Lost bag update I know most of you have been concerned about me wearing the same underwear for 4 days but actually the inside out, turnaround trick wasn’t required as I managed to squeeze some money out of American Airlines. This wasn’t easy mind as it took a lot of phone calls and subsequent shouting.

I was originally offered $25 a day and in Bermuda you would be lucky if that would buy you a pair of skippys let alone some work clothes. On day one I managed to get by with a newly purchased pair of smart shorts and a polo shirt but by day two I needed a pair of strides and a shirt. After much begging I finally coerced two lots of $125 out of the airline and this, combined with me taking the shorts back saying they didn’t fit (hey, I only wore them for a day) meant I could just about survive 4 days and nights in meetings with clients and underwriters.

Of course, American Airlines agreeing to offer me $250 and American Airlines reimbursing me the money are two different things.

“Just pop into the office at the baggage reclaim in Bermuda on the way back to New York and they will reimburse you,” they said

Of course there wasn’t one. So, I went to the one at LaGuardia airport today. I bloke in front of me in the office was holding what was left of a suitcase. The women behind the counter was pointing at a sign, whilst shrugging her shoulders, which said that American Airlines cannot be held responsible for damaged baggage.

I was next up. “Hi, I have come to claim my reimbursement for your company losing my luggage. Here are the forms and the receipts.” I smiled.

The woman smiled back. In fact, I think it was more of a smirk. “Ok sir, we can’t give you your money back here, you will have to go to either JFK or O’Hare.”

“But, I’m flying to Chicago Midway,” I said.

“Oh, shame, in that case I can request a payment but it will take four months.”

"Four months?"

“Backlog!” she smiled.

I will be at O'Hare again in the next couple of weeks and I have a feeling this story could run and run.  ¶ 01:40