OMAHA, NEB. — An airline passenger landing in Omaha couldn’t believe his eyes when his bag came out on the luggage carousel. For a week he’s been trying to get answers and someone to take responsibility.

When luggage arrives at Eppley passengers don’t expect surprises, but Jon Ewing is ripping United Airlines for the handling of his bag.

“It had to have been going on for a long period of time to rip through this. What are their safety plans? Is anyone monitoring their machines?” asked Ewing.

Not only was the $100 bag torn open, but clothes from a business trip shredded including a dress shirt, tie and leather coat. Witness and friend, CJ Fries took photos of the damage. He said, “When the bag came out completely shredded I didn’t even know how to react to it just seeing his belongings everywhere.”

A $1,400 suit worn to impress clients is now only fit for a horror movieextra.

“I thought they were preparing me for a zombie walk,” said Ewing.

Eppley’s director of airline affairs told WOWT 6 News a Untied staffer immediately took a claim and filed it with the airlines baggage resolution center. Ewing said after a week nobody from the airline called him to settle up.

Less than 24 hours after Six On Your Side contacted United and Eppley Officials, Ewing says he got a call from the airline instructing him on how to proceed in the claims process. He said with depreciation his estimated loss is $1,700, but United rules could make the offer less than half that.

“They told me they would pay me up to $100 per item without receipts. And who saves receipts from a couple of years ago,” said Ewing.

United promises an investigation into how the bag got ripped apart after a review of Ewing’s claim and he will be compensated. The night he landed customer service did give him a suit case to take home the shredded clothes.

“United told me I needed to return their bag to them as it is only a loaner,” said Ewing.

He says when he gets fair compensation the airline’s suitcase will be returned undamaged.

After a call from Six On Your Side, the director of airport operations talked with United Airlines’ local manager who indicated damage wasn’t caused by Eppley equipment or staff. The bag started in Washington D.C. with a connecting flight in Chicago.

Source: WOWT