At least UAL actually loaded the man’s checked bags in the first place and didn’t just put them, instead, on a flight straight to their warehouse in Chicago where it would be held until their annual auction. That’s what happened to my luggage. Wife confirmed that after several hours on the phone chasing from one recording and forwarding to another until a warehouse clerk picked up the phone. UAL apparently does that with a certain percentage of economy class luggage, then sends the passenger a letter explaining that their legal department has determined that UAL has no liability so the UAL will neither return the baggage or compensate for it. They do not claim that the passenger has erred, just that UAL keeps the luggage.