Airlines around the world collectively transport billions of luggage pieces every year. Errors can occur during the process of transporting luggage, and some bags do not end up at their intended destinations. Airlines use very sophisticated tracing systems to reunite unclaimed bags with their owners, and they have achieved a remarkable success rate of 99.9%. Nonetheless, since so many luggage pieces are transported every year, the total number of lost pieces is still very high.
When an airline finds unclaimed bags, it takes extensive measures to try to return them to their owners. The airline staff will search the bags to look for the owners’ identifications, and they will call the owners if they find their contact details. If they fail to find any identification, they will put descriptions of the bags in a global luggage tracer system. After three months, unclaimed luggage pieces will either be sold to the public at low prices or donated to charities. Many people are interested in buying lost luggage, because there is a chance that they will get valuable items at unbelievable prices.
Unclaimed luggage in United States airports usually ends up at the Unclaimed Baggage Center, which is located in Scottsboro, Alabama. People travel to this center from all over the country in the hope that they will find good bargains. This 40,000-square-foot facility receives more than 7,000 items every day, and most of these items are offered for sale to the public. Visitors will find a huge selection of products, including clothes, books, sports equipment, laptops, electronic gadgets, jewelry, souvenirs, and others. Some of the interesting items that were previously found in luggage pieces at the center included a gorgeous platinum ring with a 5.8-carat diamond, a 40.95-carat emerald, a falcon mummy, a parachute, an F-16 guidance system, and a full suit of armor. The Unclaimed Baggage Center has a branch called the UBC Etc. in Boaz, Alabama.
Losing luggage can be a terrible experience for travelers, especially if they have valuable items in their bags. Most airlines offer compensation for lost luggage, but the amount is often much less than the actual value of the luggage. One thing that travelers can do to ensure that they will get adequate financial recovery is to get a travel insurance policy that features lost luggage coverage. Travelers who are bringing expensive items on their vacations should apply for higher lost luggage compensation when they purchase their travel insurance plans.
