Warning issued to anyone who uses a baggage tag on suitcases
Mia Williams
Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Image
While personalising your suitcase with ribbons and tags may feel like a sensible thing to do, travellers have been warned that it could cause problems for their luggage arriving at their destination.
If your suitcase has ever ended up anywhere other than where it should be, you'll recall the feeling of your heart sinking as you watch the empty conveyer belt continue to circle.
Knowing that most of your holiday will be spent in one t-shirt and a bikini you luckily found at a nearby convenience store is not the best start to your travels.
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Naturally, you would assume that making your suitcase as stand-out as possible would give it the best chance of not getting lost or left behind.
But it turns out that the opposite is actually the truth.
One baggage handler has warned travellers about personalising their suitcases and what they should do instead.
John, who works at Dublin Airport, told RSVP Live: "Take old stickers off your bag - it can cause confusion with the scanning process."
While it can feel nostalgic to have stickers from all over the world on your case, it's probably best that you remove them.
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Another common thing people add to their bags to make them more recognisable is ribbons.
But it's time for those to go too.
John explained: "Ribbons that people tie onto their suitcases to help identify them can cause issues with the bag being scanned in the baggage hall.
"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."
While it is completely legal to pack food into your carry-on or checked bags, John warned against one particular thing that could cause some trouble.
According to the expert, marzipan can be flagged up on the system.
He said: "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."
His last piece of advice is also handy to know, as many people recognise severe damage to their suitcase after a flight.
Explaining how to keep this to a minimum, John advised: "Place your suitcase wheels up for less damage."
It's also helpful to know that if your suitcase is severely damaged following a flight, some airlines may even provide a replacement.