Imagine owning an airline – a very big and successful one – and then having said airline lose your luggage. What do you do?

Brad Tilden, CEO of Alaskan Airlines, decided to admit the mishap to a roomful of media and travel professionals at an industry summit last week in Washington, D.C. Making light of the gaffe, he said, “The media is here and I’m hoping that you don’t write this down and print it.”

Alaskan Airlines lost the CEO’s luggage on his flight to D.C., and funnily enough, this wasn’t the first occurrence. According to Tilden, the airline previously misplaced his bag 25 years ago.

Proving that no one is safe from the many pitfalls of travel, Alaskan Airlines confirmed that Tilden’s bag was retrieved and delivered within 24 hours after his arrival in Washington, D.C. on Sept. 28.

On the upside, the Alaska-based carrier offers passengers a baggage guarantee that includes a US$25 discount code or 2,500 Mileage Plan bonus miles if their checked bags don’t arrive on the baggage claim carousel within 20 minutes of arrival. No word yet on whether Tilden plans to cash in.