Unclaimed Baggage Store in Alabama Sells Lost Luggage From Airlines

With the holiday season upon us, NPR conducted an interview with the Transportation Security Administration regarding the millions of vacationers who are making their way back home from their Thanksgiving trips — and for some, their lost luggage will end up as unclaimed baggage.

The U.S. Department of Transportation releases regular consumer reports with data from various airlines, and one section of the report is known as “mishandled baggage.” According to its most recent report, the number of mishandled bags it displayed “represents the number of check bags that are lost, damaged, delayed, and pilfered, as reported by or on behalf of the passenger, that were in the airline’s custody for its reportable domestic nonstop scheduled passenger flights.”

The number of mishandled bags can reach into the millions each year. But where does it all go when flyers don’t come looking for them?

Many may not realize that unclaimed luggage actually ends up at a place aptly named “Unclaimed Baggage,” a vast store located in Scottsboro, Alabama, that is the final destination for every suitcase lost by an airline in the United States and not reclaimed by its owner. This enormous store covers an entire city block in a 50,000-square-foot building and brings in a staggering 7,000 new items daily.

Unclaimed Baggage isn’t your average store; it’s an organized trove of lost items, almost like a department store. From clothes, shoes, and books all the way to unexpected treasures like musical instruments, sporting goods, and even wedding dresses, all items are up for sale at discounted prices.

Its electronics department, nestled in the mezzanine, is a popular stop among customers. It houses a vast collection of cell phones, laptops, tablets, and headphones — anything that can be packed in a suitcase. Rest assured, all electronics are wiped clean to remove any personal data.

According to the interviewed employee of Unclaimed Baggage, Sonni Hood, nearly every type of item or product has made its way into the store. This ranges from ski equipment, snowboards, and a bountiful amount number of skateboards all the way to a horse saddle and a motor that can be attached to a kayak or canoe.

According to Hood, airlines generally make significant efforts to reunite lost luggage with their rightful owners, with a success rate of 99.5%. However, given the massive scale of daily air travel, even a tiny percentage of unclaimed bags can accumulate quickly. These unclaimed bags, after the airlines have reimbursed their customers, are purchased by Unclaimed Baggage through exclusive contracts.

Rarely, though, some items do find their way back to their original owners. Unclaimed Baggage CEO Bryan Owens recounted an unusual event where a mysterious shipping container found its way to the store. It contained a stolen guidance system for a fighter plane, which was swiftly returned to the Navy. In another instance, a camera from a space shuttle was returned to NASA.

Beyond everyday items and curiosities, Unclaimed Baggage has seen its share of genuinely unusual relics like a centuries-old violin, ancient Egyptian artifacts, and even a suit of armor. As a result, the organization set up a mini museum to display these oddities, making it a popular tourist attraction that draws over a million visitors every year from all across the country.