IT’S every holidaymakers nightmare – stepping off the plane at your holiday destination only to find your luggage hasn’t made it with you.
Yet it happens to millions of us every year.
If you’re keen to avoid becoming part of that figure, there are 8 essential tips to help prevent it from happening, Chipolo says.
Get rid of old labels and stickers
It’s easy to avoid this job, but it’s always safer to remove old airline tags and stickers from your case.
Bags are scanned at multiple points along their journey so it can be easy to confuse scanners with old flight info.
Take emergency essentials in your carry-on
If the worst does happen and you’re left empty handed at the baggage carousel, this will help you cope with the first few days of your trip.
Make sure to pack things like your wallet, toothbrush, medicine, phone chargers and a spare pair of pants in your carry-on.
Invest in a recognisable luggage tag
Let’s face it – a lot of bags look the same, so it can be hard to identify them from a distance.
Invest in a tough, brightly-coloured luggage tag to make it easier to spot yours out of a line-up.
You can even purchase personalised luggage tags online if you like to mix style with practicality.
Keep your contact info inside your case
Don’t overlook the chance of your luggage tag being ripped off during transit – it’s common for cases to get chucked around on their journeys and even the toughest labels can be torn off.
For this reason, it’s a good idea to keep your contact details inside your bag too, so if a good Samaritan does find it and look inside, they’ll know how to reach you.
Purchase a smart luggage tag
Popping a smart tracker inside your case is an easy to way to locate your luggage in a flash.
iPhone users can connect a Bluetooth tracker to their phone’s ‘Find My’ app, they’ll just need to purchase an Apple Airtag or Chipolo’s Spot finder.
The ‘Find My’ app even has a Notify When Found feature, where other iPhone users can help you locate your lost luggage.
Android users don’t have access to the ‘Find My’ app, so they’ll need to rely on a Bluetooth GPS tracker, which has a more limited range.
Get rid of all loose straps from your luggage
Remove all straps that aren’t absolutely necessary for carrying your luggage.
This will make sure your bag doesn’t get hooked on anything while journeying through baggage handling.
Snap a quick pic of your luggage
Although this won’t prevent your luggage from going missing, this two-second hack is a great way to help identify your bag if it does.
If you have to reach out to the lost property department you’ll be able to easily show them what your luggage looks like, so they’re more able to find it.
Check-in early
Getting to check-in nice and early is the best way to make sure the airline staff can process your luggage in a calm and organised manner.
If you rock up late, you’ll cause them to rush, and this could mean your luggage gets sent to the wrong location – or worse still, it might be too late to get your luggage onboard at all.
Luggage Rules for Major Airlines
British Airways
- Cabin Baggage: 1 cabin bag (max 56 x 45 x 25 cm) and 1 personal item (max 40 x 30 x 15 cm), total weight up to 23 kg.
- Checked Baggage: Economy allows 1 bag up to 23 kg. Premium Economy, Business, and First Class allow more.
EasyJet
- Cabin Baggage: 1 small cabin bag (max 45 x 36 x 20 cm), no weight limit but must fit under the seat.
- Checked Baggage: Fees apply, up to 23 kg per bag. Passengers can pay for additional weight up to 32 kg.
Ryanair
- Cabin Baggage: 1 small bag (max 40 x 20 x 25 cm). Priority boarding allows an additional larger cabin bag (max 55 x 40 x 20 cm, up to 10 kg).
- Checked Baggage: Fees apply, options for 10 kg or 20 kg bags.
Virgin Atlantic
- Cabin Baggage: Economy and Premium allow 1 cabin bag (max 56 x 36 x 23 cm, up to 10 kg). Upper Class allows 2 bags.
- Checked Baggage: Economy Light has no checked baggage. Economy Classic, Delight, and Premium allow at least 1 bag up to 23 kg. Upper Class allows 2 bags.
Emirates
- Cabin Baggage: Economy allows 1 bag (max 55 x 38 x 20 cm, up to 7 kg). Business and First Class allow 2 bags (total up to 12 kg).
- Checked Baggage: Economy Class varies by fare type (from 20 kg to 35 kg). Business and First Class allow up to 40 kg and 50 kg respectively.
