Travelex came through despite Alitalia’s silence

As my wife, Jeanell, and I were planning a trip to England and Italy in October ’06 connecting with a cruise, we felt we should have medical insurance. I had read in ITN (April ’06, pg. 54 & Aug. ’06, pg. 57) about Travelex Insurance Services (Box 641070, Omaha, NE 68164-7070; 800/228-9792, www.travelex-insurance.com), so I went online and contacted the agent Alan (alan@travelinsurance center.com).

Alan was very helpful and provided a policy through Travelex that covered both medical and baggage insurance at a very reasonable rate. Within a few days we received a policy and confirmation number.

While in London, I experienced a bout of kidney stones that required outpatient medical care.

A couple of days later, after visiting friends in Manchester, on Oct. 15 Jeanell and I flew Alitalia to Milan, with a direct connection to Rome. We were to spend two days in Rome before starting a 12-day cruise with Princess Cruises out of Civitavecchia.

We had checked two suitcases and one handbag in at Manchester. They were checked through to Rome on the same flights we were on. The two suitcases arrived, but the smaller handbag did not. We filed a “lost bag” report with Alitalia on arrival and made several phone inquiries the next day with the baggage department at the airport. They had no information on the bag.

Hoping to get better service, we went back out to the airport the next day and spoke directly with the agents in the baggage department. They took further information as to our itinerary, and we made them aware that all our medications were in the missing bag, including the antibiotics for my kidney infection. We had planned to hand-carry this bag, but security was very tight and we were advised to check it.

We boarded the Golden Princess the next day and reported our luggage problem at the purser’s desk. They took a full report and advised us that they would follow up with Alitalia, which they did. Alitalia provide no new information.

While on board ship, it was again necessary for me to visit a doctor.

We returned home Nov. 1 without the missing bag. As requested by the airline, we faxed a complete missing-baggage claim to Alitalia Customer Service at 212/903-3568 on Nov. 2. No response was received.

On Nov. 10, I submitted a claim to Travelex for the medical portion of our coverage and on Dec. 1 promptly received a check in payment of the claim.

On Nov. 12, a complete hard copy of all the required documentation for our Property Irregularity Report was mailed, certified, to Alitalia in New York.

As of Feb. 20 we have had no response, not even a form letter acknowledging receipt of the information provided. Nor have we been able to speak with anyone regarding the problem. All calls were answered by a recorded message, and no one responded to our messages. We followed up with their website on five occasions to correct the description of the bag, but they still show the bag as having wheels, which it does not.

When it became obvious that Alitalia had no intention of responding, I submitted a claim for the lost baggage to Travelex, and they have since paid the claim, even though we were unable to provide the required “settlement letter” from Alitalia.

I must say Travelex got the short end on the baggage claim. It was Alitalia’s responsibility to handle the loss, however they never responded, not even with a form letter. Travelex handled both medical and baggage claims in a timely and professional manner, and I would highly recommend their services.

But where is Alitalia’s customer service?

WINFIELD C. SCOTT, Jr.

Coquille, OR

ITN sent a copy of the above letter to Alitalia (666 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10019) and received no reply. The Scotts told ITN on June 19 that they never got a reply from Alitalia and that they had checked the airline’s lost-baggage website just a week before and could no longer even log in using their claim number.