If you subscribe to my newsletter, then you know I’m a huge proponent of not checking a bag. I always say you can show up late, go straight to the gate, avoid baggage fees and most importantly never worry if your bags make it or if someone takes something from them. Now there’s a shocking new reason to travel carry-on only.
According to a recently filed court complaint (Dominguez v. American Airlines, Case No. 1:25-cv-24366, Southern District of Florida) per KTLA, Florida resident Alison Dominguez is suing American Airlines after claiming she was falsely framed for attempting to smuggle opiates into the U.S. The allegation: an airline employee allegedly checked a bag full of drugs under her name at Lynden Pindling Airport in Nassau, Bahamas before she ever arrived at the airport. Conspirators reportedly then picked up the luggage at U.S. baggage claim, exploiting the pre-clearance system that allows passengers arriving from Nassau to bypass customs once they land.
In April, Dominguez was arrested for trafficking more than 100 bottles of codeine, only to be later cleared when it became clear she had never checked a bag. According to the court filing, she spent nearly a week imprisoned under “horrific conditions,” including sleeping on a urine and feces soiled concrete floor, being threatened with sexual assault and being told she might have been exposed to AIDS.
The lawsuit alleges that had American Airlines verified the bag’s origin before reporting her to Bahamian authorities and U.S. Customs, Dominguez could have avoided this terrifying ordeal entirely. I don’t blame her for suing as this is insane since they could easily find out she didn’t check a bag. What’s terrifying is this most likely not the first time it’s happened and probably not the last.
So next time you’re debating whether to check a bag, add this reason to your pro-carry-on list.
