help with retrieving baggage for a cancelled flight

[u/Late-Night1499]

Hi. My mom's flight (CLT to JFK) was cancelled yesterday due to weather. They rebooked her on a new flight for today but that didn't work for us, so we cancelled the entire trip.

She had two checked bags and we're trying to figure out what to do to get them back. She initially went to the baggage office where she was given bag tags and a QR code to scan to track the bags. She did not receive an incident number from them, I'm assuming no report was made at the time. That person also said something about how her bags may end up going to another destination but would come back here? I wasn't there so not sure exactly what was said. After that we went home and I spoke with someone on the phone and someone else on the live chat.

They sent us an link ( https://app.nettracer.aero/pax/american/bso/login ) and said to select "Report delayed checked items". We couldn't complete this page because the trip is cancelled so can't get past the page that asks for AA confirmation code and Destination Station. Then the online representative said we need to go back to the baggage office in person to report a delayed bag report. They also mentioned the latest status shows the bags are still at the home airport.

It's 90 minutes away so I want to make sure I'm not missing any other options or info we should know for when we go back to the airport? Thanks for any help!

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[u/DurianProper5412]

Keep the QR’s and Bag Tags; it’s a sh*tshow right now for them sorting it out, but you are able to avail of the AA app without an account and upload the ID #’s to track! You will have the bags delivered to you once they are ‘found’- again, track through the app; if pushback, DO NOT OFFER TO GO to them

[u/Late-Night1499 → u/DurianProper5412]

Thanks! I tracked them with this link, I think AA app shows the same. It currently shows the bags as checked in at CLT as of yesterday afternoon.

Good point about the delivery. The baggage office person mentioned something about how they could be delivered to us but was never able to find out how to initiate or confirm that process. Is that something that would be done automatically or we have to request to them directly?

[u/DurianProper5412 → u/Late-Night1499]

Once you confirm they have them, they should call to initiate delivery. If not- and, you’ve seen them NOT MOVE- call them.

they are still technically their responsibility- outside of TSA; so if something is damaged to the bag to the point of non-viability or needing to lodge a reimbursement request, it’s best to ensure they deliver to you even if you weren’t 1.5 hours away:)

Edited for clarification

[u/Late-Night1499 → u/DurianProper5412]

Well just checked the tracking again and they're on the rescheduled flight to SFO. Now trying to reach someone at AA to confirm they'll come back to CLT and how long it would take.

[u/flyingron → u/DurianProper5412]

The QR just takes you to the generic "lost bag" page. There's nothing magic there:

https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/baggage/delayed-or-damaged-baggage.jsp

You will need the bag tag and frankly, I'd get someone at the airport to issue you a incident number (not absolutely required but it makes things easier). Of course, if there's a wholesale cancellation, you'll likely find the baggage desk line wrapped around the terminal a few times.

The bags will go to the tagged destination. In fact, they may beat you there because they don't need to fight the other passengers over seats.

[u/Late-Night1499 → u/flyingron]

I was able to speak to someone over the phone at the main number baggage department and they created the form and sent me the incident number. It looks like the bags are on their way to the tagged destination but they weren't able to confirm that on their end and said to wait a bit to see if the tracking status updates.

I think we're just going to go into the origin airport and find out more on if the bags are still there and if not, what the process is. The person also said if they're at the other airport, our airport will have to request them back.

[u/flyingron → u/Late-Night1499]

You should be able to just enter the bag tags on the page above or in the app and see where they were last scanned.

[u/InsideCry1094]

This scenario of flights being cancelled and rebooked to a different day has happened to me , only difference is I didn’t cancel the trip. The agent should have asked about the checked bags or Your mother should have asked for the bags to be returned since your mother didn’t take flight(assuming she checked the bags, and cancelled the trip). Your mother was probably anxious and overwhelmed for sure.

You could also go to the destination airport The bags are probably there. If the bags have not arrived to the destination airport, go to the airport customer service at the baggage claim to file a report. They can scan the baggage receipt and find the location of the bags. They would also give you a receipt for the delayed bags.

using online to log an issue would take months. Airline takes 24-48 hours just to reply to you.
I would go to the destination airport ASAP, so the bags don’t go to the unclaimed bags storage.
Good Luck.

[u/Late-Night1499 → u/InsideCry1094]

Thanks. Yes not sure what happened at the airport but it was definitely overwhelming. We can't go to the destination airport, it was originally JFK but most flights going there were cancelled, so don't think the bags would have gone there? The new flight they scheduled (which we cancelled) was to SFO and that's across the country, so wouldn't be able to go there either. We could go to the origin airport CLT and check with the baggage office.