donotblink

According to Business Insider:

js1993

Wait until Business Insider hears about last Sunday's SWU debacle.

EXP100

I went through this at MIA. The problem is that if a flight is cancelled and paxs are rebooked for the next day or after AA won't automatically deliver bags. In my case between the help of the AC and a kind baggage handler I actually got my bag back after 3 hours. Others were told to go pound sand. No surprise the bag gets shipped off to god knows where.

wahooflyer

This happened to me in 2019, also at DCA. I was scheduled to fly DCA-STL, boarded the plane, and then about 20 minutes later the captain came on the PA and announced "there's a long line of severe storms between here and all points west, we're going to have to cancel." I foolishly checked a bag (decided to bring some large liquids) even though I was only going to be in STL less than 24 hours. I decided not to take the trip at all and went down to the baggage service office to try to retrieve my suitcase. The line was 100+ people long and I didn't want to waste any time, so I just went home and came back the next morning to get my bag. Turns out AA sent it to STL anyway on a flight the next day. Took about 3 days to get it sent back to DCA, and AA never had any updates so I just drove back to the airport every morning before work to check if it was there.

Of course this was all pre-COVID so there were fewer staffing shortages. Probably would have taken even longer to get my bag back if this had happened in 2022.

GUWonder

Maybe the use of cheap TilePro and Apple AirTags in the luggage would help some people get their bags back and/or get them back faster; that and they can help passengers figure out what to do next when there is an involuntary/irregular baggage separation situation.

JCDenton

I'm currently having a somewhat similar situation, though not a canceled flight - my wife's bag never made it onto our flight from PHL to CMH on Friday. It was scanned in on the ramp and then completely disappeared. I've been trying to get a real person on the phone all morning at AA, as the baggage claim office employees at both CMH and PHL were not only unhelpful, but bordered on hostile when we asked about it (both on the day it disappeared and when we returned to Philadelphia Sunday evening).

EXP100

That's the issue. Unless you can find someone to intervene on your behalf AA will throw the bag on the next flight to that destination even if you're not on that flight. I guess it doesn't occur to AA management if you're force to overnight you might need that bag.

avatexrs

Example no. 123,456,789 of why every frequent traveler who checks a bag should spend $29 for an air tag.

Antarius

About to say the exact same thing. It won't help in all cases, but if your bag goes MIA -its helpful.
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redtop43

I love Tile. I have a Tile in each of my bags, as well as some things that are commonly in my luggage like my headphones and kit bag.

I once had a time where I was waiting for my bag at baggage claim and (slighly long story I won't repeat) I didn't see it and everyone was gone, but Tile told me it was very close and I eventually realize there was a baggage service person standing there with my bag next to him.

I also once deplaned and as I was about 40 feet up the jetway I realized I had left my wallet in my pod (it was a B787). While I knew where it was, the fact that I was able to ring it helped the FA's find it and return it to me.

I guess that an AirTag would be somewhat more effective. For good coverage you need someone within bluetooth range of the item to have the Tile app on their phone, while (just guessing here) AirTag only requires someone to have an iPhone.

Antarius

This is the big plus as apple devices are everywhere. ipads, MacBooks also can contribute.

I dont have an iphone myself, but you can set them up to an apple account or use a friend or families if needed.

I even have airtags on my pups collar and harness; never expect needing to use it, but it's always nice to have another layer of protection.

unfrequentflyer

Pay up

Antarius

Eh?

Who needs to pay what to who?

born sleepy

A few months ago I was going ATL/SDF for a weekend at my second home before a two-week work trip to DFW. When it became clear that my ATL/CLT seg was going to cancel and I would not be going to SDF that night, I decided to forget about it and go home. I asked the A-club agent to see about getting my bag pulled and went down to bag claim to wait for it. Hours later, no bag, then the app said it was loaded on the last CLT plane. Too late... it ended up sitting at the SDF bag office all weekend and I had to get a local friend to go there personally to get it routed to DFW where I picked it up on three days after being checked.

Why is getting a bag back so hard?

unfrequentflyer

https://www.transportation.gov/lost-...amaged-baggage