If you travel with checked luggage, you will know that if all goes well, no matter how many times you make a turn, it will eventually arrive at the same place as you at the end of the trip, unless you have other requirements. What is not yet clear is what happened to the checked baggage during its owner’s boarding to ensure that it eventually reached exactly where it should be.
Luggage and Connecting Flights
Not all flights are direct; for example, you can travel from Los Angeles to Washington, DC, stopping in Detroit on the way. If you just land at the airport before the transfer, there is no need to pick up your checked luggage at the baggage claim office. Because the luggage is checked directly to your final destination, you can grab a cup of airport coffee or magazine during your stay and relax, knowing that your luggage will meet you at the last stop.
Luggage and Layovers
According to your travel plan, some connecting flights will stopover overnight. In this case, it is possible that the airline has not checked your luggage to the final destination. If you want to transfer for the night, you can request to pick up your luggage at the baggage claim area so that you can take all your belongings. However, you need to re-check your luggage in the morning, so plan to go through security again in extra time. Different airlines have different rules for overnight transfers and checked baggage, so ask in advance to avoid confusion.
Multiple operators, multiple rules
If you have interline flights with different airlines, your checked luggage may not go directly to your final destination, so be sure to ask at the ticket office. Some airlines require you to retrieve your checked baggage and re-check the tickets involving multiple airlines with the transit airline. Other airlines that often operate jointly will always check your luggage until your final destination, regardless of whether you are flying on two or even three different airlines. When planning your trip, confirm with the airline whether your luggage will be checked to your final destination.
Game system
Some so-called savvy travelers try to save money by booking flights that they do not intend to fully use. For example, for some reason, it may be cheaper to book a flight from San Diego to Portland, Oregon with a stopover in San Francisco—maybe the airline is promoting it, or it may be just a cheaper route. Although the airline explicitly prohibits this, some travelers may book a full ticket from San Diego to Portland and then get off the plane in San Francisco, where they have always wanted to go. Although it is not against the law, it is against the regulations, and even if you request to retrieve it during the transit, your checked baggage may be lost in the process.
Airlines make mistakes
Due to the airline's error, the checked baggage may not reach the final destination-that is, someone put your baggage on the wrong plane. Put more clothes in your carry on backpack, make sure you have enough travel insurance to compensate for the lost luggage, and pray for good luck. Putting an identity tag on your checked luggage can help the luggage return smoothly. If you find that your checked baggage is not in the same place as you, go to the airline's service desk and fill out a property irregularity report. Your bag will be found and returned to you within a few days. If you still cannot find it after 21 days, your luggage will be officially declared "lost" and you can claim it with the airline.
