Deep freeze leaves behind sea of lost luggage at RDU

At Raleigh-Durham International Airport, hundreds of pieces of luggage ended up on the floor of baggage claim, waiting for owners to claim them. And some arriving passengers on Wednesday had to leave the airport without their luggage, which was stuck elsewhere.

“I live in Jacksonville, so I have to drive two and a half hours to go home with no luggage,” Kelsey Casey said. “I don’t know how I’m supposed to do that.”

Most travelers said they had no trouble with their flights, but some said their luggage didn't board when they did.

“The flights were fine, and then the problem now is with the luggage,” traveler Jillian Lovejoy said. “My luggage made it to New York. I took it through customs, and then it was not on my flight.”

Mitch Herndon Had been on a four-day odyssey from Massachusetts, to start school at Elon University, before finally claiming his bags.

“Well, it’s been a mess,” he said. “They sent my bag to Detroit by accident, so it’s been a pain.

Bingyao Chen arrived at RDU to find out her suitcase was sent to Atlanta.

“Atlanta! I don’t know why,” she said.

Airport officials said the luggage layover is common after major storms and that airlines are working to get bags to their owners.