The properties of a hollow core photonic bandgap fiber designed for 1.55 um transmission are investigated with special emphasis on polarization issues. Large and strongly wavelength dependent phase and group delays are found. At the same time the principle states of polarization move strongly and erratically as a function of wavelength, leading to strong mode coupling. Wavelength regions with high polarization dependent loss coincide with depolarization due to a polarization dependent coupling to surface modes at these wavelengths.