September 2, 2024, 4:03 pm | Read time: 7 minutes
TRAVELBOOK shows nine tricks for avoiding lost luggage and getting it back as quickly as possible if it ends up on the wrong plane.
We’ve all been there: having finally landed at your vacation destination, you stand nervously at the baggage carousel, hoping your suitcase will turn up quickly. And while one fellow traveler after another leaves with their luggage, your inner anxiety increases. What if my suitcase didn’t come with me and went missing? It usually turns out well in the end, and your suitcase turns up, but sometimes it does not. According to data from Euclaim, more than 20 million pieces of luggage are lost on flights worldwide every year or arrive late at their destination airport.
TRAVELBOOK has put together 9 tips so that you don’t have to go on your long-awaited vacation without a change of clothes. These should guarantee that your suitcase ends up on the right plane – and hopefully, help you get it back quickly if it does get lost.
Overview
- 1. Don’t opt for black
- 2. Don’t pick an expensive suitcase
- 3. Make the luggage uninteresting for others
- 4. Don’t pack any dangerous items
- 5. Take a selfie with your suitcase
- 6. Put an A4 note in the suitcase
- 7. Remove old baggage tags from the suitcase
- 8. Check in your suitcase on time
- 9. Be vigilant at check-in
- What to do if your suitcase disappears
1. Don’t opt for black
When suitcases were piling up at airports during the flight chaos of summer 2022, Frankfurt Airport published “Suitcase know-how” on its website. Thomas Kirner, Head of Passenger Communication at Fraport AG, recommends labeling luggage individually so that you can quickly identify it. “Many people travel with black trolley suitcases, making identification very time-consuming. Individual stickers, a colorful suitcase ribbon, a sign stuck on with fabric tape or suitcase covers have proven their worth,” he explains.
In fact, most suitcases and bags are black, dark blue, or gray. With so much monotony, it’s easy for someone to accidentally (or deliberately?) grab the wrong suitcase from the baggage carousel and disappear before the mix-up is noticed. So, Be bold; go for bold colors or even patterns to recognize your suitcase among all the others! Don’t attach any straps, cords, or ribbons to your suitcase if possible. Don’t hang anything loose on your suitcase because this could cause it to get caught somewhere along the way.
2. Don’t pick an expensive suitcase
While a bold color can help your suitcase stand out, it’s wise to avoid overly expensive luggage that might tempt thieves. So it’s better to leave your chic Armani or Louis Vuitton suitcase at home or, at best, take it with you as hand luggage. We also advise against a thick security lock on your suitcase. This could inadvertently draw the attention of thieves, who may suspect valuable contents in your locked luggage.
3. Make the luggage uninteresting for others
Keep valuables like cameras, tablets, laptops, jewelry, or cash in your carry-on, not checked luggage, to avoid lost luggage. Before checked baggage is loaded onto the plane, it is screened – and there are also thieves among airport staff. Carry your passport and other essential documents with you, as well as any medication you need to take daily. If your suitcase is misplaced, at least you won’t be left without these items if your suitcase is misplaced.
4. Don’t pack any dangerous items
Nail scissors are allowed in your checked baggage, as are razors and files. What you should avoid, however, is packing knives, weapons, fireworks, or other prohibited items. This is because every checked-in suitcase goes through a security check and, according to an EU directive, must be x-rayed before it is loaded onto the plane. It may miss the flight if it has to be opened because of conspicuous objects.
5. Take a selfie with your suitcase
Before checking in, you should take a photo of your suitcase with your smartphone. A photo of your baggage can be very helpful for airport staff to locate it quickly, among many others, in the event of lost luggage. Tip 1 also helps here: a conspicuous suitcase stands out from the crowd.
6. Put an A4 note in the suitcase
As the passenger rights portal Planeclaim.eu shows in a video published on Instagram, it can also help to place an A4 note at the top of your suitcase where it is clearly visible. You should write your name, email address, mobile phone number, and flight booking number on the note. If, for example, the baggage tag tears off en route and the suitcase is misplaced, the airport staff can then very quickly assign it to the right person using the note.
7. Remove old baggage tags from the suitcase
Before checking in, remove all old baggage tags and barcode stickers from previous flights from your suitcase. Otherwise, your suitcase may end up on the wrong plane because an airport employee placed the wrong tag on it when loading it or the wrong code is scanned.
In addition, a baggage handler at Dublin Airport told the Irish news portal “RVSP” that no ribbons, bows, or similar items should be attached to bags. Even if they help travelers identify their suitcases, they can attract unwanted attention from the baggage scanners at the airport. In an emergency, the scanner will not recognize the suitcase, and it will have to be checked manually. This often results in it missing the flight.
8. Check in your suitcase on time
Go to check in on time. If the employee is (still) relaxed, he will certainly take even more care when sending your suitcase where you want to go. Mistakes are more likely to happen in the hectic rush just before check-in closes. Also, go to boarding early enough. A suitcase may only be loaded onto an aircraft if the passenger is on board. You should also not choose a connecting flight where the time between two flights is very short. If it’s a challenge for you to make a tight connection between gates, consider how much harder it could be for your suitcase.
9. Be vigilant at check-in
It is best to check in advance what the abbreviation of your destination airport is(for example, LAX stands for Los Angeles International Airport, FRA for Frankfurt am Main Airport). When checking in, ensure your ticket and baggage tag abbreviations are identical. If not, either you or your suitcase will end up in a place that was never on your itinerary. Make sure you keep your ticket, as it will have a sticker with the registration number for each piece of checked baggage when you check in.
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What to do if your suitcase disappears
If your suitcase does not arrive despite all precautions, first go to the baggage counter at the airport. Lost luggage is sent to “Lost and Found,” usually located in the arrivals hall. There you report your suitcase as lost or missing. You will be asked to describe your luggage as precisely as possible. The photo you took before departure will help you. You will find a reference number on the copy of the loss report you are given. Then, report the loss of your suitcase to your airline immediately to avoid losing any claims for compensation.
With some luck, you will get your lost luggage back on the same day. If the suitcase remains missing, travelers are entitled to compensation up to a maximum of 1200 euros. Once again, this shows why taking your laptop and expensive jewelry on the plane as hand luggage is better.