Travelers often use age-old common luggage hacks, like tying a ribbon to your suitcase handle to make it easier to spot on the carousel. But a luggage handler is warning that such tricks only cause your baggage to be delayed.
Stop Using These Tricks at the Airport, Baggage Handler Says
Over the years, travelers have come up with numerous ways to help them easily and quickly identify their suitcases on the airport baggage carousel. Something unique makes your bag stand out and easy to spot.
Some of the most common tricks travelers use are tying ribbons, scarves, or other items to a suitcase or bag handle. Others use luggage tags, travel stickers, and more.
However, a baggage handler is warning that the customizations mentioned above cause a problem many travelers aren’t aware of. These various identification hacks actually cause your baggage to be delayed. Sometimes they can cause your luggage to miss the flight altogether, which is definitely the last thing you want.
While these added accessories make it easier for you to spot your luggage on the carousel, at the same time, they attract negative attention from airport luggage scanners who spot them too.
Here’s Why “Customizing” Delays Your Bags…
In a recent interview with RSVP Live, John, a baggage handler at Dublin Airport, revealed that these various methods of attaching items to your luggage have definite negative consequences. Luggage containing any of these kinds of identifying attachments will get set back upon arrival. This results in a delay.
“Ribbons that people tie onto their suitcases to help identify them can cause issues with the bag being scanned in the baggage hall,” the baggage handler said. “If the bag can’t be scanned automatically it can end up in manual processing, which could mean your bag doesn’t make it to the flight.”
“Take old stickers off the bag, it can cause confusion with the scanning process,” the handler suggested.
In other words, if you don’t add identifiers to your luggage, such as ribbons or old travel stickers, it will give your baggage a better chance of arriving easily and on time.
Bringing This Food Item Can Trigger Bomb Threat Concerns
During the interview, the baggage handler the conversation into other items that can cause baggage delays. He said that a common confection item can cause your bag to get pulled over concerns of a potential bomb threat.
Marzipan, also known as almond Candido, a paste that is made from almonds and sugar that’s often used for baking and decorating, can be a major problem. Unfortunately, it has a clay-like consistency, which just happens to be similar to explosives.
“Don’t ever pack Marzipan in your luggage,” the baggage handler warned. “It has the same density as some explosives so your bag will be removed and you’ll be called from the plane for a bag search.”
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Check Whose Wheels
The baggage handler also offered advice to people who bring wheeled suitcases or baggage. He reminds travelers that, before they drop their baggage off, the last thing they need to remember to do is to put the wheels up to avoid damage. You don’t want to recover your suitcase at your destination to find the wheels broken or missing, forcing you to drag or carry your luggage.
Airlines are responsible for repairing or reimbursing passengers for damaged baggage, according to the Department of Transportation.
Last Tip
Lastly, many travelers opt out of checking baggage entirely. It’s the surest way of avoiding delayed baggage arrival. However, it isn’t always possible to travel with carry-on baggage only, depending on circumstances.
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