flies Delta on their own money?
5,700 for a rolex? Likely fake. Rolex aren't that cheap if you can get one. Even a lady's DJ or OP is more than that, especially if it's not stainless. If it had a gold bracelet, then it's probably a DJ or OP gold which can cost way higher than 5,700. Really sounds fishy here.
It might have been a CPO non steel model.
How about $5,700 just to tell you the time?!
Oh let me see I think I'll check a bag. Oh let me see I'll check a bag on Spirit. Oh let me see I'll leave my Rolex in my checked bag, Oh let me see I'll leave my Louis Vuitton in my checked bag, Oh I'll buy some overpriced hat and put it in my checked bag so it gets crushed and stolen.
I at first thought it was all a lie until I see that they paid $600 for a trucker cap so maybe they are that dumb.
As a veteran airline worker, I'm telling you this smells like a big fraud to me.
Sure. Uh huh. Carries thousands of dollars worth of luxury goods, and flies Spirit. Totally believe that.
I make fairly well into six figures and fly Spirit all the time. Why would I hand $300 to American for a 90 minute flight when I can as a Spirit elite fly for $50 in a big front seat with equivalent service as American First Class?
It's sad that the merger seems to be the end of the Big Front Seat. I was hoping to try it out on an ATL to ORD flight in the future.
This isn't about how much you earn--it's about how you spend. And the type of person who spends that amount of money on those types of items doesn't seem like the same type of person who would fly Spirit.
Well said @tda1986
Rather than this travellers obviously not very bright actions, I’m more curious in what happens in situations where the airline forces you to gate check baggage because the bins are full and expensive items are loss when you get the bag back. Clearly it would be the travellers intention to keep the item with them.
I think gate checking your bag still significantly increases the visibility into what happens with your bag when you're not in possession of it. Either way though travelers should move some of their items into a personal bag they take onboard with them
I see more fake Gucci, Rolex, and Louis Vuitton on Spirit than anywhere. If they can afford all that they 1st, wouldn't fly to Philadelphia to get to Detroit, abd 2nd, wouldn't be flying Spirit for $49
@Alonzo: Your comments are normally beyond ridiculous and non-sense. You are a lone protester voicing your thought that contrast to all other unanimous opinions. Most people embellish who they are and what they have, nowadays. Wealthy people do not fly low cost airlines. She is definitely not wealthy. But she could be a "mule" trafficking illegal merchandises into the country. Educate yourself more about the Caribbean countries. They are poor countries that are not what...
@Alonzo: Your comments are normally beyond ridiculous and non-sense. You are a lone protester voicing your thought that contrast to all other unanimous opinions. Most people embellish who they are and what they have, nowadays. Wealthy people do not fly low cost airlines. She is definitely not wealthy. But she could be a "mule" trafficking illegal merchandises into the country. Educate yourself more about the Caribbean countries. They are poor countries that are not what most American tourists see on their vacation destinations. I sure hope that she will get a smack down from the court for wasting its resources & endangering its mental well-being.
You seem very invested in fitting this incident into your preconceived notions of the Caribbean.
You know what people trafficking illegal merchandise don't do? Run to court and file a lawsuit when they lose said illegal merchandise.
You’d be amazed at how dumb criminals are. My wife works in law enforcement and over the years in 3 different parts of the country the number of 911 calls from drug dealers who had their drugs “stolen” is astounding!!
Not amazed at all. However, idiots potentially under the influence calling 911 is one thing. Someone taking the time to draft a complaint and file it in court is quite another. That would be premeditated stupidity in the first degree.
A passenger on Spirit wouldn't even know what a Rolex is.
From Michigan huh......right.
“Rulex”bought on Facebook marketplace. I noted half a dozen iPhone 15s and a couple of Birkin bags were missing from the inventory
BULL!!!!! LMAO
If she paid for her flight with a CSP she could've only had to sue for $11k
I find it funny that people are jumping to judgement just for her flying Spirit. It's as if people with money don't fly Spirit or Frontier. Or we assume that people have money just cause they have 15 grand in luxury items. Y'all need to travel to Atlanta more. You'll know what I mean if you've been.
You’re very naive to believe this is in the least bit genuine. The fact she flew a low cost carrier makes even less plausible.
People with money don’t fly Spirit or Frontier. And if you think this person puts 14k worth of valuables in a checked bag and flew spirit, then I have some ocean front property in Phoenix you might be interested in.
I have been, and I saw a lot of very obviously counterfeit goods. Just like everywhere.
By default I don't even allow frontier or spirit in my domestic searches. I am always willing to pay more for even slightly better quality.
Who puts this in checked bags, apart from a moron or scammer ??? On spirit ? And the max liability under the Montreal convention is around USD1700. He should have thrown in a few iPhone 15s while at it.
Montreal convention doesn't apply to US domestic flights.
Per US DOT regulation, max she can get is $3,800.
She originated in Jamaica therefore MC applies, although she won’t get a cent. The fact she connected to a domestic isn’t relevant as it’s considered an international journey.
Re-read the article. This is an international itinerary. Started in MBJ.
Very fishy store. I tend to doubt the claim and I seriously even more doubt Spirit is going to pay up.
I would be interested to see customs stepping in and checking if the property has been owned for at least a year, to qualify for duty exemption at the port of entry. :-)
In my airline days once I was chatting with my baggage agent when someone was claiming about $15k was stolen out of their checked bag. They said it was there when they rechecked it after customs in FLL. My smart ass asked them if they declared any amount over 10k with US Customs, because in order to research this claim we will have to talk with them to establish chain of custody of the bag....
In my airline days once I was chatting with my baggage agent when someone was claiming about $15k was stolen out of their checked bag. They said it was there when they rechecked it after customs in FLL. My smart ass asked them if they declared any amount over 10k with US Customs, because in order to research this claim we will have to talk with them to establish chain of custody of the bag. I don’t know one way or the other but when I asked the Asst Port Director about it when we had coffee the next day, she researched and found no such declaration. We never did hear from the passenger again.
“This contract limits our liability”….do not check valuables, etc, etc etc.
Did she file a declaration with US Customs when bringing items in of such high value? Did she pay duty on them?
She wouldn't pay a duty on them unless they were bought overseas. You don't have declare high-value items unless you bought them overseas. You do have to declare cash.
I really find this whole scenario suspicious and someone is abusing the justice system. A person with that much expensive swag is not going to put it in checked luggage, especially on Spirit. I'd say the passenger is full of a soup.
I smell a rat here: this woman is running around with $10's of thousands of dollars in jewelry (etc) to/from Montego Bay, Jamaica - and she flies Spirit? There are so many things wrong with this scenario that, well, let's just say it is highly suspicious. Jamaica isn't a nation to which I'd bring (and run around with) high-end jewelry. Nor is it known as "the Switzerland of the Caribbean" when it comes to timepieces....
I smell a rat here: this woman is running around with $10's of thousands of dollars in jewelry (etc) to/from Montego Bay, Jamaica - and she flies Spirit? There are so many things wrong with this scenario that, well, let's just say it is highly suspicious. Jamaica isn't a nation to which I'd bring (and run around with) high-end jewelry. Nor is it known as "the Switzerland of the Caribbean" when it comes to timepieces.
Sounds like a scam allegation to me. Or, illegal substances are involved.
$600 Gallery Dept trucker cap
Who buys a $600 cap??? LOL
A person who puts a Rolex in a checked bag on Spirit?
Now THAT'S a good point!
Would a random person on the street know that the cap costs $600?Like I've said below, people care too much about how others look at them and how they want to be viewed.
Seems those caps are actually priced $150-$200 retail, not $600. Still expensive though.
The $600 hat part is the only reason I believe it. Maybe some people are that dumb.
Did she file criminal complaints in Jamaica, Philly, and DTW? The first thing I’d want is for my legal team to be able to see as much CCTV as possible from every step this bag took to and from planes. You’d be far better trying to apprehend the staff member and have their home searched and/or pursue a civil case against them.
If she hasn’t filed criminal complaints I’d assume her case is bogus.
Regardless,...
Did she file criminal complaints in Jamaica, Philly, and DTW? The first thing I’d want is for my legal team to be able to see as much CCTV as possible from every step this bag took to and from planes. You’d be far better trying to apprehend the staff member and have their home searched and/or pursue a civil case against them.
If she hasn’t filed criminal complaints I’d assume her case is bogus.
Regardless, nobody should have stuff this valuable in a checked bag. If it was a carry on that she was told she had to check at the gate, better to ask the airline to rebook you on a later flight than force you to check this many valuables. If checked intentionally this person has more money than sense.
Assuming the passenger has rental or homeowners insurance that covers stolen (but not lost) personal items, I agree it would be suspicious if she didn't file a police report. However, if that's not the case, I'd disagree. The odds of police pursuing this case is essentially zero.
The first bad decision was flying Spirit. I am baffled that someone with $14k in luxury products would choose to fly Spirit. The second bad decision was putting the luxury goods into a checked bag. But here is a possible explanation.... on our way back from France my wife had around $7000 worth of items in her carry on... we were one of the last to board and they were making us check our bags...
The first bad decision was flying Spirit. I am baffled that someone with $14k in luxury products would choose to fly Spirit. The second bad decision was putting the luxury goods into a checked bag. But here is a possible explanation.... on our way back from France my wife had around $7000 worth of items in her carry on... we were one of the last to board and they were making us check our bags at the gate. My wife absolutely refused and after 8-10 minutes of explaining and negotiating they checked my bag but let her carry hers on... someone less stubborn could have let that luggage be checked... and with that run the risk of telling a similar story to this lady.
She's on an international itinerary so absent declaration of value or proof of negligence, she's not going to get anything more than Montreal compensation out of this. Especially in Federal Court.
Airlines receive dozens of similar claims a month, usually backed up with fake receipts which can be uploaded online If the Rolex is original she will have proof. She should have made a special declaration of interest and check in. She’ll go on social media next lol
It’s so clearly fake.
First, if you can afford luxury goods let alone $14K worth of luxury goods, why would you fly Spirit in the first place?! Second, does one need luxury goods? Does anyone need to spend a whole lot of money just to look at the time every now and then? Why do you need to spend money just to keep up with other people? I feel like most people are too concerned about what other people do and how others look at them.