10 Steps to Take the Pain Out of Checking Your Bags
I’m one of the few travelers that doesn’t mind checking my bags.
Maybe it’s because when I’m working, I have no choice. I have to schlep the darn things all over the place, pack and unpack things to get through security, and after the end of a particular busy trip, that all gets pretty tiring. The notion has great appeal, then, of having someone else take care of getting my bags where they need to be, leaving to me to walk on and off the plane with only a small hand carried bag.
I’m sure that the reason I am so quick to check my bags is because I have never once, in all the years I’ve traveled, had a bag go astray. (Yes, I realize that typing this is now the kiss of death next time I check bags!)
I’ve also never had an exorbitantly long wait in baggage claim, waiting for items to come tumbling onto the carousel. Yes, it can seem like a long time, but it’s usually because you want out of the airport! When I’ve checked my watch, I’ve realized that the waiting time is usually in the 5-10 minute range.
Here are some steps that you can take to help ease the pain of checking your bags, and to help ensure that your bags arrive when and where you do.
- It starts with packing — make sure that your bag is in good shape, no rips or broken zippers, and that it is sturdy enough to withstand the journey. It doesn’t do any good for your bag to arrive in a timely fashion, only to be split apart because a small tear became a large one.
- Put a bag tag on the outside of your suitcase. I use something brightly colored, to make my standard issue black bag a little more noticeable on the luggage carousel. In fact, I usually use two bag tags, although I’m not really certain why I do that. On the bag tags, I list a home, business, and cell phone, so there are lots of ways to find me.
- Put a copy of your itinerary, along with your name, address, home phone, cell phone, and email, on the inside of the bag. I usually place everything into an envelope and pin the envelope to a pocket of the bag. I tape an additional business card on the outside. If my bag goes missing, along with exterior bag tags, the airlines can still find me.
- If you check your bag with a curbside porter, make sure that the city code on the tag is the city code of your final destination. (Which means that you need to know your airport codes.) If you’re on a non-stop flight, this usually isn’t a problem, but occasionally, if you’re making a connecting flight, your connecting airport can inadvertently be tagged as your final destination. Double check!
- If you are checking your bags with a porter, tip them. I know that you shouldn’t have to, especially now that there is a charge for curbside check in, but I do it and chalk it up to putting good travel-karma out into the world.
- If you are checking your bags with a ticket agent at the airline counter, make sure that the tags match up, and make sure that in the crush of people in line, that the tags get on your bags rather than the person’s bag in the line next to you. At peak travel times there can be lots of pushing and jostling, so don’t lose sight of your bags.
- Upon arrival at your destination, head off to baggage claim in an orderly fashion. If you need to stop by and use the restroom, do so. There’s nothing worse than people in the baggage claim area being grouchy because they have to go to the bathroom.
- Find the carousel where you bags will be arriving. Don’t push your way to the front of the offloading area. If you don’t know where the offloading area is, just look around. It’s the area where everyone is pushing and shoving. Why put yourself through that stress? Just find a spot somewhere along the carousel, and let everyone else get stressed out over being first.
- When the bags start rolling by, you’ll be able to quickly spot yours because you put that brightly colored bag tag on it. Lift it off the carousel and check to make sure that it is really yours. If you are waiting for another bag, make sure that you don’t block access to the carousel area with your already claimed bag.
- Keep your bag claim checks handy as you leave the baggage claim area. Some airports still match them up.
That’s all there is to it. A little thought in the beginning, a few practical considerations at the airport, and some good manners along the way. Before long, you’ll find that checking your bags isn’t all that bad.
Photo credit: wikimedia
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POSTED IN: Air Travel, Travel Tips
16 opinions for 10 Steps to Take the Pain Out of Checking Your Bags
Faye Scates, ACC/Owner/Cruise & Tours
Sep 10, 2007 at 11:23 am
She is exactly right…I learned this from savvy travelers years ago, and I, too have good “baggage arrival” success. I always add an extra airline tag(plus bright colored tags/ to show location/address/tel # where will be. I also tie an unusual tie on the bags also, so I can recognize them quickly…and I place a typed sheet with full itinerary and place on the very top of clothes inside bags, plus my business card with location where I will be., in the outside pocket.
My husband and I have just returned from a cruise/tour to Alaska, and our flight from Nashville/via Dallas/ to Vancouver was flawless,VIA AA, as was return on NW from Anchorage/Via Minn/BNA bags arrived/ on the return from Anchorage VIA
Jon - The DC Traveler
Sep 10, 2007 at 1:41 pm
Great tips.
Many years ago I attached a colorful ribbon to my bag, but now it seems everyone is doing that. Then, after someone picked up my bag and started to walk off with it (an accident, not theft), I put a big “X” using masking tape on my bag (not pretty), but since then, noone has mistakenly grabbed my bag.
Mike
Sep 10, 2007 at 7:42 pm
I had a bag tagged to the wrong city recently. I usually try to check, but I was tired and didn’t look at the tag. It wasn’t until I arrived that the agent noticed the wrong city on the little claim receipt.
waki
Sep 10, 2007 at 9:49 pm
My husband and I always check our bags. Just as the writer pointed out, we don’t have all that hassle of schlepping them all around the airport, lifting them up onto the scanner, watch screeners paw through them, etc. We arrive at the curb, hand over our bags and we’re done with it. So easy!
I have seen many passengers bring bags on board that are clearly too big to fit in the overhead. After huffing and puffing and shoving they finally have to admit defeat and the bags are taken off the plane. It would have been so much easier and less frustrating to check them.
The overhead bins are so crammed full. People desperate to get their bag to fit are jostling everyone else’s things around. I no longer put my sweater or jacket up there for this reason. Often times passengers have to put their bags in bins further back and then there’s the hassle of getting to them when the flight lands.
I say, “Check ‘em!”
Geoff
Sep 10, 2007 at 11:45 pm
Great tips, thanks. I’ve had two bags go astray this year. One in the UK, and one in Greece. For the first, the airline promised to refund shopping expenses but I’ve heard nothing back yet. The second was on a return leg, so not critical, but it took over a week to get home, so it was a good job I didn’t buy that cheese!
And incidentally, I never put my home address on bags. I’m deeply suspiscious of UK baggage handlers - what better way to find out who is not going to be home for a week, than read off the names of families going on holiday. I’d rather lose a bag than come home to a trashed and empty house!
Simon
Sep 11, 2007 at 7:09 am
Good ideas here… I have been looking for a solution to keep my details secret whilst protecting my luggage and getting it back to me should the worst happen… I have found such a solution.. Check it out http://www.baggagepin.com this is great simple and cost effective solution and most importantly it works on all forms of transport.
Mary Jo Manzanares
Sep 12, 2007 at 11:01 am
Faye: Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment. I wonder why we have such an easy time of it, and others struggle.
Jon: I’m seeing lots of bags with a large “X” on them. Pretty soon you’ll have to change from duct tape to something flourescent.
Mary Jo Manzanares
Sep 12, 2007 at 2:14 pm
Mike: It’s a shame that we have to be so vigilant, but it is a good idea to keep an eye on where they tag them.
Waki: Carry on bags make flight attendants crazy! We know that lost bags are a problem, but the answer is to fix that problem, not to pack up everything and bring it on board with you. I’ve seen too many people injured by bags — either falling out of the overheads, or people smacking one another with them. I’m not sure what the answer is.
Mary Jo Manzanares
Sep 13, 2007 at 5:20 am
Geoff — I usually don’t put a home address on the outside tag either, instead using my work address. On the inside, however, I do put my home address. And I use my cell phone number or business number, because those are numbers that I will answer when traveling.
Simon — That’s quite a little gadget there. I’ll have to check it out in more detail.
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JustCorbly
Dec 2, 2007 at 4:38 pm
Geoff is not being unreasonable about avoiding advertising his absence fron home. How many documented cases do we have in which info inside a bag was used by an airline? Is it common practice for airlines to open luggage?
Mary Jo Manzanares
Dec 3, 2007 at 9:43 pm
If you want your bags to catch up with you, inside the bag you should put the name/address of the location that you are staying on your trip as well as a “home” location. That can be an actual home or office or where ever.
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Alan
Jul 16, 2008 at 2:07 pm
My favoured solution has after much searching is certainly the baggagepin. This solves all of the above comments in one simple tad with an easy to identify Pin number on it…then you update and change all of your travel details even when on route at multiple destination cities.
It keeps all of your details private so no fear of people knowing your away from, but when your mislaid bag gets found you will be notified wherever you are by text direct to your mobile phone.. take a look http://www.baggagepin.com .. when I got mine it was an on-line purchase only but now I notice it is available from many retail outlets especially at airports throughout the world and also now available from certain insurance companies. Extra comfort there.
enjoy your trip(s)
Alan
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