5 smart ways to prevent your luggage getting lost
Standing at an empty baggage carousel without your bags is one of the worst feelings you can have when you’re on holidays, and the terrible way to start or end a trip.
And while this is sometimes caused by forces outside our control, there’s actually quite a lot we can do to make sure our bags make it to the destination in one piece.
We’re going to look at five things every traveller must to avoid lost luggage. Follow these rules and you’ll never have to deal experience leaving an airport bag-less.
1. Label your bag appropriately
It’s crazy to think that so many people don’t take this simple, yet effective measure. Attach your name on the outside and inside of your bag and it will be much easier for the airline to find you should the luggage head to the wrong place. It’s also an idea to keep a simple copy of your itinerary in each checked bag to make it easy to locate you.
2. Try to avoid late check-ins and tight connections
Giving yourself as much time as possible in the airport gives the ground crew the best chance of putting your bags on the right flight. For this reason, it’s important to try and avoid checking in late or trying to scramble for a tight connection. Both of these factors are two of the most common reasons baggage ends up on the wrong flight.
3. Pack any valuables in your carry-on
Having the essentials on hand makes it much easier to deal with a missing bag, so be sure to have any electronics, medication, money, jewellery, booking information and passports in your carry-on bags. By having this material handy you can be sure you’ll be in the best position possible to retrieve your luggage and continue to enjoy your trip.
4. Double check everything
From the bag tags you’ve personally attached to your bags, to the stickers attached to your luggage at the check in counter, it pays to double check and make sure everything is in order. While this measure might slow things down momentarily, it also provides a degree of peace of mind and will have you confident that you can get where you need to be.
5. Make sure you have travel insurance
As long as you make the complaint on the right terms airlines are generally pretty good when it comes to lost bags, but there are exceptions. The only way you can be sure that you will be able to recoup your lost luggage is having travel insurance.
Have you ever lost bags at an airport? Were you able to retrieve them? And what measures did you take to do so? Let us know in the comments.
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