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Unclaimed Bargains
 Even though only about .005% of all luggage is permanently lost by the
airlines, the Unclaimed Baggage Center in Scottsboro, Al., adds an average 7,000
items per day to its stock. It is a bargain hunter's dream, selling those lost
items for 50% to 80% off retail prices.
Starting out small in 1970, Doyle
and Sue Owens' family-owned enterprise has grown to the size of an indoor
football field. They have contracts with all the major airlines to purchase lost
luggage after the owners have not been located in 90-120 days.
Just as
exciting as the great deals you can get there is the unbelievable items that
have turned up at Unclaimed Baggage-a 40.95-carat emerald, a 5.8-carat diamond
and platinum set, a full suit of armor, and a camera designed for NASA's space
shuttle. It was returned to NASA. A guidance system for an F16 fighter jet
valued at a quarter of a million dollars was also returned to its rightful
owner-the U.S. Navy.
A well-worn Gucci suitcase opened at the store at first
looked like it was filled with old papers. Packed inside were Egyptian artifacts
dating back to 1500 B.C., including a mummified falcon and a shrunken head.
Those items were eventually sold by Christie's.
Perhaps the most shocking
item found in a piece of luggage was a live rattlesnake. To be fair, the Owens
don't know if someone packed the snake or if it crawled in the luggage on its
own.
A bigger bargain than usual was obtained by the woman who bought a
Barbie doll for her daughter, who promptly pulled its head off. Inside was a
roll of $500 bills. The Center reported that Barbie sales were very brisk for
weeks after that.
So what can you buy at the Unclaimed Baggage Center?
Anything that anyone has taken on a trip. Regular clothes, designer clothes
(Hermes scarves, Versace dresses, Burberry raincoats, Christian Dior jackets),
jewelry, cameras, electronics, sports equipment, luggage, of course, and too
many other items to name. And just so you know, all clothes are cleaned and
mended before being sold.
The Unclaimed Baggage Center is located at 509 West
Willow Street, Scottsboro, Al., or you can visit it at www.unclaimedbaggage.com.
It is open Monday-Friday 9-6 and Saturday 8-6; closed on Sundays. Call
256-259-1525 if you have questions.
Here are some travel and baggage tips
from the experts there to make sure your stuff doesn't end up at the Unclaimed
Baggage Center:
- Never pack expensive items or belongings that are hard or
impossible to replace. Keep them with you.
- Bag tags can be torn off. Use
the slide-in window if your bag has one and keep them up to date. Bags delivered
to the old address are still lost.
- Put additional identification inside
your bag, including a copy of your itinerary. This can help the airlines know
whether to send your bags to your travel destination or your home.
- Put your
name and address on everything-even things you don't think of as luggage: your
designer eyewear and case, camera, camera bag, laptop, etc. If they're left on
the plane with no I.D., you know where they'll go.
- Before packing, check
all the zippers and locks on your bags. Even if they are in good condition,
overstuffed luggage is prone to burst open during handling.
- Make an
inventory of the items packed in each bag to assist the airlines in finding your
luggage.
- To prevent your look-alike bag from being grabbed by the wrong
person, tie something unique to the handle.
- Take the time to make sure the
airline tag placed on your luggage correctly identifies the last destination on
your journey. This can prevent it from being off-loaded too early.
- Keep
your bag tag stubs with the UPC bar code. They are the proof your bag was
checked.
- If your bag does not arrive, find the baggage agent on duty
immediately. Sometimes luggage is loaded onto a non-stop flight and will get
there first.
- If you need a toothbrush, toothpaste or razor to be ready for
a meeting, ask. Most airlines provide these if you're waiting for your suitcase.
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