flybird44

Dear United Customer Care:

On October 3, 2015 I flew United Airlines flight 1150 from San Diego California bound for Newark NJ. I was seated around the back of the aircraft, holding my backpack, when I was informed by a flight attendant that my backpack had to be stored in a cabin bin. The flight attendant took my pack and walked it up the aisle and placed it several rows ahead of my seat.

Upon landing, after waiting to disembark I got to the row where my backpack had been placed by the flight attendant only to find that it was missing. There were no similar bags left on the aircraft. The flight crew was unsympathetic to my plight and directed me to the Newark Airport Lost Baggage office. The lost baggage office was equally unsympathetic, informing me that there was nothing they could do. Subsequently I went home and filed an online claim.

I had valuables in the backpack which included my company laptop.

More than the value of my property, though, I feel a loss of confidence in United. While I appreciate that the crew and Newark staff were following policy, their treatment of me – was not emblematic of good customer service. I almost felt that they saw me as a troublemaker, when all I wanted was some sympathy and advice as to how I could recover my personal property that had been in the custody of a flight attendant before take-off.

What is unclear to me throughout this is the liability (legally and morally) of United for cabin-stored baggage.

I would appreciate any help that you can give me in making whole my loss while restoring my faith and loyalty to United.
Please let me know if you have any suggestions that can help me find my lost baggage.

bmwe92fan

Sorry OP - I had this happen as well and really didn't get any help at all from UA at all either.

It's now why on flights where I can't be assured of overhead space above me (that I can see) I will always get on as soon as possible (which I hate) and simply refuse to allow my bag to be put in overhead where I can't see it - regardless of cabin booked. On my last flight to Tokyo I got on last and they tried to put my carry on in another cabin - and I refused - they put it in coat closet instead....

pmarrsouth

Have your company trace the IP that your laptop connects to next

COSPILOT

Just curious, but your backpack must be pretty big if it didn't fit under the seat in front of you.

Also, on the rare occasion that my carry on luggage isn't directly overhead, I watch it like a hawk, even from many rows away. I don't trust anyone, but I don't see how United is responsible for some jerk stealing your bag.

LaserSailor

If your pocket is picked on an airline, the airline is not responsible

The criminal here is the person who took it. Unlike luggage, the airline does not assume responsibility for your carryon items.

You should file a police report because they do have th ability to approach UA to request the customer manifest.

transportprof

I was on a flight recently where someone had to give up their luggage to go up in the bin - just as OP describes. Before turning it over to the FA, the lady fiddled with some gizmo in the bag. Then upon deplaning, once people started to move the luggage around in the bin, this bag started to give out the most ear-splitting shriek. This prompted everyone to stop in their tracks, at which point the woman asked to get the bag, opened it up and punched in some code to turn her alarm device off.

I guess that is one way to secure your luggage in the overhead bins. @:-)

goodeats21

Agree that United has minimal responsibility here, but no local police department is going to touch any type of real investigation on this. They will probably file one as a service for insurance claim purposes but after that, no one will touch it.

I would rate the odds of them requesting a passenger manifest as the same odds of me clearing a Monday morning TCON CPU.

physioprof

Srsly!

bmwe92fan

In theory at least the CPU has a chance.... They will file a report for insurance purposes and that's where it will likely end - as mine did... OP I had to do one for work - you likely will as well.

emcampbe

I'm sorry to hear of this. Unfortunately, it's more common today to have stuff stolen from [insert place here]. If the bag didn't fit underneath the seat in front there are limited options - overhead bin (and if it's not near you, wherever else), closet or in the cargo hold.

I know hindsight is always 20/20, but a couple of take-awys: if your bag is out of your view, take your valuables if possible. Even if your bag won't fit under the seat in front of you, the laptop on its own almost surely would have. In fact, I often have my laptop in a sleeve in the front pouch of my roller, and on UAX where I have to gate check, I always take it out and put it in the bin near my seat or put it in the seat in front.

Also, you can ask the FA of there is space in the closet - pax don't go in there, and so probably safer in general.

On another note, this is one reason why I completely don't get the folks who dump their bag in the first available bin space, and continue on to the back of the plane. I would never voluntarily separate myself from my bag like this. Would rather take my laptop/valuables out and gate check it, where at least it is tracked.

ExtonUS

That is pretty neat. Never have seen or heard of such a thing but a quick google search turned it up. Kind of a neat concept actually. Will recommend it for my niece when she goes to college - it is a personal alarm that also has the motion detector mode for a bag.

too2early

There are many seats on United Y that the under seat IFE boxes won't allow a standard size backpack.

I don't believe United is liable but I think they should have offered to assist you in summoning airport law enforcement to file a criminal report.

It should be a slam dunk case. The airline has a list of all passengers and there will be video of the criminal disembarking with your property.

notquiteaff

And turbulence or the bump when the wheels touch down are guaranteed to not set it off?

yhm71

That's bad luck, sorry to hear it. I doubt the airline will take responsibility.
There are electronic tags you can buy (trackr, tile) that can be tracked on a phone by bluetooth. I think the range is poor, but for this sort of situation on a plane it might work ok.

Often1

Unfortunately OP isn't going to get anything from UA. He admits that he was "holding my backpack." Wherever the backpack goes, it can't go there. Has to be in the overhead or, if it fits, under the seat in front of OP.

As to his personal items, this is an insurance claim. As to the company-owned items, it's up to the company whether they claim or simply eat the loss.

Most law enforcement agencies will take a perfunctory report simply so they can issue an incident # which OP can use for his insurance claim.