Man files $1 million lawsuit against US Airways for lost Xbox 360

A Yale student is suing US Airways for $1 million in compensation for his lost Xbox 360 and the emotional toll of attempting to recover it. He claims he had an Xbox 360 with a "specialized hard drive" and other fancy components worth more than $1,000 (is that the kind with the really, really loud drive noise?) in his checked luggage, and when he went to pick up his luggage it was considerably lighter than before, with the Xbox 360 and components found as the only thing missing. Sounds like no-fun-at-all, and the "run-around" he got with speaking to five different airline employees sounds equally painful, but we're not sure how that all adds up to $1,000,000 -- the maximum allowable by law in his state. US Airways says that not only does the federal limit of liability for lost luggage top out at $3,300, but that electronics checked in luggage are specifically excluded from liability. How kind.

[Via Joystiq]

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 11th 2009 5:00PM]

Oh, I broke a nail on your plane, I'll sue you for 1 million dollars.
What a dick, if anything demand the cost of your Xbox and the components. If you had valuable files on that super duper hardrive, man up and learn your lesson, keep your effing electronics with you at all time if they're important.
That's why I never ever put a laptop on luggage, you know shit is meant to be lost, specially if you're transfering to other planes.

man up dude and use your Yale degree to make your money, don't fall that low to make a million out of your own stupidity.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 11th 2009 5:03PM]

"electronics checked in luggage are specifically excluded from liability."

Really? Are they basically giving their baggage handlers a free pass to swipe any electronics since they are not liable? If a specific expensive item is missing from your bag, then somethings fishy and those who are responsible should be punished. They are basically saying they are not responsible for their employee's actions.

[jdechko Posted Mar 11th 2009 5:53PM]

Flew from ATL to SEA in January on US Airways when we moved out west. Had my 360 on board, but it wasn't stolen. Of course, I had it in my CARRY-ON LUGGAGE!!!

I am guilty of having no common sense sometimes too, but you'd think that a Yale student would think about that, unless there was no 360 and this is what he wanted. It just goes to show you that being smart != having common sense.

[KGB Posted Mar 11th 2009 6:17PM]

He could have had something else as carry on already, thus couldnt take his xbox with him. Is it possible? Yes. Do we know for sure? No. Carry on today is very limited in size and quantity.


But many of you keep assuming that he is some dumb ass even though he goes to Yale.

So quit assuming. You keep spiting on his education, while your own education making you look even dumber.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 12th 2009 1:32AM]

You went to Yale, didn't you?

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 11th 2009 6:33PM]

And this proves my point that the die hard 360 fans are total tools.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 12th 2009 12:37AM]

I had an experience where I had two laptops. Yes, for valid reasons and multiple carry on bags. One laptop had to go into checked luggage. Of course it was stolen. They would not cover the laptop.

The laptop had absolute computrace embedded and active. We had it retrieved by the police and it was a TSA employee's son who had the laptop. It was given to him for his Birthday!!! LOL Talk about unethical and sad.

The airlines have lost business through 9/11 but have used that as an excuse to treat their customers as poorly. I have nothing else so say.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 11th 2009 7:09PM]

all i can say is PAD LOCK your luggage, make sure that yourself cant get in your luggage without a key.

[ZakAttak21 Posted Mar 11th 2009 8:03PM]

@ Gubatron and jdechko. Wow, I'm surprised engadget let two big jerks like yourselves on here. I really hope that sometime in the near future you check something/anything that's of value to you and it gets stolen because someone decides to riffle through your luggage. I get it, you think he's a moron for checking it, well maybe he had a laptop or something else of more value with him he didn't want to check. There are a lot of maybes here, but if this kid really did check a 360 and it got stolen, more power to him for doing something about it. The average American gets screwed over by crappy policies like this all the time and someone needs to stand up so it doesn't keep happening. I hope this airlines take this a s a sign that people aren't going to take the negligence anymore and they need to do something about missing luggage/items IN the luggage that are taken.

[Shawn Posted Mar 11th 2009 8:14PM]

WTF there is NO way an xbox or any amount of data on a hard drive or any fancy "mods" add up to a million bones. This guy can't get away with this the legal system is totally messed up because everyone is so lawsuit happy and will file suit over the most bogus things.

[KGB Posted Mar 11th 2009 9:16PM]

@Shawn.

Its not about the money. Its about making a statement, so Airlines change their policy and take responsibility when their employees steal things from customers.

This is not rocket science.

[blash Posted Mar 11th 2009 11:54PM]

I would LOVE for him to win. Would be nice to check some valuable shit and have it be handled by employees who know that if they steal it, they'd land in some serious shit, instead of how it is now where they're essentially protected by crappy customer service giving everyone the run-around.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 12th 2009 1:19AM]

This guy was Eric Cartman from South park

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 12th 2009 2:40AM]

I can actually confirm that Denzel Washington and Nick Nolte are dating. I just saw them at best buy getting an xBox HDD cleared of the pron it had... of their kids.

it's a sick world. just puke.

[ems11 Posted Mar 12th 2009 5:13AM]

US Airways has caused me more trouble than any other airline. From surprise baggage fees, changing my flights and keeping me in airports all day, being both nosy and indifferent at the same time.

I hope he gets his million dollars and it's the straw that breaks US Airways' back and they have to be sold off to a less malevolent airline.

Or maybe he gets the money, spends more time at Yale, takes over US Airways after graduation, and makes them into something respectable. They need work is what I'm saying : )

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 12th 2009 11:17AM]

Daddy is a lawyer.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 12th 2009 11:49AM]

My step son flys 2 to 3 times a year to visit his dad and I for vacations, he insists on bringing his PS3. I have told him not to pack it in checked because of how the bags are always coming back damaged in some way. The baggage is not treated well by any airline, we have flowen just about all of them between our children having to go back and forth to moms and dads house. My kids also travel to visit family. My rule is simple. "You may bring anything you want back and forth with you, but only if you dont care if it gets lost, stolen or damaged. If you choose to bring it, and this happens, do not expect it to be replaced or fixed by us. If you have a problem with this, do not bring it and leave it at home."
This rule actually works, because when he brings it, he carries it in his carry on and gaurds it with his life.
My son recieved an X Box 360 for christmas last year from his father in another state, he was extreamly worried about bringing it home due to this rule, so they sent it overnight Fed Ex insured.