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Posted: **Tue Feb 28, 2006 8:07 am**

U.S. airlines last year lost about 10,000 bags a day on average, the worst performance since 1990.

The rate of lost suitcase reports per 1,000 passengers on flights soared 23% from a year earlier, according to recent numbers from the U.S. Department of Transportation. Among the reasons: a surge in the number of passengers, airline budget cuts, backed-up flights and tighter inspections of luggage.

In all, passengers filed with airlines more than 3.5 million reports of lost bags, most of which eventually find their way back to owners. Inside the 2005 numbers:

• US Airways, which exited Chapter 11 bankruptcy last year, had the highest lost-bag rate of major carriers.

• Southwest Airlines' rate of lost bags jumped nearly 27%. Southwest blames the airline's cranky new bag systems in Baltimore, Las Vegas and Phoenix.

• Delta Air Lines, third-biggest airline, lost more bags than any other carrier. Its customers filed 573,419 lost bag reports.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/biztravel ... usat_x.htm

Posted: **Tue Feb 28, 2006 8:18 am**

Tis the absolute truth!! If you remember my recent threads over my friend Jeff..who was soooo very sick....this is in fact one of his lines of business. He collects lost luggage from our local airports, freight as well...and delivers them to their lost "owners"

He is NEVER at a loss for work! One example of why is....if a plane is fully loaded with passengers...the weight factor comes into play...if they feel the plane is carrying too much weight for that particular flight...then some of the luggage is removed and placed on another who has the space for it. They certainly are not going to unload a paying passenger. I would never have known these things and quite a few others...without learning his business as a back up for such, ie, answering calls...rerouting the guys who deliver..etc. It is actually quite fascinating...and sometimes hilariously funny! The last one I had a laughing fit over was...customer complaint...I don't care about the damned bag...just get my teeth to me NOW!! I am hungry!!

Posted: **Tue Feb 28, 2006 8:25 am**

That LAN party I went to a couple of weekends ago....couple of guys came down from Canada....one of them, the package with his gaming rig went on another flight. Too them til late the next night to get it to him. The courier attempted to deliver it to the opposite end of the state the next day also..got the town wrong.

Posted: **Tue Feb 28, 2006 8:33 am**

And a perfect opportunity to list these too...thank you!

Things to pack on board with you...NOT to pack in stowaway luggage!

Any medications you may be taking.
Car and or house keys.
Travel papers.
Itenary or appointment schedules.
Phone book or contact numbers.
Jewely and valuables.
Any item you may need immediate access to
Travelers check receipts and or replacement forms.
Credit cards.

Always carry on one change of clothes.
Personal items such as toothpaste, brush, deodorant, change of undies...etc.
Comfortable walking shoes.
Sweater or jacket.

There's a good start

Posted: **Tue Feb 28, 2006 8:35 am**

And....don't forget your teeth!!!

Posted: **Tue Feb 28, 2006 8:37 am**

I never knew it was that frequent a problem...

Posted: **Tue Feb 28, 2006 11:11 am**

knightmare wrote:I never knew it was that frequent a problem...

Most people do not unless they are somehow employed in the industry one way or another. Another part of the problem is that all airlines constantly overbook..so as to insure as full a flight as possible. The trouble comes in when there are few or no cancellations...thus an overload both of passengers, luggage and freight...then the fun begins. Freight of course is the first thing transferred...then luggage to cargo carriers or whatever is next available for transport. It's quite a common practice among carriers of all sorts...but can certainly at times cause a different kind of "nightmare"!

Posted: **Tue Feb 28, 2006 5:32 pm**

the only time they lose my luggage is when i am not on a direct flight. wow though, 10 000 a day is a lot.

Posted: **Tue Feb 28, 2006 5:52 pm**

Terrorists have probably been delayed cuz of it too.

Osama "habib, we should have destroyed the whole country by now, what is wrong!"

Habib, " I am so sorry osama, but the airlines are constantly losing our supplies. 2 tons of C4, detenators, and security outfits sent over the last 2 months have turned into fireworks, radio contriolled cars and georgia state university cheerleading outfits"

Posted: **Tue Feb 28, 2006 5:52 pm**

MissTynker2 wrote:Tis the absolute truth!! If you remember my recent threads over my friend Jeff..who was soooo very sick....this is in fact one of his lines of business. He collects lost luggage from our local airports, freight as well...and delivers them to their lost "owners" He is NEVER at a loss for work! One example of why is....if a plane is fully loaded with passengers...the weight factor comes into play...if they feel the plane is carrying too much weight for that particular flight...then some of the luggage is removed and placed on another who has the space for it. They certainly are not going to unload a paying passenger. I would never have known these things and quite a few others...without learning his business as a back up for such, ie, answering calls...rerouting the guys who deliver..etc. It is actually quite fascinating...and sometimes hilariously funny! The last one I had a laughing fit over was...customer complaint...I don't care about the damned bag...just get my teeth to me NOW!! I am hungry!!

I used to do this also. I worked for one of those airport shuttles to and from the airport. There main line of business was transporting humanoids but they also had contracts with the airlines to deliver lost luggage.

There were designated drivers just for luggage but the people mover drivers also got an occaisonal luggage run. Kinda fun hauling luggage all over the state of Florida....get to see the sites.

I never knew it was that frequent a problem...

and it gets much worse around the Xmas holidays.

Posted: **Tue Feb 28, 2006 5:55 pm**

YeOldeStonecat wrote:That LAN party I went to a couple of weekends ago....couple of guys came down from Canada....one of them, the package with his gaming rig went on another flight. Too them til late the next night to get it to him. The courier attempted to deliver it to the opposite end of the state the next day also..got the town wrong.

I would be so pissed, if they lost my rig they would be out of business... or a few mil less in the bank for my emotional pain.

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Airlines lost 10,000 bags a day in '05

Airlines lost 10,000 bags a day in '05