Track your bags when flying!

[DTM72]

I had a table at the OVMS “Show of Shows” this past weekend. Had a table right by Matt Brice of St. Croix blades, and also near Matt Jerrel of Sohei Swords. Had a great show and sold 5 swords. One customer asked about flying with swords and guns. I told him to use an Apple AirTag or something like it. <~~cursed myself.

When flying home, I had a direct flight with no layover. I used the tag on the fight there since I had a layover. All was fine. I did not use it on the return flight since it was direct. Sure enough, some freaking how, they never put the case on the plane. I get to my home airport and wait for it to come out with the other bags…it never showed! I went straight to the ticket counter and raised holy hell! They interviewed the ground crew here in Charleston and they never saw the case on the plane. The next call was to Kentucky. The airline talked to the ground crew there and they quickly found it…still there!

Lucky for me, the case is airtight and waterproof. They arranged for it to be returned to today, and all is finally well.

LESSON TO ALL! If I had the AirTag I would have seen the case was not on the plane, and could have saved myself a near heart attack! It is a cheap insurance policy to protect our valuable items. I had two matchlocks, 12 swords and two 50 year old shotguns my father gave to me that morning. This could easily have gone very bad. I trusted the airline to get it right and it went very wrong. US D.O.T. law limits an airlines liability to $4200 for lost luggage. I had more than that in the case! D.O.T. Law also orders airlines to refund your luggage fees if your luggage arrives more than 24 hours late. Additionally the airline must reimburse you for replacement clothes, toiletries, etc., that you have to purchase while waiting for your bags to arrive.

 Hope this never happens to anyone else. Let my close call be a lesson for you as we go into sword show season.

Dan

[atm]

A valuable lesson, for sure. I’m glad it worked out okay in the end.