Kiwi gets carry-on baggage removed on United flight

Ben Kepes was travelling from Nashville to San Francisco in business class and was working on his laptop when his bag was taken, unbeknownst to him. Photo / Supplied

A Kiwi man was left without his wallet and passport after his bag was removed from a United flight.

Ben Kepes said he was travelling from Nashville to San Francisco in business class and was working on his laptop when his bag was taken, unbeknownst to him.

The bag was sitting under the seat in front of him.

"It was only about four hours later, as we were about to land in San Francisco that I realised my bag wasn't there and the penny dropped," he told the Herald.

"They didn't ask if it was my bag, or look at the external Air New Zealand tag which has my name and frequent flier number on it."

Kepes was later told by United a flight attendent had seen the bag and assumed it was left from a previous flight.

Kepes said United told him the incident was a mistake and the flight attendant was in tears when she realised what she had done. However, it was the follow-up customer service that annoyed him.

"I went to baggage services who were pretty disinterested," he said, "but finally got through to Nashville where I'd come from. The bag, wallet, passport, etc was there."

Kepes said United had made no plans to assit him with a temporary charger or clothes while he waits for his bag.

United Airlines have had several PR disasters recently.

The bag will travel on two flights tomorrow to get to San Francisco, and United have told Kepes he can pick it up from the airport.

"Expecting me to be happy to wait until I have to go down to the airport is... crazy," Kepes said.

United did not respond to requests for comment.

The incident is the latest in a string of public relations disasters for the airline.

In April, security staff were filmed dragging a doctor off a plane, while another flight the following month was delayed when a scorpion was spotted on board.