Lost Luggage

Well... looks like it finally happened! I was returning from Denver this past week (Wednesday) and after the 2nd announced delay, rather than arrive home well after 2 a.m., I elected to stay the night at the Westin located right at DIA and rebook my air-travel to the following morning. As I stood at the Southwest counter rebooking, I asked if the 22" roller bag I'd checked for the Wednesday evening flight would be awaiting my arrival the next day at the Southwest Baggage office in Reno. I was assured it would be. After 1 stop in Oakland, the original plane I was supposed to take arrived in Reno, as I thought, around 1 a.m. Thursday morning. My new flight arrived about noon later the same day and no bag was there. I filled out the "investigation" form describing the bag and it's contents. I've received a call from Southwest the last 2 days and expect I'll received one today telling me they're still "researching" it's whereabouts, which I appreciate.

I fly Southwest pretty much exclusively a couple times monthly and have for many, many years. The only other baggage "experience" I had was about 10 years ago during a trip to New Orleans, my bag failed to arrive and was delivered to my hotel the following morning. Can anyone share with me what to expect if after a few more days they're unable to locate the bag?

I know many will recommend that I carry-on such a bag and I board in the top 20, so bin space is always available to me. I check the bag for convenience, as I'm never in a super hurry... wasn't so "convenient" this time. Though the Tumi Townhouse bag was slightly over $1,000 10+ years ago when I purchased it, nothing else in the bag is/was remarkable. A pair of dress-shoes with some pricey Good Feet inserts, couple pairs dress-slacks, couple new golf-shirts, toiletries and the like.

 

Southwest lost my bag on a connecting flight from Las Vegas to Atlanta to BWI. In Las Vegas, I was switched to another flight out of Atlanta because of thunderstorms in the Altanta area. However, my bags were not transferred and they actually arrived on my original flight, which arrived one hour later at BWI. Follow this?

I did the mandatory search and filled out the necessary paper work, but had a meltdown on the shuttle bus. The bags arrived at my house two days later via Fed Ex. The driver told me he delivers lost bags by Southwest a lot.

Southwest did keep me informed of the progress of my bag.

 

From JFK to Lisbon to Casablanca in '87.
Permanent change of station from Vienna, so that luggage contained 90% of my clothes. One suitcase - the smaller that held only casual attire - arrived with me. The larger, with my 'work' clothes (shirts, ties, jackets, etc.) was 'lost'. I got a voucher from the airlines to cover replacement for - I don't recall, I just know it was not $1-for-$1 replacement. Then...eight months later, as I'm getting ready to head back to the US of A...Royal Air Maroc calls the consulate and tells them my suitcase will be delivered to the consulate that afternoon. And it was! Held together by a cloth strap and some tape...and the only thing missing was a shoe. One shoe. That's gotta be some kind of world record.

 

Being in top 60 (or even higher) would be more than enough. Bin space on Southwest is less of an issue than most airlines due to free checked bags. We have been in B many times and never even had to search for a space.

Not saying you should have done carry on...just that you do not have to board that early.

 

In all the trips I have made on Southwest they have misplaced my bag twice. I have been lucky that both times it has been on the return segment of the trip and my bag was delivered to me the next day.

Mark

 

Go to any big airport, you will be surprised (or maybe not) to see how many lost bags which never be claimed or returned to their owners.
Nation wide, its a huge number, millions of them.

 

So what do they (the airport / airlines) do with those? For some reason I have it in my noggin that after x-amount of time, they are sold at auction. I think it's interesting that people don't follow up with their luggage. If it was sooooo important that you drag it around with you, surely you'd want to retrieve it?

 

There is a facility in northeast Alabama that sells the contents and luggage from what the airlines cannot give back to the travelers. Have been there a couple of times and am amazed at the stuff people put in their luggage.

 

I have never had a totally lost bag. (Knocking on wood!) However, it seems like every 5 years or so I have one misrouted. Untied and Southwest were the latest culprits, roughly 10 and 5 years ago.

In the case of Untied, they could tell me exactly where the bag was, but not why it was put on a plane to Samoa or somewhere and not on mine to OMA. Southwest could not actually track the bag, but assured me it was "probably" left on the plane and sure enough, they figured it out at the next stop and flew it back. In both cases they gave me discount vouchers as compensation.

Our resident TAs have told us a few hints about avoiding lost bags. Best is to get a nonstop flight that terminates at your destination, where everything is unloaded and simply placed on the conveyor. Connecting flights in cold weather are notorious for misrouted baggage. They recommend carrying on for any "interline" flight, where the baggage would have to be handed off from one airline to another. Those are apparently the worst. I know that Southwest is now putting very conspicuous tags marked "Transfer" on bags that are for connecting flights. Another hint is to avoid checking in very early or very late for your flight. A bag that has to sit around in a baggage sorting area or one that misses the last cart out to the plane is more likely to be mishandled.

Now, and I know I posted this here before. Last year we got a widget called a "Lug-Loc" at the office which several of us share. It's a flat black thingy that you charge up the night before your flight, hopefully remember to turn on when you check your bag, and it gives you the position of your bag on your smart phone. When you "trace" it gives a map view of where the bag is. Usually (and hopefully) it's showing the airport where you just landed. The best part, however, is at the bag claim area. As your bag gets closer and closer, red circles get larger and larger and beeps get louder. It gives you a warm fuzzy feeling that your bag is actually coming and allows you to zero in on your bag amongst several that look similar.

 

how well was your bag marked with your contact info? CURRENT name address and telephone number. I strongly suggest having that info in at least 3 places.. a luggage tag, one the zippered pockets on the outside and one of the zippered pockets on the inside. if you have done that, you have a really good chance of being contacted within a few days. have faith that most employees will try to be diligent, but of course some are lazy. GOOD LUCK!

 

Did you have travel insurance? They will often pay you to replace certain items. Most people forgo insurance though (I know I do) so you might not.

 

Now you know why I just take carryon – actually a large backpack. While most luggage arrives most of the time, we all know what can and occasionally does happen. It's happened to me a couple times over the years. Fortunately, it's always happened on the return leg and was delivered the next day. While I can check bags for free, I'd rather have one less thing to worry about and leave my gambling to the casinos instead of the airlines.

 

I don't trust people who carry backpacks.

 

Dare I ask? It's not like I'm a gangbanger with baggy sagging pants and a turned around baseball cap. I just find the backpack easier to deal with than something with wheels or toting around a large soft bag with shoulder strap, as I did for many years.

 

smartone, any sign of your bag yet?

 

Today was the 5th day following the loss and as promised, I received a call each day from Southwest letting me know they were "diligently searching for it". I just finished filling out and filing the "official" claim (previously was a incident report) for $2,100 and some change. The bag was purchased new for $1,100, but about 8 or 9 years ago. I only use that bag for short trips (1-2 days), so I used it 30-40% of my travel time. I suppose they'll depreciate that amount. The rest was just a few slacks, shirts, pair of shoes, etc. I don't have receipts for the clothes, as the golf shirts I received from Christmas and the rest was purchased within the last couple years, but not recently. I'm sure I was reasonably accurate on the original purchase prices for each item I listed, which is what they requested. We'll see what happens?

I've been a big cheerleader/supporter of this airline for many years... I expect they'll resolve the matter amicably. I LOVE the Luc-Lock suggestion from DMR (THANK YOU) and I'll get this immediately. I can open my garage-door on an app, no reason I can't track my luggage as well. Will keep ya posted!

 

This is the Big Burning Question I would like to know too! This is sounding too much like the dreaded "bag vanishes into a black hole" horror story I occasionally hear. From reading your original story there were apparently two out-of-normal-procedure handlings of your bag, both of which would be very vulnerable to human error. I agree that a very conspicuous name and phone number should be on (and in) the bag. (LOL, throw a few business cards in there!)

 

I admire those who can pack light!

 

I always think there are bombs in there. Same as certain natives of certain countries whose women wear those long native costumes. Also because people wearing backpacks never look behind themselves when they swing around suddenly and hit people in the head.

I don't trust tall people, either.

 

I have a brother who's hiked the Appalachian Trail from end to end a few times. He's knows all about packing light and shared his wisdom. He lays out everything he absolutely can't do without, then puts half back! And his backpack is smaller and lighter than mine. Fortunately, when you change hotels as often I as do, nobody gets to see me dressed the same a second time. I can't imagine anyone noticing or caring anyway; and if they did, who cares! Most of the time, I still pack too much.