Forgetting your luggage on an airplane or losing it in an airport is sadly a very common thing. But most people never end up going to lost and found to see if they can get it back, most of them just file a claim to get the monetary value for their belongings and choose to just let go of the lost cargo. That is how airports end up with tons of lost luggage that they then sell to companies so that they can dispose of it. The most popular one is called Unclaimed Baggage and on Saturday, July 5 they are holding a silent auction in Scottsboro to sell some of their inventory.
The auction will be silent to encourage bidding and will go on from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. CT. While usually the company hosts their actions in a more traditional manner, this time around they are shaking things up to see if they can increase profits. Instead of the usual shopping experience, this time customers will have the chance to bid on unprocessed suitcases, bulk pallets, and what they are calling “mega mystery bundles.” That means buyers will not know what is inside until the auction closes and the contents are revealed.
The policies of the company that allows buyers the change to bid on unclaimed suitcases
Given how far some people come from or travel to, it is no wonder that they just sometimes choose to leave their luggage behind when it gets lost. Dealing with airlines is a major hassle, employees are unhelpful and often times there are time constraints and language barriers that make it almost impossible for the situation to be resolved, so fliers just give up, take a check for the lost items and go home hoping that their former belongings will be disposed of in a safe manner.
That is exactly what Unclaimed Baggage does, and they have made a name for themselves by giving new life to items that people accidentally leave behind during their travels. They also purchase unclaimed cargo, which usually means brand-new items like stacks of clothing with tags still on, books, and household products, but also other big ticket items like furniture or even original artwork.
Because their offerings are so varied they are quite popular, but it is also because they take a lot of care with the items they put up for sale. They clean and test everything before it hits the shelves, and they are so thorough that they run Alabama’s largest commercial laundry facility and handle more clothes in a month than most dry cleaners do in a year. For electronics, they get tested and wiped clean of all personal data using strict national standards.
Since there may be a lot of things that contain personal data in the belongings once they are opened, a common question people ask is whether the original owners might get their things back and the answer is sadly no. In theory, by the time Unclaimed Baggage gets the luggage airlines have tried to make plenty of attempts to return the personal belongings over at least a period of three to four months.
Additionally, not everything that is in the luggage gets sold to the highest bidder, only the best pieces go up for sale. But that does not mean that the things that do not make the cut get thrown away, they get recycled or donated and through their Reclaimed for Good initiative, they partner with charities around the world to give out millions of dollars’ worth of useful goods, which are everything from eyeglasses to medical supplies.