Fear Not, Summer Air Travelers: You Can Avoid Losing Your Luggage
You booked a family trip to the beach months ago and have been counting down the days since. After shopping for the perfect swimsuit, carefully selecting coordinating outfits for a family photo and ensuring the youngest has ample digital entertainment for the plane ride, it’s finally time to depart.
You’re hoping not to become one of the 0.5% of air travelers whose luggage becomes lost between point A and point B. After all, your teenager’s favorite Taylor Swift concert t-shirt is not easily replaced, nor are those expensive golf clubs you reluctantly checked at the ticket counter.
In 2024, air travel is expected to reach a historic high, with 4.7 billion passengers expected worldwide, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Most of them will travel with luggage, either checked or carried on. The possibility of baggage becoming lost, misplaced or mishandled is a risk we all take when choosing to travel by air, but fear not — there are 10 things we can do to lower the odds of arriving at our destinations sans suitcases.
1. Label your bags. The most common reason someone loses their luggage is because it lacked proper identification. Always include a durable luggage tag on the exterior of your suitcase with up-to-date contact information, including name, phone number and email address. Place another ID (such as a business card) on the inside of your bag in the rare instance that your primary tag is damaged or detached. Including a copy of your travel itinerary is also a wise idea, as it could inform the airlines of your next destination.
2. Remove old labels. Before embarking on your journey, strip your suitcase of its past. Remove old tags, destination stickers and remnants of previous travel. These relics can confuse scanners and baggage handlers, leading your bag on an unexpected detour.
3. Arrive early. Checking in just before the plane closes its doors doesn’t bode well for your luggage. Arrive early, but not too early. If you check in four to six hours before departure, your luggage might end up in a holding area.
4. Avoid tight layovers. If you must make a connection, avoid short layovers. If your inbound flight is late, it shortens the time baggage handlers have to transfer your suitcase from one plane to the next.
5. Track your bag. Embrace GPS technology and invest in an electronic bag tag. Sync it with your phone and monitor your luggage’s every movement.
6. Make your bag stand out. Choose brightly colored luggage that stands out or attach unique identifiers such as a bold ID tag, baggage strap or ribbon. Embellished and unique bags are less likely to be mistakenly taken by another traveler, reducing the risk of mix-ups.
7. Take a photo. Take a photo of your luggage, contents and all. Having proof of what your belongings look like may help you receive compensation in case your checked luggage doesn’t arrive at your destination or arrives damaged.
8. Keep your receipts. While on vacay, you might buy a souvenir snow globe and some gifts for your loved ones. Hang on to your receipts, as they will be useful if your bag decides to play hide-and-seek on the way home.
9. Triple-check your seat before deplaning. AirPods, handheld video games and e-readers are often discovered in the back pocket of plane seats. Check and re-check the area before you leave and label everything just in case you leave something behind.
10. Carry your essentials with you. Most airlines continue to allow passengers to carry onto the plane one small piece of luggage and one personal item (such as a backpack, laptop case, belt bag, purse or shopping bag). This allows you to keep important documents, medications, valuable items and a change of clothes with you — which could prove very reassuring, should your checked luggage be temporarily misplaced. Remember the two-item rule is strict, so don’t try to carry on more than the per-passenger allowance. You might be forced to check it at the last minute, where it could become misrouted or left behind.
Even with the airlines’ best efforts and most sophisticated baggage tracing technology, mishandled and lost belongings will always exist as a byproduct of travel. Follow these tips and your luggage is more likely to have a successful journey through those airport terminals, luggage conveyor belts and baggage pick up carousels. Bon voyage, and may your baggage always find its way back to you.
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