Bally Sports reporter Michaela Bennett is mad at United over a checked bag that she got back at baggage claim, with her jewelry missing. It’s her second United trip in a row where things have gone south.
Gave @united another chance and now all my jewelry was stolen out of my checked bag. https://t.co/XV4MfiBVG3 pic.twitter.com/ASiF3NuvGe
— Michaela Bennett (@MichaelaB_22) August 20, 2024
When you check a bag with an airline, the airline is responsible for it even though they aren’t the only one that touches it.
You may have seen the slips that TSA sometimes sticks into bags saying that they’ve opened and inspected it, for instance. And when there is more than one airline on your itinerary, it’s the last airline before your destination that is responsible for it even if they aren’t the one that loses it.
There are plenty of stories I’ve seen about items being taken out of checked luggage, or entire bags being stolen (sometimes at baggage claim by another passenger – again, not the airline!). But it’s the last airline on your itinerary that’s generally on the hook.
Here’s a story that is more clearly the fault of a United employee. The customer service agent helping her rebook a flight told her she was going to be stuck for the night – stuck with him – and invited her to spend the night at his place (!). He wasn’t just trying to save her on hotel expense. And he didn’t stop there.
He goes “oh you have a boyfriend in (city). Well I can be your side piece”.
I walked away and sat down to charge my phone and he goes “can I flirt with you? we can go over there (points past an area) so my coworkers don’t see me flirt with you”.
….
— Michaela Bennett (@MichaelaB_22) July 17, 2024
I said “no im going to stay right here.” He then sat down next to me and He asked if he could have my number and I said no and walked to a different side of the terminal.
The lady next to me saw what occurred and said “what a creeper.”
— Michaela Bennett (@MichaelaB_22) July 17, 2024
That incident shouldn’t have ended with a tweet. She should’ve gotten his name and lodged a complaint with the airline. That would have been taken more seriously than lost jewelry.
Here’s a United Airlines passenger who checked a bag with a bottle of tequila. It came back opened and partially consumed.
- You can’t bring this through security because it’s a liquid and in 2006 there was a plot to bring liquid explosives through airport security in Britain (even Britain is moving past this rule).
- So you’re stuck trusting the airline and security staff with your booze.
- Your alcohol doesn’t always make it unscathed.
Language in this video, from a very unhappy passenger, is very much not safe for work (or for work from home):
So an employee at @united went in my luggage, crack open my bottle, took a shot & put it back. I should’ve known something was up when my shit was unzipped smh ♂️ pic.twitter.com/O4CqPiR9kr
— Rich Mac (@Mr_McLaurin) November 5, 2023
It’s had to pin lost items from luggage on United, even if they take ultimate responsibility. Last year a United Airlines passenger checked a bottle of expensive whiskey and got it back one-third empty. Until then I’d never seen a claim of a baggage handler drinking on the job between the time a bag is checked and when it is loaded onto the aircraft, or between the time it is unloaded and brought to baggage claim.
I wasn’t even sure when they would take a drink? Is there someone sitting, hiding, inside the baggage conveyance system of the airport, pulling checked bags off the belt knowing there’s alcohol inside… downing one third of the bottle, zipping the bag back up and sending it on its way? And why on earth would someone be taking one third of a bottle of scotch, instead of just taking the bottle of scotch?
Hey @united – bottle of expensive scotch in checked bag. Arrived opened and a third gone. No leakage. It was sealed new when packed and seal broken by opening. Your baggage handlers are thieves. pic.twitter.com/UHzTLzF4Eu
— Though it be not written down, I am an ass. (@TheDogberry) March 28, 2023
However United took responsibility for the one-third missing $100 whiskey with a $200 travel credit. Perhaps an employee wasn’t drinking on the job quickly but instead poured a third of the bottle into another container (all that fit in the container), which kept them from getting caught with a stolen bottle, or even with a bottle of whiskey on the job.
It’s harder to show that something happened with missing jewelry. The photos aren’t as compelling. So the passenger will have to file a claim and they’ll have a tougher time showing that the items were there in the first place, and how much they were worth. Checking expensive jewelry probably isn’t the best idea (indeed, traveling with expensive jewelry may not be, either).
Not clever. Expensive items such as jewelry shouldn’t be in checked bags just like not leaving a purse in a parked car in a city. If the jewelry isn’t in a carry-on bag or a personnel item, it should be shipped with insurance on it.
Why would anyone put a bottle in their checked bag? If the bottle is broken or begins to leak from the top one’s clothes would be ruined or at the least smell. As far jewelry, common sense would say nothing of high value, easily taken.
It’s beyond the pale to use the close up headshot of a female sexual assault victim as the preview pic for this blog post, given the salacious content that has preceded this post.
Doing something wrong the first time, and then doing the same thing again, and expecting better results is the definition of insanity. And what was she stuffing in her carry-on bag?
Several observations on parts of the postings:
1) I really think the young woman ought to have immediately sought out either Security and/or a UAL supervisor and made a complaint right then and there. It was, as described, a VERY serious breach of protocol and regulations!
2) When I have any jewelry (or anything of great personal value, for that matter), I never put it in a checked bag. It remains at all times on my person. I see that act of security as my responsibility, and not the airline’s.
3) I have, on rare occasion, packed a bottle of liquid (e.g., a bottle of wine as a gift for someone) in my checked bag. That being said, I make sure it is VERY securely (bubble, etc.) wrapped AND I reconcile myself in advance that “S*** happens,” and if it breaks, well… “c’est la vie.”
I can join in. Last week United EWR to LAX. Checked in early with family. All luggage secured with heavy duty combo locks with a TSA key slot. At LAX, the locks on two suitcases were missing. No apparent damage to suitcases. To my knowledge nothing missing inside. No TSA note. When TSA wants to see something they put the lock back on. Wondering if United folks were just opening bags looking for valuables (nothing valuable in ours).
To start, the Contract of Carriage from all the airlines with which I’m familiar do not accept liability for any of the following items packed in luggage of any kind: Antiques or artifacts, Artwork, Books or documents, Business equipment or samples, or marketing material, China or silverware, Computers, software or other electronics, Fragile items, Furs, Heirlooms, Jewelry, Keys, Liquids, Medication (over-the-counter), Money, Orthotics or surgical supports, Perishable items, Photographic, video or optical equipment, Precious metals or stones, Securities or negotiable papers, Time pieces, Unique, irreplaceable or similar valuable items. Essentially, if it’s breakable or valuable and it is broken or goes missing from your luggage, the airlines aren’t responsible for it and if you put in a claim for them, they’ll tell you sorry.
@DSK, many TSA compatible locks jam when TSA tries to open them. When that happens they cut the locks off and more often than not, toss them. Sometimes they’re throw them into the bag. Moreover, TSA isn’t the only group handling your luggage. Much of the handling done by the airlines is horrible. They could easily have knocked of the locks. I use numbered plastic tag ties myself. If TSA really has to get in they’ll break the tag and It will cost about a nickel to replace it. I travel with a bunch of them and replace as needed.
As to Michaela Bennett, kind of ridiculous and stupid on her part to pack that stuff in a second time. Heck, it shouldn’t have every been packed in the checked luggage. I guess Forest Gump is right, “Stupid is as stupid does.”
As to the bottle, I’ve packed liquids in my checked luggage every few years for a special reason. I pack it in dry bags and a blow up bottle. I’ve had just one broken bottle and the contents were well contained.
Crooks have TSA keys. For added security with checked baggage, I bought a collection of very small zip ties in several colors and use them to fasten the zipper pulls together in addition to using the TSA locks. The ties can be easily cut with scissors. If they arrive at my final destination in tact, then I’m fine. But if they are ever missing then I will know to inspect my luggage for loss and file a claim before leaving the baggage claim area.
Some people are too stupid to fly.
@InLA I’ve done the zip tie thing. I carry a nail clippers in my carry on to cut them. I’m aware “short” scissors are OK, but clippers seem less likely in concept to get flagged. No, I don’t clip my nails on a plane.
@SFO — the headshot is what the woman herself posted publicly on twitter in connection with the story. I can’t imagine it would bother her to see it used to share her story. Why does it bother you?
Sometimes you want to transport liquid. If breakable it’s in a tube and padded. In any case it’s wrapped in two watertight layers. I’ve had one minor leak–packing worked as intended, everything else was dry.
Blame Pete Buttigieg, Secretary of Transportation. On the other hand, Harris is great. She will make groceries cheaper. She said so. She will end price gouging on food. That is why she needs our vote.
All baggage handlers steal, they view it as part of their compensation for work, and the airlines are more than willing to pay out a certain amount of $$ in claims for it as compared to the much higher cost of hiring better people. If you don’t understand this and think that someone is going to make a big deal out of any particular incident and play detective over it, you need a reality check.
I’ve checked a case of beer before, in only it’s original paper board container. It made it fine, and saved me the huuuuuge tariffs on alcohol in Costa Rica..
Worked 30 years as a baggage handler at large city airport. Rifling through baggage just rarely happens. Way too busy… and cameras everywhere. Where would you hide stolen stuff, and how do you carry it out of the airport? Not so easy to do, and easy to be caught. Also, not worth losing your job over it. Honest employees will turn you in in a New York minute… and they will catch you sooner or later.
Jewelry, breakables, etc., are presumed not in checked luggage. You agree to that when you buy the ticket.
As far as the harassment from the UA employee, complaining then and there would have been the answer. Not tweeting about it. Really.
I once had an agent who apparently found a passenger he was checking in cute… so he had a coworker at the gate page said passenger up and verify his cell phone number “because we need it for flight status notices.” Then used another coworkers cell phone to text a pick up message and a photo of himself. Passenger lands 4 hours later and has a surprise. Well, for one was barking up the wrong tree. But that passenger did the right thing and complained immediately – starting with the Captain once they arrived at the gate in LAS. Of course can imagine where my day went after that… that day the BBC in my email was not a news alert.
@Waldo Pepper – your experience differs from my big city airport experience. Had oversight of a ramp/baggage environment from 2000 to 2017. Rifling baggage was commonplace. Sure, as a percentage of the total # of bags handled, the problem seemed small.
What typically happened were pattern thefts – occurred at certain times of day/night, flights to certain destinations targeted, certain brands of checked luggage targeted. The problem was the amount of time it took to break up the activity. Typically that was after having paid out thousands in claims.
I assisted our local airport police breakup a ring that was targeting several carriers, mine included. I once had to fire an employee who, while in the process of lifting items from a checked bag, removed his airport ID and placed it into said bag. We found out after the passenger filed their claim at LAS. In the interim, the soon-to-be ex-employee had reported their badge as “lost”.
My airport made great strides in improving the security environment during my tenure. That said, the efforts were not foolproof.
“Where would you hide stolen stuff, and how do you carry it out of the airport?” The stories I could tell….
Years ago I knew of an episode where a hired baggage handler did crawl up from the ramp into the baggage conveyor system where he could pull out bags and open them and no one could see him. He was caught and fired of course.
Air Pods are a great idea now, but only if your bag is actually stolen and not simply items inside. Unless the thief can be seen on the surveillance cameras, you’re not going to know who opened your bag.
The airlines have to hire thousands of guys and there are always a few bad apples. This isn’t like the old days when Delta would start college grads on the ramp at night. Delta no longer pays the kind of wages that makes that possible.
SFO/EWR what in heaven’s name are you blathering about?!