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No one likes this scenario. Somewhere under the friendly skies, an incorrect airport bar code (or some other transit snafu) results in bags taking a ride down the wrong baggage claim conveyor belt -- and a traveler and his luggage are forever parted. On the plus side, that traveler's loss can be your gain. If an airline can't contact the rightful owner of a lost bag, the booty often finds a home at the Unclaimed Baggage Center in Scottsboro, Alabama. There, in a secret process of sorting and washing "unmentionables," items ranging from boxer shorts to ball gowns are dry-cleaned, sorted, catalogued, and prepared for resale. The Center's official
site touts its service as the ultimate "one-of-a-kind" treasure hunt, with a whopping 7,000 "new and preowned" items stocked daily. They purchase unclaimed baggage and cargo by the "truckload," resulting in an interesting inventory. If you don't like the idea of your precious cargo ending up in the hands of enterprising strangers, we suggest you pack light, and take steps to avoid misdirected luggage.
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