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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 4 of 4)
Ruth Rossin Apr 7th 2007 12:55PM
My husband and I flew from LAX to Athens, to Johannesburg, South Africa, to Durban, SA. On the way home we flew Durban, Johannesburg, London, to LAX. Went through customs in LAX.
Luggage was put back on conveyor belt to go to San Diego (SAN), where a baggage worker said, "Oh you're going to SAN FRANCISCO! We said no, San Diego! Every bag arrived EXCEPT the one with our irreplaceable souvenirs, gifts and huge bag of exposed film. (Had never put it in baggage before, but it was also my son's and too big for carry-on.)
So after 6 different airlines and many thousands of miles, that bag got stolen on the last, shortest mile leg, in the US. Despite having a stewardess friend search baggage rooms in San Francisco, and everyplace she flew, it never showed up and we got paid a paltry $150 for an international loss!
The airline office in LAX said it probably ended up at a flea market in East LA. I believe him.
Ann Apr 7th 2007 12:52PM
I work for a major airlines. Just a few tips to ensure your bag arrives with you. Be sure to double check your baggage tags for name and destination before you leave the checkin counter. Also, be sure to put your name, address (where you are going) and also a phone no. at the destination you are going to.
We cannot contact your home phone no or address if you are on vacation or on business. Definitely put the information inside of your suitcase also. A lot of times the bag tags come off and we have no way of knowing whose bag it is. Also, check out the weather channel. If you are going thru a major hub(like Chicago) go to the airport and try and get on an earlier flight so that you can make your original connection. Customers must be pro-active now a days.
The airlines have no control over the weather...and your flight will be coming from another city and may be delayed or cancelled. The airlines do not have any extra airplanes to fill in the gaps. Also, note the international connections will not be held...allow 2-3 hrs connection time, more time is possible.......Also, realize when you buy cheap tickets on the internet..you may be switching airlines..and the bags may not make the connections...try and stay on one airline...Also, if possible try not to take a flight with the last connection...if that flight cancels there are no options ..and flights are mostly overbooked. The other thing is if your delayed bag does make it to the destination and there is no name tag or bag tag they must send it to their central baggage office by the 3rd day. So make your report immediately so the airline can contact you asap. The last thing the agent in baggage service is there to assist you not rip the passenger off....with a shortage of employees there is no time to go thru peoples bags and the risk of get fired and losing benefits is not enough for most airline employees. The problem with delayed baggage is that there is more and more people flying and the airlines has not re-hired all the personnel that they laid off. So you have fewer employees trying to handle more people and bags than ever before. The last thing do not put anything important (medicine, keys, expensive jewelry, cameras) Don't overstuff your bag either. If you have two zippers from each side ...take a bread tie and tie the two together....often times in all the shuffling all the bags in the pit of the plane or in the baggage carts some get caught on other bags and then the zipper is caught and opens...then the agent doesn't know whose bag the stuff came out of ...less bells and whistles the better.....Hope this all helps...good luck and better times flying the skys.
Melissa Apr 7th 2007 12:52PM
#39...Are you kidding me?? "Just don't bring anything expensive on the flight and you have nothing to worry about"? My SHOES cost more than the airline's reimbursement! Am I supposed to re-wardrobe myself at the dollar store to go on a glamorous holiday vacation? Or to a dear friend's wedding in Paris? And forget about bringing home anything nice from the location, right? I guess I should settle for t-shirts for everybody saying "Someone That Loves Me Went to Las Vegas and All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt"?? Your idea and my idea of travel are VERY different! Not to mention, I'm supposed to be able to trust this airline with my LIFE, but not my luggage??
Melissa Apr 7th 2007 1:12PM
reading all these stories make me sick. and i bet if you strike up this topic with anyone, they too will have a story. i have mine..but you don't need to hear them. it is all sickening to me. ESPECIALLY the part about the "Unclaimed Baggage" store and their website. click on the link and check out the online store. it'll make ya sick. hell, you might even see something you lost!
Melissa Apr 7th 2007 1:16PM
#53 con't...of course you'll have to pay retail top dollar for it!
Thomas Vicker Apr 7th 2007 1:23PM
My last trip "home" for a class/family reunion, I simply sent luggage ahead of time through UPS. Nothing lost or misplaced, and same on return trip. Only had carry/on with me for incidentals.
beth Apr 7th 2007 1:34PM
Although airlines like to conveniently "misplace" luggage, mine has seemed to find me. An airline representative drove 2 hours from the airport to return a carseat that did not get transferred to another flight/airline when I did...
stevejerome Apr 7th 2007 1:40PM
Perhaps if we had Attorney Generals appointed to protect people rather than companies, more people would get their luggage and property back.
This is only legal theft if we let it stand.
Start writing to the attorney general in your state.
ken Apr 7th 2007 2:19PM
Fly NAKED, carry a small onboard bag for the necessities as they say, NO LUGGAGE, NO PROBLEM !
tnwomn Apr 7th 2007 2:28PM
Never, EVER fly US Air. They are a nightmare.
My mother and I purchased tickets to a seminar in Cape Cod. Mom has multiple sclerosis and uses a wheelchair. I bought new luggage for her the day before we left.
US Air got us to Charlotte, NC but then claimed- due to "rain" in Boston, our connecting flight was "delayed."
But amazingly- our luggage went to Cape Cod -on time-without us.
We sat in the Charlotte airport for 10 hours. By the time US Air got us to Boston, we had missed the last flight to Cape Cod.
US Air gave us a voucher for a hotel room. After a 20 minute drive into the city- we were dropped off at a crumbling, smelly hotel. Thirty minutes after we checked in- the electricity to the entire hotel was shut off for renovation work.
We sat in a dark room with nothing to do but go to bed -with no shower. No food. No clean clothes. Not even a toothbrush.
The next day-in our same old dirty clothes---we returned to Logan airport.
US Air left us sitting there for 4 more hours-still refusing to let us on any flight to Cape Cod.
A US Air employee recognized us from the previous night. She said-- "Are you guys still here? This is the worst customer service I've ever seen." (gotta agree with her.)
She gave us 2 vouchers to fly on Cape Air. I pushed mom's wheelchair across a muddy construction site to the Cape Air terminal.
We were tired, dirty, muddy, hungry & ticked off. When we FINALLY arrived in Cape Cod- the US Air agent gave us our luggage.
All 4 wheels were broken off of mom's one-day-old luggage. Someone had also the cut the lock off of it.
We had missed the 1st day of a seminar that had cost us $800 to attend.
When I complained to US Air headquarters-- they said-"TOUGH!"
I despise US Air. I would rather walk 3,000 miles than ever fly that airline again.
hughtelcom Apr 8th 2007 1:42PM
we have to buy back our property!
but somehow the navy gets thier "lost items" returned to them!...@ thier f-16 navigation system.
yes the government allows protection to them, from "us". even with undisputable evidence that it is our property.
GINNA Apr 7th 2007 3:59PM
i WAS IN THE pHILADELPHIA AIRPORT APRIL 4 IN THE AFTERNOON WAITING AT uSAIR. i WITNESSED A SUITCASE FALL OUT OF A CART AND LAY ON THE GROUND WHILE MANY OTHER CARTS PASSED IT BY. eVERYONE OUTSIDE IGNORED IT WHILE WE ON THE INSIDE KEPT REPORTING IT. tHAT WAS NOT ALL. wE WITNESSED A WOMAN AND BABY FALL AFTER DEPLANING AND THEY WERE IGNORED. wHEN A PASSENGER FROM THE INSIDE RUSHED TO THEIR AID HE WAS SCREAMED AT AND TOLD HE HAD NO RIGHT TO GO THROUGH THE DOORS. wHEN SHE HOBBLED IN i OFFERED HER MY SEAT FOR WHICH SHE WAS GRATEFUL WHILE THE POWERS THAT BE SQUABBLED OVER WHO MIGHT BE SUED.
Melissa is an IDIOT Apr 7th 2007 4:42PM
MELISSA in #50 - you are an idiot. You think you're a high classed traveler, but you probably work in McDonalds asking customers if they want their order SUPERSIZED. I highly doubt your shoes cost more than $5 and were purchased at WalMart. I hate morons like you that talk the talk and only DREAM of walking the walk.
Jake Howson Apr 12th 2007 5:45PM
Guys
Lets look at the FACTS here. The unclaimed (big hint there) Baggage centre sells UNCLAIMED LUGGAGE. For an airline to sell the bags on they will usually have tried to find the owner themselves, sent it out to a baggage handling company who will also try, then the baggage company will send it back to the airline who will again trya nf find the owner. If after all this time (usually 3 months) they are then legally allowed to sell it.
What do you propose that the airlines do??? Keep all the baggage in giant warehouses to collect dust for infinity????? come one get real, it seems some peoeple think you check your bag in the conveyer belt takes it straight to the unclaimed baggage centre and airlne goes "oh we lost it great we can sell that one bag at £5 and then have to pay oput £500 in insurance! that makes sense!
Also if anyone know of anywhere in the UK that i can buy unclaimed luggage please give me a shout.
jake.howson@btinternet.com
Kathy Nov 19th 2007 1:40PM
60 Minutes did a show on this a while back. They went to one of these places and looked at "lost" luggage--at least 1/3 of them had names and addresses on them. This is just institutionalized theft!