EWRfflyer

Maybe some of you more seasoned travelers can help here. My wife and daughter went EWR -MYR yesterday. On the jet way the checked her two bags in EWR. The bags have yet to show up and UA baggage has no further info. There were two laptops , one in each bag. Who knew they lost gate check luggage. But my questions are this. They were told she could buy stuff to get her by. But what happens if they never show up. Not really sure of my options since I am probably one of the lucky few that has ever had lost bags

craz

Consider the lap tops gone and UA wont pay for new ones

Has nothing to do with if a bag will get lost or not, but how does anyone leave their laptop in the bag they are checking? I always remove mine plus any other items of value , always thinking if I dont when I get my bag back it will have walked away on its own

EWRfflyer

My wife didn't check her luggage until she was about to board the plane. She didn't think to pull out the laptops. But you can criticize but that doesn't really help me. I guess you could work for UA? It was just some advice I was looking for

mbluecpa

The airline's obligation if the bags don't show up is here:

http://www.united.com/web/en-US/cont...liability.aspx

There is a separate linked list for exclusions, of which computer equipment is one.

EWRfflyer

Luggage was never unloaded from original flight. Was in a bin that was never opened. My wife just happened to go to airport this morning and wait for the first flight in. Bags were then offloaded. all contents were intact, nothing missing. UA still has bags listed as lost.

LaserSailor

Luggage returned within 24 hours. Very typical.

Couple of points.

1 There are two forms of "gate checking"

Typically bins fill up, you cant stuff your carryin in overhead, FA takes your bag, it is attached to your passenger record and FA/GA gives you a gate check tag tag identical to the one at the ticket counter. Your bag looks exactly like the 'big boy' luggage that people checked in at the front counter FAII.

On Regional jets - roll-on luggage does not fit into overheads, so you leave it on jetway. You attach a gate check tag to your luggage, you tear off (or Photo) the number. This luggage DOES NOT attach to your PNR (ticket) and you hold the only record of its existence in your hand. UA or UX has the same responsibility for this luggage as checked luggage, but if you dont have that tag......YMMV

2 Computers, cameras, etc in any checked luggage is a BAD idea.

mre5765

Not if it has valuables.

OP was very lucky.

LongingForORD

Glad they got everything back. It's horrible to have to "woulda, shoulda, coulda" after honestly following the rules.

LilAbner

So are you going to inform UA that your wife managed to retrieve the bags or are you going to leave them lost and try to get some goodies out of this?

LaserSailor

Oveseas in Timbuku, I agree (with apologies to fine people of Mali)

Domestically, the theft rate is overblown to the point of crescendo here on FT.

mherdeg

Does the "we don't reimburse stolen electronic equipment" exemption for checked luggage really also cover gate-checked luggage (which is presumably checked involuntarily?). Hmm. See some discussion about UA's obligations under the Montreal Convention, regardless of their own disclaimers, at http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...x-options.html .

mre5765

When I hear significant reports of people checking valuables incident free, I will believe you.

sfogate

I believe the Montreal Convention only applies to tickets with international segments. It's been several years since I worked in the Baggage Service department.

Often1

Checked bags are checked bags. Whether you check them curbside, at the counter or the gate. The exclusions apply and there is no way that UA (or any carrier) would reimburse for a laptop.

Agreed that OP is exceptionally lucky.

Steve M

Presumably, two laptop computers would fit underneath the seat. If the bins are full and your bags won't fit underneath the seat, then you may indeed be forced to "involuntarily" check the bags, but that doesn't mean that valuable contents that fit underneath the seat if removed from the bags are being involuntarily checked. And, if in a bulkhead seat, I'd be surprised to find that the nearby overhead bins are so full that a laptop computer could not fit.

I think the rules are quite clear: valuable equipment such as computers are not the airline's responsibility, whether in regular checked baggage, gate checked baggage, or carried aboard and stored in the cabin.