Oh relax richmond and stop making assumptions about people or reading more into their words than they have actually writen.

No one said the OP was stupid. No one said it was ok for someone to take the iPad either or blamed the OP for the theft. Theft happens, it sucks, but there are ways to guard against it. Nothing is fool proof, but there are things you can do to mitigate the risk.

I travel for work a lot - my computer bag fits under the seat on every plane I have ever flown in. No problem. If I have to bring more work stuff than will fit under the seat, I either ship it ahead or (if paper, such as training materials) have a Kinkos or someplace at my destination print it out. No need to lug it all on a plane.

My gps was taken firm my checked suitcase going from jfk to flu. I share your pain tho mine was much less. Thanks for reminding us that we must keep our valuables in our hands at all times.

Spiro: I have to say, you remind me of my nice dad telling stories to highlight his thoughts.
I actually got my sandwich at the clubhouse of a golf course in Connecticut from where my friends drove me directly to JFK. You might even wonder if my iPad could have disappeared at the airport spa while my eyes were closed; well just to clear any confusion, I had my iPad with me going through the security check AFTER the massage.

I just read this online and thought of this post. It might be worth it to file a claim with Virgin.

http://money.msn.com/identity-theft/...4-3377744e1b86

Just occurred to me, did you have the "Find my iPad" function turned on?

Unfortunately I didn't install Find my iPad, that was the first question they asked to determine whether it's in JFK or SFO.
Thanks for the money magazine article. It renews my hope of recollecting it in case it fell out of the carry on since it arrived unzipped. I just called Virgin Bagagge center again and crossing my fingers even though I'm already using a new iPad.

I'd say the issue was that they didn't tell you they were going to check it. Sorry to hear you lost it. I would be so angry.

Sorry if anyone seemed unsympathertic. But I have traveled literally hundreds of times with presentations to the "big wigs" - in fact I am one of the "big wigs" at times - and my oversize computer bag (with full size laptop, accoutrements, hard copy files and even handouts - has always fit under the seat in front of me without any trouble. If you are talking about full-size presentation boards - they won;t fit under the seat or in any overhead bin - and you need to get there early and throw yourself on the mercy of the FAs to slip this behind the last row of first class - between that and the bulkhead - the only place it will fit.

And while no one should steal anything - ever, the fact it that their are thieves in every airport - and every passenger needs to be responsible for their own belongings - and have their wits about them to minimize the chance of losing anything.

DAX knew what to do (grab the ipad out of the carryon before it got checked) but simply wasn't given the warning or opportunity to do it. That to me IS the fault of the flight attendant. Not to warn the person first, "I'm going to have to gate check this bag because there's no room here."

I will say I have seen people who have been told they have to check the bag at the plane step back out and take things out. DH would assuredly do that with his meds. Travelling does require keeping things in priorities. I am sorry it happened, of course, but as for the rest of us, it is a word to the wise.

Years ago (when I worked in the Airline industry) JFK was know for this kind of thing ... I guess things have not changed.

They have the ability to look into every piece of luggage and see if there's something they want ... they can take it (even if it is locked)!

They won't put cameras in to monitor the baggage areas until an enterprising terrorist uses one of those areas to put something INTO a bag instead of joining the multitiudes taking things out.

I realized this is a VERY late reply but haven't been on these forums in several years. I write to say that in the last 4 or so months I read or saw a news story re this very same thing and am almost 100% certain that under these circumstances the AIRLINE is liable for your loss. The main reason is that your luggage was involuntarily re-situated outside of your dominion and control by an airline employee. After all, you DID bring the bag and item(s) onto the plane with reasonable expectation that YOU would be able to account for its use and safekeeping, and that right was taken away from you. I would think you would have an even stronger case because the attendant told you it would be located "elsewhere" presumably in the main cabin and in fact was placed in the hold where it is available for others to handle. If I were you -- or others who are in this situation -- I strongly recommend you research your rights. But in this particular case the airline owes you a reasonable replacement value.