luggage news stories on Newser

TSA Agent Lets Rapper Keep Weed, Leaves Note

Dustin Lushing — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 19:00:05 CST

TSA agents are basically known for collectively killing America's buzz, but here's an unusual exception out of the Denver International Airport: A TSA agent there discovered marijuana in rapper Freddie Gibbs' luggage, but instead of confiscating the weed, the baggage screener just left an admonishing note reading, "C'mon son." The...

Contortionist Luggage Thief Hid in Suitcase

Thu, 09 Jun 2011 13:27:47 CDT

A man was arrested in Spain after curling himself up inside a large suitcase that was placed in an airport bus cargo bay and sneaking out to steal from other people's luggage, police said today. The man arrested last week was 5-10 and very thin, and an accomplice was also...

Leopards, Monkeys, Bear Found in Airport Bags

Matt Cantor — Fri, 13 May 2011 14:32:05 CDT

Thai officials today nabbed a Dubai-bound man who was hauling “a virtual zoo” of endangered creatures around the Bangkok airport. When they opened his bags, they found a yawning bunch of sedated newborns: two leopards, two panthers, two macaque monkeys, and an Asiatic black bear, the AP reports. Anti-trafficking authorities...

Spirit Air Rolls Out Carry-on Fees

Sun, 01 Aug 2010 16:20:52 CDT

Spirit Airlines rolled out its new fees on carry-on baggage today, lauding the move as a way to save time in loading and unloading planes. "The check-in process is going well so far," said a spokeswoman. Since airlines started charging for checked luggage, more passengers have brought carry-on bags. Spirit's...

Airline Sued for $5M Over Lost Bag

Rob Quinn — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 06:29:00 CDT

Airlines that lose people's bags shouldn't be charging them for the service, says an angry passenger suing American Airlines. Danielle Covarrubias has launched a $5 million class action suit against the airline, complaining that after it lost her bag containing $800 in possessions managers refused to refund her $25 baggage...

5 Airlines Agree Not to Charge Fee for Carry-On Bags

Sun, 18 Apr 2010 14:45:00 CDT

Five major carriers agreed today not to follow the lead of a small Florida airline that plans to charge for carry-on bags. Their commitment comes just in time to keep travelers from running for the exits during the peak summer flying season, but it is doubtful that it marks a...

Pissed Airline Passenger Back on YouTube

Harry Kimball — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 15:09:01 CDT

Dave Carroll, who so memorably commemorated his terrible experience with United Airlines in the YouTube sensation United Breaks Guitars is at it again, Consumerist reports. The singer/songwriter/guitar-rights activist has released a more ambitious video cleverly titled United Breaks Guitars: Song 2 , with a slightly more conciliatory tone. And don’t worry,...

Belongings Trickle Back to Flight 1549 Passengers

Harry Kimball — Mon, 18 May 2009 14:43:02 CDT

Over the past few weeks, items both practical and sentimental have been returned to the lucky passengers of Flight 1549, the New York Times reports. Even ruined belongings are packed carefully in tissue paper and dryer sheets. “It made a very emotional experience as positive as it could have been,...

Carry On! Fewer Checked Bags Cut Lost Luggage

Ambreen Ali — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 02:05:21 CST

Through their relentless fees, airlines have managed to put the task of transporting often-lost luggage in much safer hands. Last year—as passengers carried aboard the baggage they previously checked for free—airlines lost 1.3 million fewer bags than in 2007, the Chicago Tribune reports. The 33% improvement was...