Airline returns woman’s lost bag containing prosthetic leg after 12 days

ktla / KXAN ^ | Will DuPree

[BenLurkin]

Emily Tuite described the days leading to this moment as “traumatic,” because the bright blue bag she checked for her Sept. 1 flight from Austin to San Diego had her waterproof prosthetic leg inside it. She planned to use the costly, custom medical device to do everything from swim in the Pacific Ocean to shower. However, the critical piece of luggage never made it to her final destination, which she said ruined her trip because of all the time she spent unsuccessfully trying to find it.

She turned to Nexstar’s KXAN Friday for help after exhausting other options. The hours spent calling customer service and talking to employees from Allegiant Airlines resulted in nothing. She said a representative at one point told her the bag never made it onto her Austin flight, even though she received a slip with the tracking number when she checked it at the counter. She assumed someone must have stolen the luggage.

However, a day after KXAN reached a media spokesperson and shared information about Tuite’s situation, she finally got a phone call that the airline found her bag. Somehow, Tuite’s suitcase had another traveler’s information placed on it, so it had been sitting in baggage claim all this time at the airport in Provo, Utah.

[NWFree]

Airlines want an arm and a leg these days

I avoid them

[llevrok]

Without it, she was a foot shorter

[RatRipper]

In the words Steve Martin, “Well excuuussseee meeeeeeeee!!!!!”

[dblshot]

Emily Tuite mulls suit. Allegiant Airlines lawyers declare she doesn’t have a leg to stand on..

[Round Earther]

She could sue but she would not have a leg to stand on.

[Theoria]

12 days, that’s some jet leg.

[Magnum44]

[\/\/ayne]

WWII spy Virginia Hall had a wooden prosthetic leg that she nicknamed Cuthbert. While she was making her way across Europe she stopped at a safe house in the mountains and radioed her superiors in London to report that she was OK, but that Cuthbert was giving her trouble.

The reply from SOE headquarters read, “If Cuthbert is giving you difficulty, have him eliminated.”

[decal]

Bag tag switch - those are always fun.

Delivered lost luggage for 15 years or so - the stories...

[George from New England]

Wasn’t this the ‘leg’ that was featured on A Christmas Story? The one on the end table. 1983 classic.

[Magnum44]

[lee martell]

That should be worth getting a full or partial refund of her plane ticket. Not having the leg changed everything and not for the better. They lost it due to Freddie-Fumbles errors of not paying attention and not checking details.

[gundog]

She was probably hopping mad.

[rlmorel]

LOL, it made me think of the Guardians of The Galaxy movie where the raccoon creature tells Chris Pratt's character that he needs a guy's prosthetic leg in order to carry out their escape plan, and when he brings him the leg:

ROCKET: I was just kidding about the leg. I just need these two things.

PETER QUILL: What?

ROCKET: No, I thought it'd be funny. Was it funny? Wait, what did he look like hopping around?

PETER QUILL: I had to transfer him 30,000 units!

[PGR88]

Found it!

[njslim]

should have used carrion luggage to avoid this .........

[Dr. Sivana]

Hey, at least the airline eventually got around Tuite.

[ConservaTexan]

Hopefully, she has friends to lean on during hard times.

[Rummyfan]

Traumatic? Yes they ruined her vacation but that is all. And ultimately she got it back. Maybe she should sue them? But... does she have a leg to stand on?!