As thousands have been stranded at airports through a winter storm that carved a frigid path across the United States, their bags have been on a journey of their own, creating another headache for weary travelers: Where is their stuff?

Frustrated passengers have dealt with travel disruptions and delays in airports across the country in the past week, from Los Angeles to Denver and Chicago to New York, where many waited alongside their bags or found themselves separated from their luggage.

It may be too late for those holiday travelers to improve their situation, but planning ahead can help make finding wayward bags less of an ordeal.

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The system is now operating beyond its capacity, said William McGee, the senior fellow for aviation at the American Economic Liberties Project, a nonpartisan organization that promotes equal access to economic markets. The summer’s baggage mess was “the worst summer meltdown for airline customer service in the 37 years I’ve spent working in, writing about and advocating about the airlines,” he said.

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