Nothing can ruin your travel plans faster than you can say vegemite than losing your luggage. There’s always that nervous anticipation at the baggage carousel when you’re waiting for your suitcase to appear.
The last thing you want to happen is to go through all the stress and hassle of filling out those tedious baggage claim forms and helplessly waiting for someone to tell you where your missing luggage is.
So, if you don’t want to go through all that trouble, you can take some steps to avoid the risk of your baggage getting “misplaced”.
Make your luggage stand out.
If you make your luggage stand out from the rest, it will be harder for you to miss or reduce the chance of another person taking it by mistake. You can choose luggage with bright, neon-coloured belts or anything that will help distinguish it from other bags.
Take photos.
Even if this tip is not a guarantee to prevent your baggage from getting lost, it will sure come in handy in the event it does get misplaced.
When you have a photo of your luggage, you can easily use this to show the airline personnel to identify your bags and belongings quickly.
The more information you can provide to the airline staff, the better chance you can help them locate it.
Check your luggage for old airline tags.
Before you even leave the house, check your bags and see if you have neglected to remove any previous airline or security tags because they can easily steer your bags to the wrong destination.
Use labels.
While labelling bags isn’t the most effective way to prevent them from getting misplaced, you will be glad you did when the time comes that you need to claim them. Also, it’s a good idea to put a label inside your bag as well.
You can tape a simple card with your name and address to the inside lid of your luggage and, hopefully, whoever finds it can read the label with your details on it.
Check in early.
If you want your bags to arrive on time, then check in early. There’s a good chance that your baggage can be among the first ones to get loaded on the plane. So, that’s one good incentive of arriving and checking in early.
Secure your valuables.
If you can’t avoid bringing valuables on your trip, make sure to secure them in your carry-on bag. Most airlines are notorious for having little to no liability to lost luggage. So, there’s no point in risking it. Always keep your valuables on you. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
Consider your transportation when you return.
The safety of your bags doesn’t end at the airport. Always remember that your belongings can also get lost while you’re in transit.
Now, if you have a vehicle waiting for you when you return, then that’s much better. There’s no risk of you leaving anything behind in a taxi, for example.
So, be sure to book an airport parking space, so you’ll have a ride waiting for you. It’s also more cost-effective than riding a cab, especially if you live very far from the airport.
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