How United Almost Lost my Suitcase

I know this is awfully late. Sorry. Life and all, ya know?

Our trip this past spring was only our second time with United Airlines so we're still getting used to how things work going through the US instead of our regular connecting terminal in Canada.

While we were arriving to Houston, the flight attendant came on the intercom with instructions as to what to do regarding our luggage but it was all very confusing and we weren't sure if we were supposed to pick it up at the carousel or if it would be sent forward to Canada, as it had been the trip before. So we decided to check, just to be sure.

Well! Good thing we did. There was my suitcase, merrily riding around the carousel. But where was Sr B's? We hunted up a hey-you (expression courtesy of my late sister-in-law for an employee from whom you require help) to see what the deal was.

We found out that any luggage with a green sticker was automatically flagged to get sent on. Mine did not have a green sticker so it got let off in Houston.

Since we didn't know about the green tag, we weren't watching the guy in Mérida to make sure it was put on and so we don't know if he forgot it or if it fell off in transit.

It makes me wonder how often this has happened to other folks...that the suitcase wasn't actually lost, that it simply lost its tag and got dropped off at the connecting airport. If we hadn't checked in Houston, we would have assumed that United had lost my suitcase.

Now that we know, we'll be sure to see that the sticker gets put on and we'll also check the carousel in Houston. Just in case.