Originally Posted by
Windycitywings
Thanks for encouragement... our additional challenge is that these were carry-ons with no identification. We have returned the bag we have to AA....now just hoping/praying/both that other person realizes and returns to AA. My daughter has a lot of sentimental items that can’t be replaced. That is why she did not check in the first place. Now having a tag/ID would have saved a lot of hassle.
Thank you all.
I hope before returning it you very thoroughly went through the bag in search of any identifying information at all, and that the AA people know that they must not release the bag until they have secured your daughter's bag (and ideally given her a chance to look for anything missing).
I might even consider filing a police report for stolen luggage -- that would give her some leverage if AA has or gets any information on who took it, mistakenly gives back the other bag without getting hers back, etc. The person might not have meant to steal it, but it's curious that they haven't realized and returned it in several days now.
I remember a FT thread where the OP (of that thread) took someone else's bag but couldn't be bothered to go back to the airport (he wanted the airline to come get it and bring his), meanwhile the innocent other customer was likely steaming. I bet "sir, I have a police report and will give them your name if the bag you took is not returned within the hour" would have gotten his attention!