Friday, 5 August 2011

How Can I Avoid Common Baggage Problems?

By Frank Woods


Mishandled baggage is not an uncommon phenomenon in air travel. A definite headache for travelers is losing a baggage. To avoid problems with your luggage, follow these rules.

Only have one carry-on luggage when you travel. In order for you not to worry about them being lost or stolen, you take your bags with you inside the cabin. Two pieces of carry-on luggage, one for the overhead bin and the other for under the seat, are generally allowed for each passenger.

Do not put heavy items in the overhead storage bin. Even lightweight items can cause serious injuries if they fall out of the overhead.

Put your contact information on every bag. Stick a label on the outside of all your luggage indicating your name and address. Inside your bags, a duplicate must be placed along with your itinerary. This will help the airline locate your bags in case they are misplaced. Just in case you need to check in your carry-on bags at the last minute, the same measure should also be done on them.

Customizing the look of your bags is not a bad idea. There are a lot of bags that have similar designs. So, customize your checked bags to make them easier to spot on the baggage carousel and to prevent other passengers from grabbing them by mistake.

Make sure that your valuables are always with you. Your valuable items such as jewelry, laptop, money, and electronic files should be stored in your carry-on luggage so that they will not get lost.

The correctness of airline tags on your luggage should be verified as well. There is a three-letter identifier that is tagged on your checked baggage and this should match your destination airport. If you are doubtful, then check with your ticket agent.

Don't lose the stub from your checked luggage. To identify your bags in case it is lost or picked up by someone else by accident, this stub will serve as an important key.

Immediately report lost checked luggage. If your bags have not turned up at your destination, inform the baggage agents on duty or any of your airline's representatives at once.

Losing a bag is something you should anticipate. When you pack your bags, do it in a way that a lost bag will not hamper your trip. Clothes and underwear can be distributed among your bags. You can either pack backup copies in another bag if you have a business meeting and are carrying presentation materials or you can have it sent ahead of you in another bag.

Do not pack hazardous goods. Even though some items are commonplace and essential at home or in the workplace, they can pose a safety threat to passengers and crew in the cabin. If your airline allows them in checked baggage, make sure they are packed properly.

As always, verify with your airline their policies and guidelines regarding baggage.




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