Somebody took my carry-on! What do I do?
Aug 29, 2014, 1:44 pm
#46
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Bangkok or San Francisco
Programs: United 1k, Marriott Lifetime PE, Former DL Gold, Former SQ Solitaire, HH Gold
Posts: 11,886
My strategy is to put old neckties on all my checked and carry-on bags. It makes all my generic black bags very distinctive and gives me a use for old Christmas/birthday gifts I'll never wear. Occasionally at bag drop the agent will say they can't accept it, but they almost always relent if I add more knots to the tie so there's no fabric flailing about.
Aug 29, 2014, 2:48 pm
#47
Join Date: Sep 2008
Programs: United
Posts: 256
Maybe it was bad protocol, but a few years ago going to a large industry conference in LAS run by my employer, my bag went missing from the carousel, so I took the identical bag that was left behind, realizing what'd happened.
Figured most folks flying in were going to the same conference, and it'd be easier to contact the person directly and arrange a swap. In fact it turned out to be another person from my same firm!
Figured most folks flying in were going to the same conference, and it'd be easier to contact the person directly and arrange a swap. In fact it turned out to be another person from my same firm!
Aug 29, 2014, 3:21 pm
#48
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AA Platinum, Alaska MVP 75, UA Silver, Starwod/Marriott Plat, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Platinum
Posts: 42
Nope. This person has not yet contacted me or United... (he is from MS - I think somebody asked). I also asked his receptionist to relay this message and have him call my cell. I couldn't fish where he was going but learned that he was coming back home on 9/2. No call so far.
I also checked with AMEX and in case of stolen/lost carry-on, I am covered up to $3k. I just need to have United declare my luggage lost/stolen and forward that document to AMEX travel insurance claim dept. (I hope United would do this although it was not their fault at all).
I guess I am going to sit tight until mid-next week. If I do not hear anything from anyone, I am just going to file a claim.
I also checked with AMEX and in case of stolen/lost carry-on, I am covered up to $3k. I just need to have United declare my luggage lost/stolen and forward that document to AMEX travel insurance claim dept. (I hope United would do this although it was not their fault at all).
I guess I am going to sit tight until mid-next week. If I do not hear anything from anyone, I am just going to file a claim.
Aug 29, 2014, 3:37 pm
#49
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 923
I've been in F (IIRC, A319) and had no place to put my bag. It happens.
Aug 29, 2014, 5:00 pm
#50
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Charlotte
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum Elite, AA Platinum Pro, Hertz Presidents
Posts: 1,214
That's just one scenario or many where your bag may not be right in your vicinity.
Aug 29, 2014, 5:12 pm
#51
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Charlotte
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum Elite, AA Platinum Pro, Hertz Presidents
Posts: 1,214
Sorry, but I'll just keep an eye on my black bag rather than affix it with something garish. Colored luggage tags are good for me.
Aug 29, 2014, 5:14 pm
#52
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Charlotte
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum Elite, AA Platinum Pro, Hertz Presidents
Posts: 1,214
Took a flight from IAH to SFO last night. I had a carry-on with me about 2-3 rows ahead. When I tried to get off the plane, I noticed that my carry-on was gone. I was advised to stay until everyone got off the plane and see if my bag would show up. What I found was a same model Tumi carry-on (though this person's had a colorful name tag on it). His luggage tag had his name and phone number on it but after calling a few times and googling the number, I found out that it was his landline back home. Phone number registered under this passenger was also no longer up to date. I (or United) still have not been able to get in touch with him. United agents at the baggage claim were helpful but basically they told me there wasn't much they could do until this person shows up to collect his luggage and return mine at the same time. I thought about keeping his luggage to make sure he would have incentives to make the exchange but I didn't since it probably wasn't the right thing to do.
I know I won't be able to get my bag back until he takes an action at this point but I want to also cover my basis. Replacing the bag and contents would cost me $1200-1500 and I was wondering if insurance through my credit card would cover some portion of costs. It looks like I might have to file a theft report (I mean I have his name and phone number) in a timely manner but also do not want to get him into trouble unnecessarily.
My google research tells me that he is a doctor (I also left a message to his receptionist) and I am hoping he has common sense to take care of my luggage and get it back to me. Meanwhile is there anything I should be doing? (besides buying a luggage tag and actually using it...)
I know I won't be able to get my bag back until he takes an action at this point but I want to also cover my basis. Replacing the bag and contents would cost me $1200-1500 and I was wondering if insurance through my credit card would cover some portion of costs. It looks like I might have to file a theft report (I mean I have his name and phone number) in a timely manner but also do not want to get him into trouble unnecessarily.
My google research tells me that he is a doctor (I also left a message to his receptionist) and I am hoping he has common sense to take care of my luggage and get it back to me. Meanwhile is there anything I should be doing? (besides buying a luggage tag and actually using it...)
Aug 29, 2014, 5:24 pm
#53
Join Date: May 2011
Programs: UA GS, UA 2MM, HH LT Diamond, Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 1,801
Nope. This person has not yet contacted me or United... (he is from MS - I think somebody asked). I also asked his receptionist to relay this message and have him call my cell. I couldn't fish where he was going but learned that he was coming back home on 9/2. No call so far.
I also checked with AMEX and in case of stolen/lost carry-on, I am covered up to $3k. I just need to have United declare my luggage lost/stolen and forward that document to AMEX travel insurance claim dept. (I hope United would do this although it was not their fault at all).
I guess I am going to sit tight until mid-next week. If I do not hear anything from anyone, I am just going to file a claim.
I also checked with AMEX and in case of stolen/lost carry-on, I am covered up to $3k. I just need to have United declare my luggage lost/stolen and forward that document to AMEX travel insurance claim dept. (I hope United would do this although it was not their fault at all).
I guess I am going to sit tight until mid-next week. If I do not hear anything from anyone, I am just going to file a claim.
Aug 30, 2014, 10:36 am
#55
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Honolulu, HI
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, AA Exec Plat
Posts: 1,240
Somebody took my carry-on! What do I do?
I was in exactly the sane situation. Someone grabbed a very similar (although not the same) bag to mine. His bag was left on the plane. I immediately grab it, open it, look for his flight information (luckily had his itinerary printed), went to customer service and passenger was PAed. We promptly exchanged bags and problem solved.
It is critical to react quickly in this scenarios.
In your specific case, you'll have to get his information from the MP customer service, assuming there's any name tag in there.
It is critical to react quickly in this scenarios.
In your specific case, you'll have to get his information from the MP customer service, assuming there's any name tag in there.
Aug 30, 2014, 2:07 pm
#56
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 1,353
Okay, now it's been a full 2 days since the OPs bag was taken -- the person who took it has to know by know.
It does remind me of the thread where someone negligently took the wrong bag, then when the airline wouldn't come to them to exchange it, made all sorts of excuses about why they couldn't go to the airport. I'm sorry, when you make a major mistake like this that affects another person, you need to drop everything to rectify it immediately, even if that disrupts your trip.
In this case, if this is really a doctor with a medical office, I'd suggest calling the office again and getting ahold of the emergency paging service, if possible. Let them know that the doctor needs to contact United or the OP *immediately* and make arrangements to get the bag back (paying to overnight it if that's the fastest way). If not, make sure they pass on that you will be forced to file a police report for theft by tomorrow. After 3 days, it's gone from just negligence to something more serious. It's not an idle threat -- it is possible the left bag's ID isn't really from the person who took it (that one could have been stolen also), so the police contacting the doctor and his office might be worthwhile if something else is going on.
I don't know that I would want to take the left bag (responsibility if it has something illegal in it, hassle of having to get it back to the other person), but I would have insisted on opening and photographing everything with any possible identification value (which is sounds like OP did).
It does remind me of the thread where someone negligently took the wrong bag, then when the airline wouldn't come to them to exchange it, made all sorts of excuses about why they couldn't go to the airport. I'm sorry, when you make a major mistake like this that affects another person, you need to drop everything to rectify it immediately, even if that disrupts your trip.
In this case, if this is really a doctor with a medical office, I'd suggest calling the office again and getting ahold of the emergency paging service, if possible. Let them know that the doctor needs to contact United or the OP *immediately* and make arrangements to get the bag back (paying to overnight it if that's the fastest way). If not, make sure they pass on that you will be forced to file a police report for theft by tomorrow. After 3 days, it's gone from just negligence to something more serious. It's not an idle threat -- it is possible the left bag's ID isn't really from the person who took it (that one could have been stolen also), so the police contacting the doctor and his office might be worthwhile if something else is going on.
I don't know that I would want to take the left bag (responsibility if it has something illegal in it, hassle of having to get it back to the other person), but I would have insisted on opening and photographing everything with any possible identification value (which is sounds like OP did).
Aug 30, 2014, 3:58 pm
#57
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 552
Conversion?
Nope. This person has not yet contacted me or United... (he is from MS - I think somebody asked). I also asked his receptionist to relay this message and have him call my cell. I couldn't fish where he was going but learned that he was coming back home on 9/2. No call so far.
I also checked with AMEX and in case of stolen/lost carry-on, I am covered up to $3k. I just need to have United declare my luggage lost/stolen and forward that document to AMEX travel insurance claim dept. (I hope United would do this although it was not their fault at all).
I guess I am going to sit tight until mid-next week. If I do not hear anything from anyone, I am just going to file a claim.
I also checked with AMEX and in case of stolen/lost carry-on, I am covered up to $3k. I just need to have United declare my luggage lost/stolen and forward that document to AMEX travel insurance claim dept. (I hope United would do this although it was not their fault at all).
I guess I am going to sit tight until mid-next week. If I do not hear anything from anyone, I am just going to file a claim.
I'm not sure I could sit until mid-next week! You've done everything you can to reach this person and he has your number. He knows its not his bag and he knows that you are the rightful owner. He took the bag and he owes you a call, even if he's unable to return it to you until next week. Not cool on his part IMO
At some point, accidental actions not corrected become deliberate. You might want to check on the local statutes and definitions of conversion, both civil and criminal. It might be an interesting term to drop into your next call to his receptionist or paging service.
Aug 30, 2014, 4:34 pm
#58
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Bangkok or San Francisco
Programs: United 1k, Marriott Lifetime PE, Former DL Gold, Former SQ Solitaire, HH Gold
Posts: 11,886
Wow. You must never have irrops, book very long connections, be at the gate well before group 1 is called, etc. Charmed.
I can confidently say, that majority of the time when I saunter down from the lounge to my gate that group 1 boarding is in full swing, and the F overhead bins almost full.
My carryons have yellow surveyors flag tape wrapped around the handles.
I can confidently say, that majority of the time when I saunter down from the lounge to my gate that group 1 boarding is in full swing, and the F overhead bins almost full.
My carryons have yellow surveyors flag tape wrapped around the handles.
Those who board last are likely to have a problem if the plane is full. Most of the rest won't.
Aug 30, 2014, 4:39 pm
#59
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Ewa Beach, Hawaii
Posts: 10,909
My experience does not match yours. I have been the 20th person onto a plane and gone to my exit row seat and the bins are full above them with the group 1 peoples things that are taking the other exit row seats. I was #1 in the group 2 line. Yes, bag was within a row or two but not over my head or directly across. Or been in the bulkhead row and same thing.
Aug 30, 2014, 5:09 pm
#60
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 552
Okay, now it's been a full 2 days since the OPs bag was taken -- the person who took it has to know by know.
It does remind me of the thread where someone negligently took the wrong bag, then when the airline wouldn't come to them to exchange it, made all sorts of excuses about why they couldn't go to the airport. I'm sorry, when you make a major mistake like this that affects another person, you need to drop everything to rectify it immediately, even if that disrupts your trip.
.
It does remind me of the thread where someone negligently took the wrong bag, then when the airline wouldn't come to them to exchange it, made all sorts of excuses about why they couldn't go to the airport. I'm sorry, when you make a major mistake like this that affects another person, you need to drop everything to rectify it immediately, even if that disrupts your trip.
.