Woman Shares The Apology Gift From American Airlines For Losing Her Luggage
Maybe not the best gift, but it had her laughing!
Andrey_Popov | Shutterstock After American Airlines lost a passenger’s luggage, the company sent her an apology gift. However, once she received and opened what was inside the package, the woman could not help but laugh as she went through its contents.
Instead of an apology gift, it appeared to be more of a toiletry bag filled with feminine hygiene and self-care products.
American Airlines sent the woman a bag filled with self-care products after they lost her luggage.
In a TikTok video that has been viewed over 1 million times, frequent traveler Meredith Dean revealed what her friend Kelly received from American Airlines as compensation after they lost her checked luggage in Miami.
The two women couldn't help but giggle as they unpacked the gift bag. To give you the rundown, it consisted of hygiene and self-care products, including a razor, a stick of deodorant (that didn't work), a bottle of shaving cream, a hairbrush, a toothbrush and toothpaste, a “refreshing towelette,” and hand and body lotion.
They also sent an apology notecard.
“Dear valued customer, please accept our sincere apology for the delay of your luggage. Be assured every effort is being made to recover your property and return it to you as soon as possible.”
“We realize this delay is an inconvenience, but hope you’ll find the contents of this amenities kit to be useful.”
While the women laughed over the bag’s contents, they also pointed out that it was missing some key products, including shampoo, conditioner, and tampons.
Others also found the apology gift to be outrageously hilarious, believing that American Airlines could have done better.
“This is hilarious cause this is all stuff you would have in your carry-on anyway, not the checked bag that’s lost,” one TikTok user commented.
“What about clothes? Gimme a new wardrobe too!” another user wrote.
While it was certainly a nice gesture, American Airlines is a $6 billion company that could afford more than just razors and deodorant for passengers whose luggage becomes misplaced.
Steve travelguide / Shutterstock
Lost luggage is most likely just delayed luggage.
According to NPR, airlines lose approximately two million checked bags a year. Let that sink in for a second. While it's daunting to think about just how common arriving at a destination without your painstakingly packed vacation wardrobe truly is, the outlet noted some comforting statistics that might better explain the mediocre apology gift.
99.5% of all checked luggage that is considered lost is not actually lost — it's just delayed. Whether it missed a connecting flight or got on the wrong flight, chances are if you don't find your bag on the luggage carousel and you file a claim with the airline in the specified time required, you're gonna get your bag back.
With that info in mind, it makes sense that American Airlines would gift an apology of the bare necessities. You won't need much if your luggage is returned in a day or two. Could the toiletries provided be a little better? Absolutely!
Toothbrush, toothpaste, and deodorant certainly make sense, but maybe a voucher for a local laundromat, a pair of socks, and some soap could make it more useful.
Frequent travelers understand that mistakes happen and bags become misplaced. However, when it happens while using a well-known airline company, it is fair to say that they deserve more than just a few products they already have in their toiletry bags.
One thing's for sure; the toiletry bag had Dean and her friend laughing when they certainly could have been crying over their unfortunate luck.
Megan Quinn is a writer at YourTango who covers entertainment and news, self, love, and relationships.