As Southwest Airlines canceled thousands of flights during the post-holiday travel rush, leaving travelers stranded, it also sparked another problem as suitcases began piling up at airport carousels, leading to an overflow of unclaimed bags.
With travelers already facing frustration from delays to cancellations to long lines and waits, they also quickly realized they may not be able to find their luggage.
Terry Velligan said his family was planning to head to New Orleans, but instead they had to spend hours just trying to track down their bags.
“We took off work to go to New Orleans, and so now we are here spending all our vacation looking for our bags,” he said.
Images from Chicago's Midway Airport were similar to others across the country, with hundreds of people in lines amid the cancellations and luggage piling up in parts of the airport.
"Baggage is certainly one of those things that is difficult to recover in the immediate aftermath of an operational disruption," a spokesperson for Southwest Airlines told NBC Chicago Tuesday.
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Thousands of travelers were stranded at airports or stuck on hold trying to rebook flights this week as a massive storm snarled travel in the U.S. and Canada.
More than 2,800 more flights had already been canceled in the U.S. as of 7 a.m. Tuesday, according to the flight tracking service FlightAware, and problems are likely to continue at least into Wednesday.
Southwest Airlines canceled more than 70% of its flights Monday, more than 60% on Tuesday, and warned that it would operate just over a third of its usual schedule in the days ahead to allow crews to get back to where they needed to be.
American, United, Delta and JetBlue, suffered cancellation rates of between none and 2% by Tuesday.
So what can you do if your luggage is missing?
Southwest said it was following "standard procedures for returning baggage during irregular operations," and, in a statement to NBC Chicago, referred customers to its lost or damaged baggage page for assistance. There, the airline states that travelers should let them know within four hours of arriving at their destination that their luggage is missing. People can report the lost luggage in person at a baggage service office.
"Customers can also speak with a representative at the baggage service office in an airport where we operate or contact Southwest customer service, though we are experiencing abnormally high call volumes," a spokesperson told NBC Chicago.
Southwest said it anticipates "additional changes with an already reduced level of flights as we approach the coming New Year holiday travel period."
"We’re working to reach to customers whose travel plans will change with specific information and their available options," the statement read. "Our employees and crews scheduled to work this holiday season are showing up in every single way. We are beyond grateful for that. Our shared goal is to take care of every single customer with the hospitality and heart for which we’re known. On the other side of this, we’ll work to make things right for those we’ve let down, including our employees."
Additionally, some insurance agencies and credit cards offer daily reimbursement amounts for missing luggage.
What if you arrived at your destination but your luggage didn't?
Southwest said travelers should go to the baggage service office to report a delayed bag.
"The agent will create a report and provide you with a receipt. You’ll receive updates on the status of your bag. We also provide a phone number that you can call to follow-up on the status yourself," the airline's website states.
In most cases, the airline said such bags will be delivered to a location "of your choice."
What if your bag is never found?
According to Southwest, if your bag isn't located after five days, travelers will need to fill out a form on the airline's Baggage Claim Web Portal, though you'll need to have already filed a claim in order to do so.
What can you do if your flight was canceled?
If you still want to get to your destination, most airlines will rebook you for free on the next available flight as long as it has seats, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
If you want to cancel the trip, you are entitled to a full refund, even if you bought non-refundable tickets. You’re also entitled to a refund of any bag fees, seat upgrades or other extras.
Kurt Ebenhoch, a consumer travel advocate and former airline executive, stressed that travelers are eligible for a refund, not just vouchers for future travel. If you do take a voucher, make sure you inquire about blackout dates and other restrictions on its use.
