There is no worst start to a trip than arriving to your destination without your luggage. Airlines are notorious for often delaying your luggage’s travel, or losing it all together. And no matter where you are going or what you have packed, not having your things arrive when you do is always frustrating.
As Memorial Day Weekend approaches and everyone begins to take advantage of the four-day weekend (and unofficial start to summer), airports will be inundated with tons of travelers. Although there is no way to make certain that your bag will not get lost, here are a few tips to give you the best chance of having your luggage arrive at your destination at the same time you do.
Be friendly to the associates at ticketing
It sounds so simple, but being friendly to the people working behind the ticketing desk is your first defense at ensuring the safe arrival of your bags. While I do not believe that agents purposely lose bags or delay them being sent to your plane, I am certain that they are able to control how well they do their job. Those agents are met with resistance and negative attitudes all day long. If you allow yourself to be their ray of sunshine, it will transform you from “just another customer” to an actual human being in their eyes. And once you’ve established a positive interaction with them, they will be much more likely to ensure that they’re attaching your tracking sticker correctly, putting your luggage on the correct belt and making sure that nothing about the bag would hinder it from meeting you at your final destination.
Keep an eye out
Agents at the ticketing desk are always busy, especially on holiday weekends. They are doing multiple things all at the same time, while trying to move everyone through the line quickly. With that kind of pressure, human error is bound to happen at some point. Being aware of this possibility can help ensure that the error does not happen to you. Keep an eye out as you check your luggage. Make sure the agent has printed the correct final destination and name on the tag attached to your bag. Watch the agent place your luggage on the belt that takes it to the baggage service, and then stick around to make sure that the luggage actually leaves the ticketing area. Time is always of the essence at airports. Your luggage sitting at the ticketing desk for 10 extra minutes could be the determining factor for whether it made your flight.
Be aware of the tags attached to your luggage
The airline will always attach a tracking sticker with your name and final destination to your luggage. Help make life easier for the people handling your luggage by removing any tags from a previous trip, even if it’s just from your outbound trip. Baggage handlers deal with thousands of bags in a matter of minutes and don’t always have the time to be as thorough as we would like. If there is more than one sticker, a baggage handler might accidentally scan the wrong tag, sending your bag to a place you aren’t headed to. Also, be sure your name, address, phone number and email address are all written neatly on a sturdy luggage tag that can withstand things such as rain or getting pulled. Airlines often offer paper tags at the desk, but those can easily be removed or ruined. Choose your own tag and attach it in a very conspicuous location.
Fly direct
Although flying direct is not always a viable option, it is your best assurance that your checked luggage will arrive with you because, more often than not, a bag is misplaced during your layover. If flying direct is truly not an option, try your very best to choose connecting flights that give your luggage enough time to move from one flight to the next. A minimum of 45 minutes should be scheduled between flights, just in case your bag is one of the very last to be removed from your first flight.
Track your luggage as you travel
Most airlines allow you to check your luggage through their app. The app will tell you every single time your luggage is scanned on and off a plane. Paying attention to this app while you are traveling, as opposed to just when it is time to collect your luggage, gives you a heads as to where your things are. If it seems like your luggage may be held up, you can let either a gate agent or customer service representative at the airport know. Because these employees are at the actual airport where your bags were misplaced, they will have a better chance at helping ensure that your bags end up on your flight. Tracking your bags with the app could also save you time because if you do realize your bags have not made it to your destination, you can skip spending 30 to 45 minutes at baggage claim and go straight to the office to begin filing a report for the missing items.
Make sure your bags stand out
Another great way to ensure that your bags make it to your final destination with you is to have bags that stand out in some way. With thousands of bags waiting to be transported to planes, it is not surprising that some just end up being overlooked. Those bags tend to be the plain black ones that look like every other suitcase. Having brightly colored bags or something attached to the will help draw the eyes of the people handling the bags. Bags that stand out are also imperative when travelers collect their bags. Often, people lose their luggage because another passenger has picked it up by mistake. If you have something unique or identifying on your bag, other passengers will know it is not theirs.
Megan Pinckney (@shadesofpinck) is a retired beauty queen turned lifestyle blogger who loves exploring the world and writing about it.