Should I notify the airline (or anyone) if I know I will be delayed picking up my checked luggage
I frequently end up spending more time inside security after landing (on domestic US flights). Usually it's because I want to hit a specific coffee shop that is in the secure area; in a few months I will be waiting for my girlfriend's flight that arrives about 20 minutes after mine.
Usually I get to baggage claim and my suitcases have been taken off the carousel for me and set aside. Not a big deal, however I wonder if I should inform someone ahead of time as a matter of courtesy, and if so whom?
Best Answer
Baggage claim areas for domestic flights are typically in public areas. So you have a few issues to deal with.
Security may (or may not) notice your bag on the carousel after everything else has gone. You now have to spend extra time searching for security.
If there are many flights, another flight's bags may be using the same carousel by the time you get there. So your bag is still going around and around but you don't know where because your flight dropped off the sign.
Your bag is at a much higher risk of theft. If it's just sitting there when the rest of the flight is gone, a thief will think (correctly) that they can probably pick up the bag and get out of the airport before anyone notices.
The airlines will do nothing for you here. WAY too much work to single out one bag at the destination and hold it somewhere.
So which is more important to you? The caramel Caffè Marocchino in concourse B, or not having your suitcase stolen?
Note: none of the above applies to international arrivals. Arriving and departing passengers are completely separate, there are NO services of any kind between the gate and immigration, you cannot return and claim your bag later, and anyone loitering around in an obvious way will either be hustled out the door by security or put in an interview room for a while.
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How do airlines handle delayed arrival of suitcases?
Typically you should find the counter somewhere in the area where you've been waiting for your bags to arrive. Major airlines, especially those using the airport as a hub, will run their own service for lost or delayed baggage. The airline's logo will indicate the counter you should proceed to.What should I do if my luggage is delayed?
Here are a few steps to take when your luggage is lost.What happens to checked bags when flight is delayed?
The airline will reroute your checked bag to your destination (or wherever you ask them to) as best it can, and it will deliver the bag to you at no charge (although you may wait a day or two or even longer, depending upon how bad the delay is).Lost luggage: What happens to your baggage after check-in
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Answer 2
I took the trip a few weeks ago. When I arrived, I asked the gate agent if there's anything I need to do, and they said the bag would just be waiting for me when I got there, which it was.
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