PhilG_Out&About

My carry-on bag was pilfered after it was force checked just steps away from boarding my flight today (DCA, layover in DFW, arrived in SFO).

The flight attendant at DCA required that my carry-on bag be checked because she claimed the airplane was full. I typically put my valuables in my carry-on since it’s always by my side. As soon as the attendant took the bag I remembered I had left my wallet inside. As she was walking away I told the flight attendant that I needed to get my wallet and cash out before it got checked. She continued walking and insisted in a raised voice that it was too late, and the flight would not be delayed for me. I protested, but the attendant insisted the carry-on and wallet would be safe.

The $260 in cash, which was in my wallet inside the carry-on, did not make it to the baggage claim as she said it would (imagine that...). The bag arrived, but the $260 from my wallet was gone.

Thanks to information on this forum I immediately took steps to start the recovery process. I’ve now filed a record with both AA baggage claim and also the computer-automated AA customer relations. The only humans I’ve spoken with at AA insist that they cannot do anything. I feel utterly abandoned by AA, and I don’t know what steps to take next.

Have any of you had any luck recovering stolen cash from a carry-on that was forcibly checked? It’s particularly aggravating in this case because I told the attendant I needed to get my wallet out before the bag actually made it onto the plane.

I’ll post an update as this situation develops.

Ocn Vw 1K

PhilG..., welcome to FlyerTalk. As this is specific to AA, I'll move it to that forum. Ocn Vw 1K, Moderator, TravelBuzz.

rjw242

I'm afraid those humans are probably right - when lost or stolen, cash is the great unrecoverable. Neither AA nor you have any way of verifying whether there was $260, or $2, or $2600 in that bag, so the claim can't be substantiated (and even if it could, cash in checked baggage is definitely exempt from airline liability). Sorry it was this unfortunate incident that brought about your first post; I'd just see it as an expensive lesson to never let your wallet off your person while traveling.

mvoight

I have my doubts about this story.
I would have left the plane before I let my wallet with cash be checked.
If the wallet was retrieved quickly, the plane would not have left without you.

It may have happened as written..... but

slawecki

i see you are an aa exp, whatever that is. i am a frequent non-status aa passenger from dfw to dca. aa is my only flight choice for nonstops. elites are allowed on first. most carry a large carry on, and a large personal item. a lot carry a third item. takes them forever to get on the plane.

by the time i am allowed to board in steerage, it's check your bag at the gate turmoil time. my meds are very important. the GAs are very demanding about me getting them out, and hurry, hurry, the flight is late. it's late it's late. must go must go.get to your seat.

i will ask them about going back to the gate. to get something. when i take the trip in a couple weeks. i do not know if the luggage is still at the gate, or if it has not been carted off, as big hurry to free the gate.

although i now have no status, i have flown over a million or two miles (some of which date back to braniff and pan am) the only airline i can recall that allowed an attitude like the one aa presents is ba in the 80's. now there were some really nasty people. maybe aa has hired them for training purposes.

sts603

Sorry. That sucks but there is no way AA should pay a claim on this. The fact you put your wallet in a carry on that couldn't go under your seat is the first mistake. Hell, I never put my wallet in a carry on. Pockets are good for wallets.

Also, in such a situation - I'm not sure "hey, my wallet is in that bag" was the right thing to do. A baggage handler, etc. could well have overheard you. I would be willing to guess that had you just let it go or said "I need to get something important out of there" the $260 would still be there.

WingedWorldExplorer

Any flight attendant would have given you the few seconds it takes to retrieve your cash, hardly a delay.
Crafty AA baggage handlers there in DCA or DFW who so quickly identified exactly YOUR luggage as containing cash and stealing it so quickly while surveillance cameras are in use.

I am sure you feel entitled to $ 260 compensation for the effort of retrieving your bag at the luggage carrusel. Of course my making this posting:
1. you have established an additional "paper" trail and
2. ( in your mind ) added credibility to your claim.
3. Hope that AA read this and feel pressured to accomodate your claim.


So even though you just joined this site a few hours ago, you still received information in this thread on a situation identical to yours, which convinced you to pursue a claim ?
<redacted>

Did your ROLEX watch make it to SFO ? or would that have been too obvious.

bniu

maybe we outta get the air marshals to check some "bait bags" full of cash with some trigger in the briefcase that will set off a dye pack if opened improperly (ie lock damaged) as well as have a tracking device on it. We can weed out some dishonest TSA screeners and baggage handlers, and scare others into not doing it. Kinda like the police "bait cars" used to catch thieves...

Dr. HFH

Your post is a little harsh, don't you think? Granted, the OP made what I would term a sub-optimal judgment call under the pressure of an FA harrassing him. You've never made a mistake? The OP was the victim of a crime. While substantively I agree that he will not get the money back and that AA has no obligation here, I think that a little sympathy and empathy would be in order, especially for welcoming a fairly new FT member.

gemac

I carry valuable items in my carryon also. I put them in a separate zippered pouch, and put the pouch on top so it will be the first thing I see when I open the carryon. If I have to check the carryon (which can happen even to an EXP when there are flight delays or IRROPS), I say sure, just let me get this out, open the carryon, take the pouch out, close it up and hand it over.

I have posted this tip at least a half-dozen times in the last couple of years here in the AA forum. There are thousands of similar tips here to make your flying experience on AA more enjoyable and rewarding. The best part is all are free! Even just a few can easily save you more than $260, so you can recover your lost money from AA by reading and using them, even if AA doesn't respond favorably to your complaint.

Sorry your introduction to this forum had to be associated with this unfortunate experience, but glad you are here not. Welcome to FlyerTalk and the AA forum. Enjoy!

QueenOfCoach

And now you have learned from the School of Hard Knocks that your carry-on will not always be by your side.

I don't think you will get your money back.

I do think that you have learned a lesson never to let that happen again. If you don't want to carry your wallet in your pocket (I don't), get some kind of small bag that fits under the seat in front of you. Unless you are seated in a bulkhead row, you are guaranteed the space under the seat in front of you. Stash your small bag there.

Your small bag should contain your wallet and anything else of importance to you: iPod, camera, medicine, eyeglasses, etc.

I usually usually carry that kind of stuff in my purse. My husband has a small-ish daypack that he uses to carry important stuff on the plane.

vail

AA knows or should know that they have some dishonest employees.
Every business does.
AA should have surveillance camera's monitoring all area's where baggage passes including the gate area's.
It is a small cost for the security it provides.

JDiver

Exactly the answer ro this possibility! :-:

Unfortunately for the OP, AA specifically states it does not accept responsibility for valuables, including cash (like most airlines, it declines all and any risks and liabilities it can).

As stipulated (in part) in the Conditions of Carriage (like gemac, I make many suggestions to members to read these and become familiar with them):


At times, additional limits may be placed on carry-on baggage based on the main cabin stowage capacity of specific aircraft, which can result in carry-on bags being checked in the boarding area. In the event it is necessary to check carry-on bags, ensure that fragile or valuable items, such as keys, medication or computers are carried in your personal item. If government regulations are more restrictive, such restrictions shall apply. and

American does not accept in or as checked baggage any of the following items: antiques, artifacts, artwork, books and documents, china, computers and other electronic equipment, computer software, fragile items (including child/infant restraint devices such as strollers and car seats), eyeglasses, prescription sunglasses, non-prescription sunglasses and all other eyewear and eye/vision devices whether lenses are glass, plastic, or some other material, furs, heirlooms, keys, liquids, medicines, money, orthotics, surgical supports, perishable items, photographic, video and optical equipment, precious metals, stones or jewelry, securities and negotiable papers, silverware, samples, unique or irreplaceable items or any other similar valuable items.

American does not accept these items in or as checked baggage and assumes no responsibility or liability for such items, regardless of whether American knew or should have known of the presence of such items in checked or transferred baggage. If any such items are lost, damaged or delayed, you will not be entitled to any reimbursement under American's standard baggage liability, or under any declared excess valuation. Do not attempt to check these items. Carry them with you in the passenger cabin (subject to carry-on baggage limitations). (My underscoring for emphasis.)

While we welcome the OP to FlyerTalk and hope s/he makes the most of the learning opportunities we have taken advantage of here, I think this was a $260 lesson in "Flying with an Airline 101".

(At least AA hasn't had a case in the public eye like that of the Air France FA who pilfered valuables from passengers' carry-on baggage while they were sleeping on intercontinental redeyes.)

tom911

No police report? You're the victim of a crime here.

mvoight

Sure, like the police at SFO are going to spend a lot of time on this, assuming that is where he would be filing. IF the money was stolen, it could have happened in DC, TX, or CA. Maybe the FBI should get involved.