7 ways you can avoid lost luggage
There’s nothing worse than losing luggage when you’re on an overseas trip. We’ve taken a quick look at ways to minimise the risk of going without your bags when you’re travelling abroad.
1. Upgrade you luggage tag
In many ways it’s amazing that more people don’t do this. Several high-tech brands offer luggage tags that feature codes or microchips that make it easier for travellers to track down lost bags. SuperSmartTags and ReboundTag are two examples that are much harder to remove.
2. Check in early
It goes without saying that if you’re in a rush the chances of you leaving something behind are significantly increased. Also, baggage handlers need plenty of time to process luggage and load it onto the planes, so be mindful of that when you’re figuring out your airport arrival time.
3. Place itinerary and contact details inside your bag
While luggage tags can be easily removed in the handling process, a copy of your itinerary with contact details placed on top of your belongings will almost certainly stay put and let anyone in the airport who comes across your lost bag know where you’re going and how to contact you.
4. Ship bags instead of checking them
This strategy might seem a little crazy, but if you know exactly where you’re going and know you’re going to be taking a lot of stuff it may just work out cheaper to ship your bags to the hotel. Most delivery services also offer tracking functions, so you will know exactly where your suitcase is.
5. Take photos of your belongings
If you’re bag has gone missing overseas you’re bound to be a little bit stressed and your powers of description may fail you. This is why it’s a good idea to take photos of your baggage so any authorities or airport staff members can have a clearer idea as to what to look out for.
6. Use a colourful luggage strap
With so many bags looking similar, the chances of a dreaded case of mistaken identity at a baggage carousel are unfortunately high. By giving your bag a touch of colour with something like a colourful luggage strap or a bright ribbon your belongings will stand out from the crowd.
7. Avoid short layovers
It stands to reason that the more times your bag has to go between hands the greater the chance that it may at some stage go missing, particularly if you’ve encountered delays, so try to avoid short layovers if possible. If not, then you’re really not allowing yourself a lot of wiggle room.