Damaged luggage is one of the most common complaints in air travel, and most passengers expect a long claims process when it happens. A Texas woman says her experience with Delta Air Lines went much faster, as an agent at baggage claim handed her a brand-new suitcase after hers arrived broken. Her TikTok about it has drawn hundreds of thousands of views, according to BroBible.
The traveler, Megan Vincent, posts on TikTok as @meganlvincent. In the video, captioned in part “Delta, I could kiss you,” she explains that a wheel had broken off her checked suitcase by the time she reached baggage claim. Vincent then shows the small black replacement bag a woman at the airport gave her, and she tells viewers she loves Delta.
The video does not say which airport the flight landed at or exactly when it happened. Delta’s published policy says the airline may repair or replace a bag that is damaged in transit, as long as the passenger reports it at a Delta Baggage Service Office within six hours of arrival on a domestic flight, or within seven days on an international ticket.
Delta passengers in the comments had very mixed experiences with damaged bags
A Delta spokesperson told the outlet that customers who believe a bag was damaged in the airline’s care should report it for inspection when they arrive. “Depending on the circumstances, we may repair, replace or reimburse covered baggage damage,” the spokesperson said. Normal wear and tear, damage that was already there, and damage from government security inspections are not covered.
The comments under Vincent’s TikTok turned into a swap of airline stories, not all of them flattering to Delta. One viewer said Delta sent a gift card code for a new bag that had already expired. Another asked whether the replacement was a new bag or “full of someone else’s things,” while a third said Southwest offered a $150 voucher for a missing wheel instead of a new bag.
Some viewers were more concerned about value than speed. One commenter said their suitcase cost $800 and hoped any replacement would be comparable, while another said United gave them a bag worth a fraction of the damaged one. Another argued that every airline should keep spare luggage at the airport for this reason, as a passenger with a broken wheel still has to get the bag to their car.
Damaged luggage is far from rare. Roughly five million checked bags were damaged worldwide in 2025, according to an industry report from SITA, while about five billion passengers flew that year. However, checked bags also typically cost at least $35, so many travelers expect an airline to stand behind a bag once it is in its care.
The U.S. Department of Transportation requires airlines to repair or reimburse passengers for bags damaged while the airline had them. Vincent’s quick fix stands out, as the damage is usually discovered after the fact, unlike the United bag shaved by the belt that a Houston passenger watched from his window seat.
Not every damaged bag is the airline’s responsibility. However, the rules change if the TSA damages a bag during a security inspection, as the airline may refuse the claim and send the passenger to the TSA instead. That process can take months, which may explain why so many viewers were surprised that Vincent walked out of baggage claim with a new suitcase in hand.
Vincent has not said whether she was asked to file any paperwork, and passengers hoping for the same result will likely still need to report damage quickly at the airport.
Published: Oct 30, 2026 08:30 am