As I boarded Virgin America from JFK to SFO, the flight attendant told me that there's no space left for my carryon in the cabin above my seat so he grabbed it to find space elsewhere. As I settled in my seat I realized that I needed to get my iPad but the flight attendant told me that he actually checked in my carryon from the gate at no charge as he could not find space and handed me a small baggage tag. I was completely dumbfounded since my carryon was not locked but it's just not possible to retrieve it according to the attendant.

No surprise, my unlocked carryon arrived on the carousel in SFO and my iPad was gone!
Virgin America agents (ground and on the phone) told me that's unusual and unfortunately they are not liable for anything missing inside a locked or unlocked luggage even when it was taken on board from a passenger. They told me that I should call the JFK police department to report that my iPad was stolen but they are not liable for it as written in their online ticket contract of carriage.

The lesson here is never entrust your carryon to any flight attendant at Virgin America.

I am sorry but I think "the lesson" is not that the flight attendant cannot be trusted. You are implying THAT person stole your belongings and you have absolutely no proof that is the case.

I suppose since you have given absolutely no further details you at least MIGHT HAVE decided to put that carryon UNDER the seat in front of you if nothing else.

I am sure everyone who responds is going to tell you how sorry they are for your loss and that includes myself but I resent your implication as I am certain others will as well.

Actually, I didn't infer that at all. I do think the lesson is to make sure the bag they take from you (on Virgin or otherwise) is NOT going to be checked unless and until you remove any valuables.

I have a hard time believing that your bag would have arrived if someone had actually taken something.

I doubt seriously that the flight atnd. would have been able to take something. It might have been possible for someone handling the luggage to do so. Either scenario is pretty unlikely, as it would be pretty risky.

I always hate to admit that I have layed something down-especially after I have sworn that I know right where I placed the item. But, it is possible that you layed it down in a chair, while looking at a magazine in a bookstore, while getting something to eat, or while paying for the cup of starbucks before you got on the plane.

I agree that the lesson is to keep your valuables with you. It is a hard lesson, but it is just the way it works. The only space you are guaranteed for your carryon luggage is the space under the seat in front of you. All valuables should be in something that can fit under that seat. You take a risk placing valuables in anything that you intend to put in the overhead compartment because it could end up being checked. And don't think that locking your luggage will stop a thief - luggage locks are easy to pick and if you have zippered luggage, a person can get through the zipper with a pen just as quickly as they can unzip an unlocked bag.

thanks for sharing as that can happen to any of us. I've read and watched TV shows about employees in baggage handling stealing things from suitcases. Will be more aware myself next time the flight attendant takes my bag out of my view.

You should write emails and letters to as many Virgin America top exe as you can find. I doubt it'll do any good, but who knows.

The agent should never have gate checked your bag without first telling you.

The lessons are:

1) don;t take on board more than you can fit under the seat in front of you (unless you know you will have overhead space - in first class or early boarding (as flights are almost all full gate checking is VERY common) - and iPads are so small I can;t imagine it wouldn't fit under the seat in front

2) if you hand something for gate checking do NOT leave any valuable in it - but make the FA waits for a few seconds while you pull out anything valuable

Sorry this has happened - but you need to keep your carry-ons small and valuables a priority.

Bottom line. No one has the right to take anything that does not belong to them whether the luggage was locked or not. Unfortunately, it does happen and it was an expensive price to pay. The flight attendant should have told you it was going to be checked so you could have removed your ipad, etc.

Yes, ultimately it's my fault for not being quick enough to grab my iPad out of my carry on IMMEDIATELY. The attendant took my carry on before my seatmates even got up to allow me to get to my window seat.

I was trying to cooperate since they were in a rush to get everyone ready. I even had my sandwich and book still inside my carry on and they made it all the way to SFO.

I appreciate the head's up and a possibility to think about. If you ever had to run and barely make a connection because your first flight was late, flown with kids etc you might not have gotten every valuable thing out or under the seat. I have a camera bag with $6,000 of cameras and lenses that I always carry-on when on vacation that is too tight under the seat. If I had to give it to a stewardess to stow up front I would be horrified if it was actually checked and thrown around much less stolen. Now if that happens I will say STOP I will wear my cameras around my neck.
It is funny how cynical and unsympathetic Fodorites can be. All bad luck is always due to the "stupidity"
of the traveler. If you have never been held up or had your home or car broken into, enjoy your naivite Just last week a kid on my son's football team got busted for stealing someone's stuff. Replies to this post have said "don't blame the flight attendant" but at the same time "how can you be so stupid as to let the flight attendant take your IPad"?
If I told you about the time someone stole the wicker furniture off my mother's porch, would you believe her or say she "misplaced" it?
I just wish airlines would give us our one bin space and stop the bin hoggers!!

Also for whoever said you should never carry-on anything valuable unless it will fit under the seat, that's absurd! So if someone has an important presentation with the "big wigs" etc for work they should check their briefcase with laptop and important files if it won't go under the seat? That's really fun when your bag gets lost and doesn't arrive with you.

<It is funny how cynical and unsympathetic Fodorites can be.>

Well said richmond706.

Sorry. I am not unsympathetic to the OP, but if you know your camera bag won't fit under the seat, you are unwise to carry it on the assumption that someone else is going to leave room for you. Leave $1000 worth of equipment home and maybe it will fit. As to your second point, I have yet to see a briefcase that will not fit under the seat in front unless you are in an exit row.

With so many flights now, even long ones, on "junior jets" you have to assume that your carry on is going to be gate checked and your so-called "personal item" is all you can take. If it is expensive, electronic, or mission critical, it needs to go in your "personal item" that fits under the seat. Period. This is flying in the 21st century.

That said, I have seen people leave Kindles and phones on their seat in the departure area when their rows are called. The excitement/stress of getting on board overcomes their good judgement. I have left a digital audio player and headphones on a plane after a rough flight because I was so glad to get off!

"I have seen people leaving their kindles on their seats in the departure area..."
>

My plane left from gate A2 in Terminal 4 which is literally next to the security check. I put my sandwich and iPad in my carryon after going through the security check and I walked directly to my gate to board the plane as it was already boarding time (no sitting down/shopping after security)
I didn't get to eat my sandwich which by the way made it to SFO inside the carry on.

The current Terminal 4 at JFK has a good size shopping mall and an airport spa (where I had a pre-flight massage) BEFORE the security check. 
http://www.jfkiat.com/shops.html

Sadly, it's not at all unusual to have expensive items stolen at JFK airport (ipads and computers are top targets), which is one of the worst airports in the country for such thefts. It's a harsh lesson, but it's one you've now learned. Items have also been stolen (by TSA agents or baggage handlers) from checked luggage, usually after it's taken away for security screening.

I always put expensive things in my "personal item" which I know will always fit under my seat if necessary. If I have a "carry on" it never contains anything I can't afford to lose. That's the way you have to pack these days.

Also, you should lock your carry-on as a matter of practice ... it's not unusual for items to be stolen from overhead bins, either, particularly if they are in an area far away from the passenger to whom they belong.

You really should file a claim for stolen property with the airline (even if they aren't liable) so you have that for your insurance (an ipad is expensive and likely more than your deductible). I'd also file a complaint with the FAA; they track stolen items and produce reports.

The point is - you can only control what YOU do. No matter how much you try you can;t control the actions of others.

So - if you have a problem the sensible thing to do is to figure out what YOU can do to prevent it happening again. Now, sometimes that just isn't possible. But it's always best to try to figure out how you can solve the problem - since you have a much greater interest in doing so than the service people involved.

Good suggestions Doug, at this point I don't care much about the cost of the iPad anymore, I was previously concerned about the emails & data inside but I've managed to take care of it.
Filing with my insurance may bring a couple hundred at best after the deduction plus my rate may go up so not worth it.
Filing a complaint with the FAA for the stats sounds correct but it feels like a negative/spiteful thing to do knowing it would not bring back my iPad back. Looking back it was an honest mistake, the attendant meant well in giving me a complimentary baggage check in since there was no space, he was just too quick/efficient.

Exactly my thoughts nytraveler.

I will say that people don't do the right thing anymore. If someone did find it, very few people these days do the right thing and return it, they simply think finders keepers. I personally would never feel right, especially if it were anything of much value or someones personal info-like a computer or something.

I'm sure you did put it in your bag, but if you haven't called the sandwich place, maybe it would be worth checking. I just know how often I loose/misplace somethinge. My wife does too. I do know that it is very frustrating to have something stolen. I don't feel that I should have to pay $45 per month to have my house alarm/monitored, but I do. Stealing has always been a problem and always will be.

Funny story--my mom and dad left their car running while he unloaded it, checked in, and got on the plane. He forgot to go back and park it. He was on the airplane and called me(we live about 15 minutes away) and said they were closing the door and it suddenly hit him that he never parked the car-flight attend. said he couldn't get off the plane. Now this is a small airport(FSM)only 10 flights a day or so. They leave a police car parked outside, but I have never seen anyone actually patrolling. Anyway, he departed on the plane and I went to the airport and parked it for him. It was still running.