Ever wonder what happens to all the luggage the airlines lose? It goes to the Unclaimed Luggage Center in Scottsboro, AL which buys the luggage from the airlines and then sells the contents. Helllooo. . . does anyone else think this is now a profit center for the airlines: selling luggage for which they probably made no effort to trace the owner. I can understand baggage handlers maybe losing the identification off a bag but ALL the bags have no ID? I'm willing to be persuaded that the airlines are honorable in trying to locate owners but I am having a tough time believing anything positive about an industry that so consistently screws the people who pay them. Any thoughts?

I've traveled with the airlines, many times a year, for more than 30 years. Only once has any piece of luggage of mine been lost - a small bag, black, of mostly toiletries. When it didn't show up on the carousel, the clerk actually went onto the plane looking for it, thinking it might have been missed in a dark corner because it was black and so small. It was delivered to my front porch the following morning. Every bag should have an ID tag not only on the outside, but on the INSIDE as well - in case the outside tag somehow becomes detached. It's also prudent to tuck your destination and dates just inside each bag, so they'll know where to send it when found. Believe me, I am no huge fan of the airlines in general, but I've been real lucky with luggage.

I concur with Donna. Label your bag with ID and a way of getting in contact with you on the outside and inside of the luggage.

In 35 years of flying I have had 2 damaged bags and one suitcase decided to stay a day longer in San Francisco where I changed planes. All were delivered to me within 36 hours and I received reimbursement or repair for damages.

I sincerely doubt your proposal that the airlines are losing bags so they can sell the contents.

The notion that airlines try not to find missing bags just so they can sell the contents is ludicrous. Airlines pay a LOT of money for lost baggage and their contents. The only ones that get sold off (for pennies, by the way) are the ones that the airline simply has no clue as to its rightful owner. If your name is on the outside AND the inside, it's nearly impossible for your stuff to end up in Scottsboro!

Well, the real way to know if this is a "profit center" for the airlines is to find out if the ULC pays the airlines more than the amount the airlines pay you when they lose your luggage. I doubt it. It seems like just a cheap, easy way for the airlines to get rid of the stuff.

Believe me, you're not going to find many cheerleaders for the airlines in this forum, but I think this is just an off-base conspiracy theory.

Jim, please get off the crack pipe.