Many TPGers solely journey with carry-on baggage and refuse to verify baggage. However for longer journeys, it is typically onerous to keep away from checking a bag. (So far as I am involved, it is mainly why Apple AirTags have been invented.)
Airways have vastly improved their expertise, so you may observe your checked bag’s progress throughout journey and obtain alerts about what baggage carousel it is going to land at. Nevertheless, in case you have lately checked a bag, you might have observed an odd development: The listed carousel quantity is usually improper.
So when does this develop into an precise problem and never simply an inconvenience? This is what it’s good to know.
What is going on on with baggage carousels?
Should you’ve performed this sport of “baggage roulette,” you in all probability waited for what felt like an extremely lengthy (like a nail-biting, is-my-bag-ever-going-to-appear lengthy) time, solely to seek out your bag circling on an infinite loop on one other carousel. You aren’t alone, although.
In a short TPG Lounge ballot on Fb, we recognized 16 airports the place readers lately had this expertise. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Worldwide Airport (ATL), Ronal Reagan Washington Nationwide Airport (DCA) and Phoenix Sky Harbor Worldwide Airport (PHX) all appeared as repeat offenders.
“This simply occurred final Tuesday at EWR. The announcement, app and the carousel signal have been incorrect,” one TPG Lounge member instructed us. As somebody who flies out of Newark Liberty Worldwide Airport (EWR) method too usually, I can add that this has occurred to me lately, too; United Airways lastly received my bag to me after a prolonged 45-minute delay.
One other TPG Lounge member who works at an airline gave us this inside bit of data: “As an airline worker in Denver, we normally ship up the bags on the introduced and posted carousel. Now and again we have now to make use of a special one proper subsequent door. The explanation normally is as a result of one other airline is obstructing the place we drop-off the luggage.”
Whereas this is sensible, the frequency with which we have been seeing this discrepancy makes us marvel if there’s some strategy to get compensated for our time (and our agita once we’re looking at an empty carousel).
Associated: Misplaced vs. delayed baggage: How are they totally different and the way do you shield your self?
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Do airways supply bag ensures?
The reply is, nicely, typically. Within the case of two airways, you may be rewarded for standing on the proper carousel when your baggage do not present up — for those who’ve been ready lengthy sufficient.
When you’re ready to your bag, set a stopwatch. When you hit 20 minutes, you may proceed to assert your miles.
Associated: Delta’s bag assure not going wherever: Tips on how to earn bonus miles with checked bag ensures from Delta and Alaska
For Delta, you may submit the declare on-line — simply have your journey particulars, together with your affirmation quantity, readily available. The app will verify that you simply have been ready previous the 20-minute promised time. Then, go to the declare submission web page, enter your data inside three days of your flight’s arrival and click on “Submit.” If authorised, the bonus miles may take as much as two weeks to submit. (Be aware that there are some fine-print guidelines.)
The method is totally different for Alaska. There is not any on-line submission possibility, so it’s essential to converse to an Alaska baggage agent on the airport inside two hours of your flight’s arrival to submit a declare. Should you assume you are eligible, be sure you do not go away the airport earlier than chatting with somebody. As I discussed earlier, you are additionally not obligated to pick out the miles — a $25 nontransferable voucher (redeemable on the airline’s web site) can also be an possibility. Should you do choose the miles, although, they need to submit inside three days. You’ll be able to view the full phrases on-line.
Backside line
Checked baggage are a booming income stream for airways — U.S.-based carriers collected virtually $33 billion in charges in 2023 alone. However, as many people uncover the onerous method, a checked bag would not all the time find yourself the place it is alleged to be. Though having a suitcase waylaid to a different carousel is extra irritating than trip-ruining, it could possibly nonetheless be a disturbing and time-consuming occasion.
Should you’re flying Delta or Alaska and your baggage go to a special carousel than they’re alleged to, you might be able to obtain compensation (in the event that they take greater than 20 minutes to reach). This coverage is nice for vacationers, and it is a critical incentive to verify your bag (particularly if you are able to do so at no cost). Moreover, having a transparent time constraint like this makes it simpler for airline workers to supply top-rate service and hopefully get your bag to the right carousel earlier than you develop into crazy.
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