A photographer has been left furious after his £1,500 check-in luggage was returned to him looking like it had been 'mauled by a tiger' on a Ryanair flight, with the airline initially offering him a mere £50 in compensation.
A Shocking Discovery at Baggage Reclaim
Daniel Sakal, a 34-year-old from Colchester, Essex, landed at London Stansted Airport on September 4 after working at a wedding in Nice, France. After a 40-minute wait at the baggage reclaim, his bag failed to appear on the conveyor belt.
Daniel alerted a Ryanair staff member, who spent 20 minutes searching for the missing luggage. He was horrified when the employee returned with his bag, which was 'ripped to shreds'. The damage was so severe that he described it as looking like it had been 'dragged down the runway'.
The Costly Damage and Inadequate Compensation
Photographs of the incident reveal the extent of the destruction. Among the damaged items were clothing, underwear, new shoes, a drone controller, and an extension lead vital for his work. The bag itself, a gift from his wife, was valued at £200, with the total cost of the damaged contents reaching approximately £1,500.
Daniel was handed a bin bag to carry his ruined belongings home. He later submitted a claim to Ryanair, but after sending five follow-up emails, the first substantive response he received was an offer of £50 – roughly the same amount he had paid to check the bag in the first place.
"I was really angry at the beginning," Daniel said. "They've offered me less than what it costs to have a checked bag. It's such an insult given how much damage they've caused."
Passenger Rights and Corporate Responsibility
The incident has sparked a debate over airline passenger rights and corporate accountability. When questioned, London Stansted Airport stated the matter was 'a Ryanair matter'.
Ryanair, in turn, deflected responsibility, issuing a statement claiming: "Baggage handling at Nice Airport is provided by a third party (not Ryanair) but is paid for by Ryanair." The airline refused to clarify how it determined the damage occurred in Nice rather than Stansted.
Daniel's experience serves as a stark reminder for travellers to understand their rights when filing a damaged baggage claim. He is now seeking a full apology and for the airline to be held accountable for the destruction of his property.
