Woman says airline refused to check her bag. She has Hokas, an Aritzia SuperPuff, and an iPad inside: ‘I lose my bag or my flight’
A woman went to the airport to check her bag, containing all of her personal belongings. Then, the airline let her know that she couldn’t bring it on the flight.
“I am left with a charger and a dream,” said Niamh (@niamhc244) in a TikTok video that’s gotten over 598,000 views. At first, she filmed her bag and all her belongings outside the airport, but she later changed her mind and went back for her possessions.
So, what ultimately made her change her mind? What are the reasons an airline may refuse to check a bag?
Why would an airline refuse to check a bag?
Niamh didn’t clarify why the airline refused to take her bag, but many viewers speculated as to why she may not have been able to carry it with her on her flight.
Sometimes, airlines will refuse to check a bag because it’s too heavy, too light, or because of the airline’s specific policies.
However, Niamh’s video doesn’t necessarily “appear” to break any rules concerning weight restrictions. Instead, commenters theorized that she arrived less than 45 minutes before her flight, a time when many carriers restrict or prohibit taking on additional luggage. Multiple airline carriers will refuse to check bags after a predetermined point, usually 45-50 minutes before the scheduled departure time. For international flights, airlines expect earlier drop-offs. A passenger should drop off their bags at least 60 minutes before departure.
Some specific airports and airlines have longer cutoff times. Delta Air Lines cuts off passengers at 60 minutes when traveling at the John F. Kennedy Airport in New York, regardless of whether the flight is domestic or international.
Was her iPad an issue?
Additionally, it’s possible that the large portable device that she stored with her was deemed a hazard. Computers, iPads, and other electronics often contain lithium batteries, which can go into thermal runaway, especially in the cargo hold.
Lithium battery fires have been a huge safety concern in the aviation world, with the FAA counting 678 notable incidents between March 3, 2006, and Nov. 29, 2025. Since 2021, the rate of lithium battery accidents has grown, with 2024 and 2025 having over 80 incidents each. That’s a dramatic increase when compared to 2021, which only had 54 lithium battery incidents.
But this is also unlikely to have stopped Niamh. It’s more likely that an attendant would simply ask Niamh to bring her iPad with her in her carry-on luggage.
Are there any other solutions Niamh could have taken?
Many commenters said that Niamh could have left her bag with the check-in crew and simply gone on her flight.
“You can ask that they store the bag for you until you return,” said one commenter. “I did this when I went to Hawaii. [I] had a whole e-board in my checked bag, before realizing the batteries weren’t allowed.”
Most airlines do not, however, offer options for fliers to leave their baggage with them. It’s a service that’s offered infrequently, and it’s not something that a passenger can necessarily request.
Others recommended having someone Uber to grab her bags and ship them to her later. This most likely wouldn’t work, however. If Niamh was checking her bag in less than 45 minutes before her flight, it’s unlikely she had the time to drop her bag off with friends or family, as she would have to wait for them to arrive.
What made Niamh run back to her bag?
Ultimately, Niamh determined that she wanted to go back for her bag, as it had “a superpuff, HOKAS, lulu leggings and jacket, an iPad, [and] makeup.”
Commenters had urged her to “get off that [expletive] flight,” considering how expensive all of the items she was leaving behind were. So, she missed her flight and stayed with her luggage.
@niamhc244 i am left with a charger and a dream ?#tweed #airport ♬ son original – ??????? ????
The Mary Sue reached out to Niamh via TikTok direct message.
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