There’s nothing more frustrating than flying to a faraway destination, only to find out that your checked bag got lost in transit or ended up somewhere else.
Many travelers may wonder how the horror of lost luggage even happens. So an airport employee at Southern California’s Ontario International Airport shared why someone can lose their luggage in transit.
“Let’s say you flew on an American plane [Airlines]and then a month later you were flying southwest,” the airline worker began in a clip posted to the TikTok account of the airport, which is located in Ontario, California, east of downtown Los Angeles.
In the video from August 22, a worker was unloading luggage in a part of the terminal that is not accessible to passengers.
“Well, there’s a little sticker that goes for an American [Airlines] that tells the computer to go there,” he continued, pointing to the suitcases piled up next to the baggage carousel.
“So if your month-old US sticker is there, there’s a chance they’ll scan it instead of this one. It just depends on what time it is and where the thing is. It could end up there and not get on the plane,” he added, pointing outside cameras to a place far from the carousel.
The person behind the camera admitted that she was “doing that,” adding: “I’ve left stickers before, so that’s good to know.”
Many airlines don’t consider your luggage lost until 14 days after your flight, according to the DoT. (Photography).
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Since being uploaded to TikTok, the clip has garnered more than 20,000 likes, with nearly 400 comments from users. Some assumed it was “common sense” to remove the old airport markings.
“I always assumed this was common sense. Airlines won’t even put new stickers on your bag until the old one is removed,” wrote one commenter.
“Why don’t they code the expiration date on the label,” asked another TikToker.
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As airlines continue to be short-staffed – with the holiday travel season approaching – there have been reports of airports struggling to track lost luggage. Passengers can use portable tracking devices to track their luggage.
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“I’m obsessed with luggage trackers,” Kara Harms, CEO of lifestyle blog Whimsy Soul, told PEOPLE in August. “I’m a checked bag person and before I started using trackers I was a nervous wreck at every baggage carousel, not knowing if my bag would show up or not. Now I love being able to sit in my lounge and watch my bags being loaded onto or off my plane.”
According to the Department of Transportation, most airlines won’t declare your luggage lost until at least five days after your flight.
“Once an airline determines that your bag is lost, the airline is responsible for compensation for the contents of your bag — subject to depreciation and maximum liability limits,” according to the department’s website. “Airlines are also required to refund any fees you paid to the airline for carriage of the lost bag.”
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education