Freebird Airlines Pays Insulting $38 Compensation for Two Broken Suitcases

I traveled to Saudi Arabia for the Umrah pilgrimage between February 16, 2026, and March 26, 2026, under the organization of the Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) Department of Hajj and Umrah, operated by Freebird Airlines. On my return flight FH9018 from Jeddah to Ankara on March 26, 2026, my two suitcases were delivered to me in a damaged state.

Before leaving the airport, I filed an official claim and submitted:

The Property Irregularity Report (PIR) for damaged baggage,

My boarding pass and two baggage claim tags,

Photographs of both damaged suitcases, requesting full compensation for my losses. The suitcases were purchased in 2024–2025, valued at approximately $94 for the large size and $78 for the medium size.

In our repeated correspondence, the airline consistently demanded that I present the purchase receipts or invoices for the suitcases. I informed them that I could not provide receipts because I reside in a small town, with the nearest major commercial center located 62 miles away. As a result of our back-and-forth communication, I learned that a mere $38 was deposited into my bank account as total compensation for my damaged luggage. Following this, I expressed my outrage, asking why such an insignificant amount was deposited and stating that, to make up for my loss, they should at least purchase the cheapest available large and medium-sized replacement suitcases and ship them directly to my address.