Talk to TACA

Our February, 2000, article on TACA Airlines' delayed baggage policies inspired a few readers to have a run at TACA themselves. Reader Karen Groshong (Tillamook OR) read the piece “just hours” before flying TACA to Roatán, Honduras, and left determined to test it out if need be. She reports that “TACA did not disappoint me or 20 or so other divers. Our luggage did not arrive with us; some waited as long as three days for their dive gear.”

After making her way through the lost-bags line and requesting — and receiving — the paperwork to file a claim, she addressed the 40 luggageless passengers behind her and asked if they wished to join her. Even though our article reported TACA as paying passengers $150 for lost bags, when the manager offered $25/day, Groshong figured a bird in the hand was worth two in the bush. After that, “it took just a few seconds for those standing in line to decide they too wanted a piece of the action. All in all, I estimate that in the space of about 20 minutes, TACA shelled out about $500.”

Subscriber Sandra Walzer (Prescott AZ) had a similar problem on a trip to Belize. She reports that “TACA gave us $150 for inconvenience, without any hassle, to cover the cost of renting gear and buying a few clothing items.” Sounds as if it hardly pays to keep your mouth shut.