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?

posted by tealcoffeecup to Travel & Transportation around United States (6 answers total)

Their policy states unequivocally that computers, among other things, are not covered. There's no exception for gate-checking. I suggest you get on the horn during normal business hours with the highest-ranking person you can get through to in their baggage service department, and see what kind of commitment you can get with regard to your computer. Documenting with them in advance that you had a computer in there, and the fact that you were required to gate-check it with scant time available, and being very persistent, might help you get an exception to the policy.
posted by beagle at 1:58 PM on November 26, 2019 [6 favorites]

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

Begin the tweet storm!
posted by heathrowga at 2:54 PM on November 26, 2019 [4 favorites]

Response by poster: 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 [6 favorites]

Response by poster: Bag recovered and nothing missing! Faith in humanity, restored!
posted by tealcoffeecup at 6:14 PM on November 26, 2019 [64 favorites]

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 [1 favorite]