Dear Editor,
I refer to an article in yesterday’s online newspaper about a CAL passenger with a lost/delayed bag. Given the time lapse of one month, and with each passing day, it will become difficult for CAL to locate and deliver the bag to Ms. Persaud. Now comes the question of compensation. The rights of Ms. Persaud, and, indeed, for all passengers travelling to and from Guyana affected by mishandling of luggage to financial compensation, are enshrined in the Montreal Convention of 1999 and she is entitled to compensation that is limited to 1288 Special Drawing Rights (SDR) which at today’s rate of exchange is USD1,710.00. She, of course, is expected to provide proof of the value of the items in the suitcase. Ms. Persaud, as do all passengers, has a limit of 21 days (about 3 weeks) to file a written notice of a claim with the airline from the date of the occurrence and in the interim she could apply for reimbursement of incidental expenses which will be deducted from the maximum liability stated above if the bag is not found.
CAL has a right to adhere to the deadlines, but will it? We do not know what CAL has discussed with Ms. Persaud. If Ms. Persaud is dissatisfied with the way she is treated over her concerns about her lost luggage, she may also complain to the US Department of Transportation when she returns to the US. Isn’t there also an agency in Guyana with which she can lodge a formal complaint if she so desires?
Yours faithfully,
R.N. Mungol
