Gate-checked bag went missing -- laptop inside
November 26, 2019 1:44 PM
I was on a crowed American Airlines flight with a connection through Charlotte airport yesterday. I was in the back of the line, so by the time I was ready to board, overhead compartment space was no longer available, so I and several other passengers were forced to "gate-check" our carry-on luggage. I had two laptop computers with me, so I took one out for the flight, but I left the other in my gate-checked bag. Then, the bag went missing...
The bag had some other fairly valuable things in it too-- my medications, glasses, charger cables, and a bunch of bills and paperwork that I planned to sort out once I got to my destination.
When I got to the Charlotte connection, they did not bring the vallet bags up to front of the gate (which I'm used to) and the attendant said they would be checked all the way to my destination. Well, my bag did not show up at the destination either.
While I'm reasonably sure that my bag will turn up at some point, I'm not as sure that it will arrive with my laptop still in it. I read that American will not cover theft/damage to computers on checked luggage--but does this also apply in the case of "gate-checked" bags? Do I have any recourse if this happens?
The bag had some other fairly valuable things in it too-- my medications, glasses, charger cables, and a bunch of bills and paperwork that I planned to sort out once I got to my destination.
When I got to the Charlotte connection, they did not bring the vallet bags up to front of the gate (which I'm used to) and the attendant said they would be checked all the way to my destination. Well, my bag did not show up at the destination either.
While I'm reasonably sure that my bag will turn up at some point, I'm not as sure that it will arrive with my laptop still in it. I read that American will not cover theft/damage to computers on checked luggage--but does this also apply in the case of "gate-checked" bags? Do I have any recourse if this happens?
You should have received a claim tag associated with your record locator. When you enter that information into AA's Track your bags page, does anything show up?
posted by evoque at 2:34 PM on November 26, 2019
posted by evoque at 2:34 PM on November 26, 2019
Begin the tweet storm!
posted by heathrowga at 2:54 PM on November 26, 2019
posted by heathrowga at 2:54 PM on November 26, 2019
Well, the good news is the bag has been located--yay! TBD on laptop. I'll know in a few hours!
posted by tealcoffeecup at 3:25 PM on November 26, 2019
posted by tealcoffeecup at 3:25 PM on November 26, 2019
Bag recovered and nothing missing! Faith in humanity, restored!
posted by tealcoffeecup at 6:14 PM on November 26, 2019
posted by tealcoffeecup at 6:14 PM on November 26, 2019
FWIW, I've heard the flight attendants tell people to pull their laptop and anything else particularly valuable out of bags they were gate checking, so I think the assumption is you are expected to do that.
posted by COD at 5:50 AM on November 27, 2019
posted by COD at 5:50 AM on November 27, 2019
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by beagle at 1:58 PM on November 26, 2019