I’m a baggage expert – why you should always pack something unusual in your suitcase
A LUGGAGE expert has revealed why you should always put something unusual in your suitcase before you check it in.
There’s nothing worse than your bag going missing when you arrive on holiday.
However, there are a number of ways you can make it easier for the airline to find it.
Peter Drummond, Head of Baggage at air transport IT provider SITA, told CN Traveller: “If you have something unusual or unique in your bag, it’s much more likely to come up as a positive match to your lost bag report and be quickly returned to you.”
This can be something like a “soft toy or unusual clothing item” as it means the airline can search for that item on their database.
That’s not the only tip he offers.
Mr Drummond also says packing a copy of your itinerary including your hotel address can make it easier to be found.
That’s because your luggage tags can easily be ripped off – and if the bag is found, they can send it on to the address.
He also recommends a bright ribbon or pattern on your suitcase.
He added: “One of the most common causes of bags getting lost is that they look just like someone else’s bag, and they get taken off the carousel in error.”
Otherwise, his other tips include taking pictures both inside and outside your bag and using tracking tags such as AirTags.
Some tracking tags can be found for as little as £3 on Amazon.
A baggage handler recently explained why you should always remove the luggage stickers after your flights too, otherwise it increases the chance of it getting lost.
He said in a TikTok video: “If your month-old American sticker is on there, there’s a chance it scans it instead of the Southwest one.
“It might end up over there and not get on the plane.”
One thing you should never do is put your home address on your luggage tag – here’s why.
And we’ve explained what you should do if your suitcase gets lost at the airport.