‘This is so heartbreaking’: Southwest destroys woman’s $368 Beis luggage. Then she tries to file a replacement claim
Checking a bag is already a leap of faith, but checking a $368 Beis suitcase feels like tempting fate. One Southwest passenger learned that the hard way after her trendy luggage came off the carousel completely wrecked. This, in turn, kicked off a bureaucratic nightmare.
She allegedly had to surrender the bag, haul her life around in two flimsy duffels, and wait to see if an airline repair shop deemed her suitcase “worthy” of replacement. After all this, a plot twist occurs that possibly means she lucked out in the end.
The State of Gabby’s Luggage
As the holiday season stays in the rearview mirror, Gabby Chevalier (@lifewchevalier) shares her recent upheaval with Southwest. In just a little over four minutes, she recounts the entire rollercoaster of events after her Beis roller suitcase gets “absolutely destroyed.”
The video starts at baggage claim, where Gabby videos the condition she finds her bag in. The large checked roller bag has a dent taking up an entire quarter of its corners. As Gabby spins the bag around to show its state, viewers can see tears through the hard shell that show into the suitcase. There are also scrapes across the surface. Gabby says, “This is so heartbreaking.”
As baffling as this case is, it isn’t the first. Checking a bag always has a risk of it getting some damage, but some–like Gabby’s–are simply beyond repair. The Mary Sue covered a story where something similar happened to another woman, but hers was utterly humiliating. After flying with JetBlue and waiting at baggage claim, Paige (@paigeoneil) saw her bag split open in half on the belt. She had to ask another passenger for tape to close it shut, embarrassingly. Luckily for her, she got a new bag from the airline as compensation.
What is Southwest Airlines’ Response?
Gabby learns firsthand what Southwest’s protocol is for damaged luggage and shares it with over 100,000 viewers. She begins explaining that Southwest first gives two options: receive a travel voucher in compensation or file a replacement claim.
Gabby shares with the Southwest agent that her Beis suitcase cost $368, which prompted the agent to say that the travel voucher would not reflect that amount. She advises Gabby to file for a replacement suitcase. They take pictures of the luggage and file the form. Next, the agent reveals the unfortunate next process: Gabby has to leave the suitcase at the airport for them to send it to a repair shop first. According to Southwest, they first need to have it assessed to confirm that it indeed needs a replacement.
What Does Gabby Do?
Of course, Gabby does not have an extra roller on hand. She tells the agent this, and they give her two large duffel bags to put all her belongings into. As she shares the long process, Gabby reveals how much stress this added to her trip.
Now, not only does she have her personal item and carry-on to hold, but she also has to drag around two large duffel bags. She mentions that now she has to pay for two checked bags instead of one.
She says, “I share this because it might be helpful in case this happens to you with Southwest or maybe even any other airline.” Gabby wraps up the clip by saying that the Southwest agent who took her case was very helpful and made the process more “tolerable.” Now, it’s just to see how the process plays out.
@lifewchevalier Throwback to this travel mishap I had last month when I was on a work trip. Hopefully it helps anyone who might find themselves in a similar situation…hopefully not! ?♀️ #traveltiktok #luggage #southwestairlines #beis #fyp ♬ original sound – Gabby Chevalier
An Update with a Plot Twist
In another video, Gabby updates her viewers on the situation. She starts by saying the process took a week. First, she details how Southwest sent her an email containing a link to the company in charge of replacing the bag.
Gabby says there was a “wide array” of bags to choose from. However, Gabby says the “luggage broker” also sent her an email with a specific link that showed a suitcase of equal value to her Beis suitcase. As she overlays a screenshot of a Samsonite Paralux Large Spinner priced at $409, she says, “Quite frankly, this luggage is so much nicer. It is so much better than the Beis luggage that I lost.”
Gabby says that after ordering it, she received the new bag three business days later. She also didn’t have to pay for the FedEx cost. As she ends with her update, Gabby makes sure to acknowledge the comments on the original clip where viewers blasted Southwest or Beis for the entire ordeal.
She shares, “I just have to say that that was not at all an accurate reflection of either brands, either companies.” She ends the clip by saying that Southwest handled the situation well and she even got better luggage after the whole experience.
Viewers Chime In
Many viewers choose to blame the quality of Beis’ travel luggage. One viewer says, “This is why you buy your luggage at TJ Maxx.” A second shares, “Beis is not good quality. Just because it’s $$$ doesn’t mean it’s good.” Gabby replies, “Now i know! Lol i’m a samsonite girl from now on. I have 2 other luggage from them and a backpack and love them.”
Others are simply baffled at the entire situation. One viewer says, “Who carries a backup bag just in case my luggage gets damaged? I don’t have extra space for just in case! Lol.” Another says, “So as a baggage handler, that looks more like it got punched by a bag machine arm.” Someone even jokes, “Did they use the suitcase as part of the landing gear?”
The Mary Sue reached out to Southwest Airlines via email and to the creator via TikTok direct message.
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