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A traveler on United Airlines has alleged that a bottle of tequila he had packed in his checked baggage arrived with the seal broken and some of the liquid missing.
Rich Mac posted a video on Twitter/X of an opened bottle of Teremana Reposado tequila with the contents drained to the neck.
The statement stated: “A United employee opened my bag, opened my bottle, took a drink, and put it back. I should have been suspicious when I noticed my belongings were unzipped.”
United responded: “Hello. We apologize for the inconvenience you have encountered. We recommend that you reach out to our Baggage team for assistance.”
Since 2006, there has been a limit of 100ml for liquids in carry-on baggage, which has prevented passengers from bringing large bottles of alcohol on board.
In the United Kingdom, there are no limits on the amount of unopened alcoholic drinks you can bring in your checked baggage as long as the alcohol content is less than 24%.
Airlines typically restrict the amount of alcohol between 24 and 70 per cent to five liters per passenger, except for those purchased at duty-free shops in the airport, which can be carried in your cabin bag.
The Independent has reached out to United Airlines for a statement.
This is not the initial instance where United has faced consequences for mishandling checked baggage.
In March, an event similar to this one occurred involving a costly bottle of whisky that was checked in. The airline returned the alcohol to the passenger, but with a third of it missing.
Christopher Ambler discovered that the £450 Glenmorangie “A Tale of Cake” Highland Single Malt had been opened and had no contents remaining.
Mr. Ambler received $200 in travel credit from United Airlines as compensation for the incident.
In January of this year, a different female passenger who traveled with United Airlines was able to locate her missing baggage by using an AirTag. The AirTag took her on a journey from an apartment building to a McDonald’s restaurant.
Source: independent.co.uk