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Buying Other People's Lost Luggage
So what happens to all that unclaimed luggage that sits around ownerless?
If the airlines cannot find the rightful owner, they sell it by the truckload to a company called Unclaimed Baggage. Workers then pop open the suitcases, rifle through the contents, and then put the items up for sale.
Their website claims that more than a million items come through their doors annually, 60 percent of which is clothing. The remaining items, as you might imagine, are pretty much anything else one might pack in a suitcase.
Buyers can purchase the items online or in person at the company's store in Scottsboro, Alabama.
A quick look through their site revealed a handful of digital cameras ranging from $50 to $200 and well as iPods for $25 -- most of which are probably loaded with someone else's songs (which could be a great bonus).
Unclaimed Baggage also dedicates an entire page to some of the more unique items they've come across, such as a full suit of 19th century armor, a live rattle snake, and "Egyptian artifacts dating back to 1500 B.C."
Man, it sure must be fun working there!
Filed under: Airlines
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Lissa Apr 2nd 2007 8:43PM
15th BC egyptian artifacts go back to the country of Egypt, a suit of armour? It can not be hard to find the owner of that even if it is stolen. If a bag has unusual or expensive items, more of an effort should be taken to find its owner. If I am on an airline and they loose my 400 dollar ipod with 500 dollars worth of itunes... all it takes is turning it on and seeing viola! its Jane Does ipod! Instead they dont want to put in the effort and just throw me 200 for my suitcase.
When you go on an airflight put a big sheet of paper in clear plastic taped to the lid inside the suitcase- with your name, address, home phone, country, where you are going and your flight info.
when they open it they will see it first thing.
Jane Doe
123 Main Street
Chicago, IL 60611
773-123-4567
USA
1/2/2007 Flight 1235kls United Airlines to Heathrow Airport return to America 2/2/2007
Please call me if found at 773-123-4567 or 773-555-7891
me Apr 2nd 2007 8:54PM
That's horrible!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm suprised no one has sued their sorry a$$ yet!!!
nicky Apr 2nd 2007 9:01PM
Sounds like theft to me. Disgusting.
C Apr 2nd 2007 9:11PM
My suitcases are of the hard exterior variety (harder to damage, don't get stuck in carousels) and a couple times during holiday travel (in a quasi-humorous way), I would print out 2 printed,maps from Google Earth or Mapquest, as large as possible, clear taped to the sides, 1 with "This is where it came from" and the other "This is where is should have been". And inside, I'd have a second "sheet" of information how to find me. I am suprisingly easy to find if airlines should "lose" any of my luggage.
KS Apr 2nd 2007 9:16PM
I agree, sounds like theft to me.
Chuck Apr 2nd 2007 9:38PM
I hate to tell you this, but I worked for one of the largest trucking companies in the country. And when "the powers that be" would see something they could use (for example, 20 color televisions for conference rooms all over the country), they would take the freight, wait for the shipper to file a claim, and pay the claim. This way, they would get whatever they wanted at manufacturer's cost--no markup--as they were only required to restore the claimant to what the law called "enjoyment--" their actual cost, not any profit that they would have made by selling the items through legitimate channels and often far less than our company would have paid, even using a volume purchasing discount program. Real class.
And as for suing the unclaimed baggage outfits? Sorry, no. Even if you prove that the stuff they have is yours (your name and driver's license number can be engraved on it), the law will not help you. You have to buy back your own stuff. Places like this are "protected."
barbara paulson Apr 2nd 2007 9:46PM
the airlines are great at losing or delaying luggage. especially when weater is involved and you don't get where you are going but your luggage goes elsewhere.
Bill Apr 2nd 2007 10:10PM
This is not news! Airport theft has been going on forever. When I fly for a two or three day everything fits in my carry-on. For a week or longer, I ship my stuff ahead via UPS and again when I am returning.. I have never had a problem with them.
Bill from NW GA Apr 2nd 2007 10:30PM
I have been to the Scottsboro store. It was like a high-priced Dollar store. Very little appeared to be from luggage or even interesting. It was quite a letdown :-)
All of my "lost" luggage in about 3 million miles of flying has really just had its own itinerary and has come back to me eventually, so I wasn't looking for any of my own stuff.
Kathy Apr 2nd 2007 10:37PM
To Lissa......Your idea is fine, but what about airline workers knowing that you are away from home ? They could, conceivably, rob your house !
Lookslikem Apr 2nd 2007 10:56PM
What really sucks is we among 25 other bowlers from florida flew to Vegas for a bowling tournament in Feb.. We were all on US Air out of the 25 with bowling bags coming home only 3 had their stuff the rest of us not only did not get our bowling stuff but, they lost our luggage as well. You cant tell me someone isnt going through stuff and knowing how much that stuff cost and keeping or selling it.. I can tell you My husband had 3 bowling balls new bag shoes etc amounting alone atleast $1,500. So someone had a real nice payday on that day. Then after being on such a crappy flight losing our stuff then standing in some stupid office with 22 other people making claims well that was another 4hrs. Something needs to be done. That goes for all the airlines I'm sure there are nightmares with all of them. With some of the prices they charge they shoulnt be losing even our dental floss LOL
Angela Apr 2nd 2007 11:20PM
This is just ANOTHER reason why I won't fly, not that I really needed one, with my fear of flying, astronomical prices,and terrorists looking for a not-so-hard-to-find security breach at our airports.
David Apr 2nd 2007 11:38PM
Big surprise!! Only in America !! Legalized Theft
Koester Apr 2nd 2007 11:38PM
I had identification both on the outside and inside of my luggage when it was lost coming back from Alaska. A minimal amount of effort would have located me. I was furious when I later found out about the huge warehouse where they auction off this stuff; especially when I was paid a fraction of what my things were worth....not to mention having to replace it all!
David Apr 2nd 2007 11:39PM
Big Surprise !! Only in America !! Legalized Theft !!
alkpon Apr 2nd 2007 11:42PM
No Airline "likes" to lose baggage. Baggage is delayed or misrouted mainly because of tight schedules. After all, it is physically removed from one plane, transferred and reloaded onto another.
Works well in principle. But, throw in delays, etc.
As for pilferage....there was a time when "baggage handlers" made decent money. You could make house and car payments, maybe save a little for the kid's college.
That is all in past with the low fare. Airlines have personnel with little or no command of English language, no pride in airline tradition, nor any enthusiasm to provide service for wages received.
Kay Apr 2nd 2007 11:46PM
I used to work for a major airline at Newark Airport in New Jersey. I worked at the counter and there was a male agent that if he didn't like the way the customer spoke to him, he would automatically send their luggage... well lets just say instead of to Portland Maine,it would be sent to Portland,Oregon. He did not work there very long. I would think that the people who lost the larger more unique items would be able to have retrieved them. It is very disappointing not to have my personal things when I travel. I used to just bring a carry on bag, now that is quite difficult with all of the rigid guidelines. It was much easier for me. I could just board, exit and leave the terminal and not have to wait ANOTHER HOUR waiting to retrieve one bag from the luggage arrival area. There has to be a better way!
mtnemt Apr 2nd 2007 11:54PM
Actually, people do enjoy working at unclaimed baggage. It should be known that Unclaimed Baggage also receives freight as well. A crate of New Carters Baby clothes had arrived once. They have two big sales, one in the spring for people who like to water ski and scuba dive, and one in the fall for those who like to snow ski. On those days, lines of people form outside the building before the store opens. The toughest part for Unclaimed Baggage personel is when the ashes of a loved one arrives. They are given a burial at the cemetary behind the store. You would be surprised on what people will take with them when they travel. Even the police department gets unclaimed items on occasions.
Sue Apr 3rd 2007 12:09AM
I have never had the problem of never getting my luggage back. I have had it delayed, and sent to the wrong place, but it has always shown up by bus the next day or two. I have had things taken from my luggage however, but nothing was of value, so could never figure out why they would want it. I am leaving on a trip to CA this week, and now that I have commented on this article, I will probably be one of those that loses their luggage for good!!
gquilter Apr 3rd 2007 12:15AM
I had a friend who moved. His painting went missing during the move. After searching for a year the moving company said it would pay for the painting but needed an appraisal.
We took a trip to the shop where he bought the painting to get an appraisal. It had gone from the $5000 he had paid for it to $25000. The movers then found it the next day but didn't pay for the appraisal or trip.