While most baggage follows the standard flow, some cases are exceptions:
- Oversize/bulky items: If your bag is very large or heavy (like a surfboard or bulky musical instrument), it might bypass normal belts and go into specialized storage until loading, because it cannot go through standard conveyors. Handlers will then load it separately, often via cargo doors.
- Unaccompanied baggage (UNAR): Some airline programs allow you to send a bag ahead of your flight. In this case, your bag is not stored with your passenger group but is held under strict watch (often in a separate locked area) until it can be put on a later flight. National rules apply: such baggage still needs full screening and security under RP 1745a (e.g. UNAR code) (iata.org).
- No-show passengers: If someone checks a bag but misses the flight, that bag is usually offloaded in storage. It cannot fly without its owner (ICAO requires that). In this exception, the bag is kept until the passenger can claim it or rebook.
- Customs holds: If customs selects a bag for inspection at the origin, it might be pulled from the line into a secure room, delaying its journey. That’s effectively a temporary storage until it clears inspection.
These exceptions mean the normal storage rules are tweaked, but always under secured conditions. Airlines track such bags closely. For example, if your baggage is flagged as unaccompanied, it gets a special priority and goes into a locked container labeled “UNAR” (iata.org). If it’s a no-show, handlers know to rebook it on the next flight after a security check.
In all these cases, the aim is still safety and accountability. Even when the process changes, each bag is accounted for and kept in secured storage until it can safely move on.
