Allegiant Airlines lost woman’s prosthetic leg: ‘When someone loses a medical device, it’s incredibly serious’
A woman’s suitcase containing her custom prosthetic leg was mishandled and sent to the wrong destination for over 10 days by Allegiant Airlines in an experience she called “traumatic.”
Emily Tuite had booked a direct flight from Austin to San Diego on Allegiant Airlines to visit her cousin, she told USA TODAY. “This was my first time to the West Coast, so I was really looking forward to swimming in the Pacific and spending time at the shore with her,” she said. It was also her first time flying Allegiant.
She packed her custom-made, waterproof prosthetic leg in a bright blue suitcase.
When she arrived in San Diego on Sept. 1, she couldn’t locate her bag at the airport. “I remember feeling sick to my stomach when I didn’t see my bag going around the carousel,” she said.
She immediately went to the Allegiant ticket counter with her luggage stub and tracking number. The agents said they couldn’t track her bag and would ‘put a note’ on her reservation about it, she said.
“I was prepared to stay at the airport until I was able to get assistance, since this was an item I couldn’t afford to lose, and continued to wait there for over three hours trying to get someone to call Austin to see if it was still at that airport,” she said.
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“The thought of losing a device like mine is incredibly stressful – not just because I couldn’t safely shower or swim while on my trip, but because I know the time, effort, and money it takes to replace a custom prosthesis,” Tuite continued.