Inside the Secret World of Lost Luggage

In the United States, the airline industry loses an estimated 2 million bags annually. Now you might be wondering, where do all those lost bags end up? Well Jason and Peter were able to get a definitive answer to that question. The majority end up in Alabama! Really, no Really! Our guest Bryan Owens discusses his unique family business…which has been dealing with lost and unclaimed luggage for over 50 years. Their enormous store, in Scottsboro, Alabama - which covers more than a city block - sells tens of thousands of unclaimed baggage items every year. And with five decades of experience processing enormous volumes of lost items, Bryan reveals some of the one-of-a-kind pieces found in unclaimed luggage… including a 3,000-year-old Egyptian burial mask, a live rattlesnake, and even a shrunken human head which you can see in the store’s recently opened museum. IN THIS EPISODE: The Unclaimed Baggage origin story and how they stock 7,000 new items every day. Airlines responsibility regarding lost luggage, settling claims and when Bryan’s team can take over. Who gets first dibs on valuable or in-demand items when lost luggage is recovered? A highly secret F14 guidance system, live venomous snakes and suits of armor are just a few of the bizarre things Bryan must deal with. How you can save up to 80% by purchasing someone else’s lost items! How Bryan Owen’s business employs dozens of pricing experts, authenticators and even GIA certified appraisers so he can issue certificates of authenticity. The psychology behind why most people don’t attempt to reclaim their stuff! Jason’s secret to finding lost items…look in the pickle barrel! Googleheim: Jason’s spring-loaded blackjack and a list of obvious and not so obvious items you can’t bring on an airplane. *** FOLLOW BRYAN: Website: UnclaimedBaggage.com Instagram: @UnclaimBag X: @UnclaimedBag *** FOLLOW REALLY NO REALLY: www.reallynoreally.com Instagram YouTube TikTok Facebook Threads X See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices