10 Tips to Prevent Lost Luggage

If you travel frequently, you have most likely experienced the nightmare of missing luggage at some point during your travels. Lost luggage complaints have decreased significantly in recent years, yet it still happens. Misplaced luggage can disrupt a well-planned holiday and may result in a loss of time and money. You might be able to cope most of the time, but lost luggage can lead to inconvenience, turmoil, and panic. If you’re planning a trip, why not take a few steps to allow your bags a better chance? While there are no foolproof ways to protect your luggage from getting lost, you can follow a few basic tips which may prevent your bags from getting misplaced and might help in recovering them if they go missing.

1).  Fly non-stop or with longer layovers

Traveling nonstop is the easiest way to safeguard your luggage because bags are frequently misplaced in transit. Unfortunately, we can’t always go for this option because of cost or non-availability. The next best alternative is to choose flights with a longer layover to give your luggage and yourself adequate time to get abroad on the next aircraft. When booking connecting flights, avoid layovers of less than 1.5 hours. If your flight is delayed, the airline crew will not have enough time to move your bags from one plane to the next. You’ll rush to your next flight, but your luggage may not make the connection in time. Plan a slightly more extended layover if you have booked the two flights separately. Or, if you are required to retrieve your baggage for customs before boarding the next plane. You need to pick up your luggage at baggage claim and drop it off after following the required procedure. This takes time and you cannot expect to be as quick as the airport staff. Remember all of this while booking tickets.

2).  Make Your Luggage Stand Out

Make your bag stand out by using eye-catching details. Purchase suitcases in striking colors or prints, wrap a bright ribbon/duct-tape/tag around the handle, apply stickers/patches to the body, or use bold luggage straps – it all depends on your creativity. These simple markings will help you identify your luggage on the carousel among a sea of similar-looking suitcases. Check the tags, even if it seems identical to your bag. By personalizing your luggage, you ensure that none of your fellow travelers grab it by accident. If your luggage goes missing, the unique tags will also act as an identifying mark. 

3).  Reach…