On a recent flight from Newark to Greenville, SC, I was forced to "gate-check" my carry-on bag. This carry-on bag was in my possession every moment from Madurai, India, all the way to Newark, NJ, USA. Once I reached the gate at Newark I was forced to temporarily part with this bag because they said it was too big to carry on the small airplane. I reluctantly parted with it on the jetway and felt really weird about leaving it there unattended along with everyone else's gate checked bags. But I foolishly trusted that it would be okay. I watched very nervously from inside the plane to make sure it made it onto the plane, but it was out of my possession for at least 20 minutes before we took off. This carry-on bag contained all my research materials from the past several months along with my brand new $400 digital camera. This camera contained hundreds of photos from my research. Whoever put my bag under the airplane went ahead and helped themselves to (read: STOLE) my digital camera. I've complained to Continental Airlines only to be told that they "do not cover electronic items." Basically their policy is that employees can steal whatever electronics they want. If someone stole my T-shirt, they "might" cover it. I tried explaining to them the convenience of this policy for the company, but they kept parroting the same lines back to me.
Actually, Continental Airlines employees can steal anything they want from your baggage because Continental Airlines will do nothing about it and they don't care. Wow. I should really consider a change of career! Because being a baggage handler for Continental Airlines would be a plum job. Stealing of expensive electronics is encouraged! No one will ever look into it. It really makes you feel safe, let me tell you. Baggage handlers can steal from your luggage and never be seen by anyone! Wonder if these lowlifes would accept money to put something INTO the gate-checked baggage? I mean, no one sees them when they steal!
I've spent a lot of years in India and I've (carelessly) lost many things, some valuable and some not so valuable. I cannot tell you how many times I have had things returned to me. Things like a video camera I left in the back of a rickshaw. I had this returned to me. I also lost a housekey inside a rickshaw and the driver went to all sorts of trouble to find me to give it back. Once I dropped a cheap pair of sunglasses in an auto and the driver drove all the way back to this function I was attending and searched until he found me so he could give them back. When my parents were visiting India we somehow left an entire piece of luggage in a restaurant and then boarded at 24 hour houseboat tour upriver from the town where we left the bag. Someone in the restaurant alerted the boat owner who called the boat drivers (we were in the middle of the Kerala backwaters) who informed us about the bag. By the time we got to our destination several kilometers upriver the next morning, the bag was there waiting for us. I've been lucky in that I have never had anything stolen from me in India. In fact, I've only had numerous items returned to me by people who make less money per month, or maybe per YEAR, than some of these items are worth. But the moment I make it back to American soil, my $400 digital camera is stolen from my luggage and the employers of these thieves couldn't give a damn less.
I am in the process of suing Continental Airlines in small claims court here in Greenville, SC. I will probably lose $80 (the fee for making a claim). But I've already lost priceless photos and a $400 camera so it might be worth the $80 for the satisfaction of suing these jerks.
Example of an electronic item that Continental Airlines
baggage handlers are permitted to "pilfer" from your luggage.
(from Continental Airlines employee handbook)
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