CGRA

Years ago, I voluntary didn't board a delayed domestic flight in the US as that will make me miss my intl connection to Europe (flight was delayed after check in)
My bags took my scheduled flight without me and they did miss the connection and arrived one day after me at destination.
My bags made a domestic flight and an international flights without me

Another experience, standby for an earlier flight. The found me a seat but said that my bags will take the scheduled flight (without me)

mnredfox

Inconvenience I'm sure, but I'd rather have the crazies off the plane.

MAN Pax

That reference is specifically about Tarmac Delays and passengers choosing to leave as a result of the delay. The assumption is that the passenger and bags were loaded and prepared to fly together. Letting the passenger leave and the bags go on is a lower risk than a missed connection, when the bag should still be removed.

appleguru

Here's DL's official policy on voluntary bag separation: "Delta will not deliver any bag that does not make the flight and will not cover any out of pocket expense incurred as a result of the voluntary separation".

MSPeconomist

I would have tried to insist that DL deliver the bags from MGM.

cmd320

Not sure what the details of the actual regulation are, however every reputable airline that I typically fly on still offloads luggage when a customer opts not to take a flight. Just this past Sunday on AA when I went to switch flights due to a mechanical delay, the AAgent verified that I had no checked luggage on the original flight before making the switch. Likewise two days before that a customer on the B6 flight I was on ended up not making the flight for whatever reason and an announcement was made that the customer's luggage needed to be offloaded before we could leave the gate.

Again, while the actual law may have changed, the practice of removing a passenger's luggage when they do not board the plane is still very alive on US domestic flights today (as it should be IMO).

OHDL1

Ok...let me chime in on the subject. I just took my annual renewal for what's called a GSC or Ground Security Coordinator.
IF you voluntarily leave the aircraft (let's stick with domestic...) your bags are "supposed" to be pulled. IF you take a VDB, rerouted due to weight and balance, jump from the door or just flat out decide not to fly...your bags are "supposed" to be pulled. Positive bag match is only for international flights. IF you're IBD'd your bags can fly. Voluntary vs Involuntary. YMMV...as always.

Global321

I think we have concluded two things:

1. OP story does not make sense and likely did not happen.
2. Bags do not / are not supposed to stay on a flight when someone decides to skip the flight.

Delta3MM

Well, that may be, but two weeks ago, I volunteered to take a flight the next day (domestic) and my bag went on the scheduled flight without me. It was sitting in baggage claim when I got to my destination the next day.

And I had this happen earlier this year too. So, no, United does not always pull bags when a passenger voluntarily takes a later flight....

It is true that it was not my intent to take a later flight - and United was the one who decided it was me taking the later flight - as would be in the case of an involuntary denied boarding.

But it takes time to find one single bag in the hold. Many bags look alike - last time I actually entered the luggage hold (a long time ago) it was a jumble of bags, and dimly lit too.

Post 9/11, I have also witnessed a flight attendant who left the flight minutes before the flight got clearance to leave (we were late, and she (unwisely) decided to leave the plane to buy some food). This was an international flight. Infuriated, the lead FA and Pilot decided to throw her bag off the plane and leave once clearance was granted. As far as I know, she only had carry on luggage. We left one FA short.

Billy

Global321

I think you are still following what most have said... you took a later flight, at the request of the airline. While they should have pulled your bag, they did not. It is not the same as someone getting off the plane last minute 100% their own choice.

Funny story about the FA - and they generally travel with carry on only, so makes sense.

sbrower

And, just to be clear, while airlines may have a policy of trying to take off luggage sometimes when the passenger isn't on the plane, there is no legal requirement on domestic flights for luggage to be removed even if the passenger never boards the plane, even if it is the passengers voluntary decision.

3StarsFoodie

I agree that it is strange that the local news does not have any coverage of it. In fact after we landed I checked Nola.com and wdsu.com and was suprised that no one had picked up the story.

The lady did not check any bags and had a small bag with her when she jumped off the plane.

For the doubters out there I'm sure that if someone called the MSY airport and asked they would be able to verify the story.

CGRA

Another data point : from europe to the US with a connection in the US. I missd my connection by minutes but my bags made it and arrived before me.

ATOBTTR

I had to go to MGM to drop off my one-way rental car anyway and this also would have required me figuring out how to get person delivering the bags authorized to get on to Maxwell AFB since that's where I was staying. Given that I got over $1k in DL vouchers out of the bump, I didn't complain too much then or now and just rolled with the punches.

MSPeconomist

Why vouchers if it was an IDB?