Arriving at your holiday destination and discovering that your suitcase has been taken from the baggage carousel by someone else is of course your worst nightmare. Many people therefore choose to attach a label or string to their suitcase, to easily identify the luggage. Super smart, you would think… However, it turns out to be even smarter not to do that. This is why!
Also read: How to keep your valuables safe on holiday
Lost suitcase
Maybe it has happened to you, or maybe you have seen it happen to someone else; at the airport at the baggage carousel and your suitcase is no longer there. Or, there are ten people with the same black suitcase; which one is yours? Hanging a label or string on your suitcase, or covering it with nice stickers seems like a good solution. That way you can recognize your beloved suitcase from thousands.
A baggage handler at Dublin Airport explained that you should not do this. Such a simple label can cause major problems. Both for you and the airport… Curious why? Then read on!
Do not put a label on your suitcase
The reason this baggage handler advises against putting a label on your suitcase is perhaps even worse than not being able to identify your suitcase at your holiday destination. John (from Dublin Airport) explains it to RSVP Live in detail. “The strings that people attach to their suitcases to identify them can cause problems when scanning the luggage. If the suitcase can’t be scanned automatically, it has to be processed manually, which can result in your suitcase not making the flight.” Wow! So, get rid of those labels. Maybe it’s time for a new personalised suitcase or you have to be willing to take the risk. But then again, who wants to go on holiday without their luggage…?
Another tip
As a baggage handler at an airport, John has of course seen enough. He must have seen people take a lot of strange things with them. Are you planning on taking marzipan on holiday? Don’t, says John. The doughy mixture of marzipan, which is made from almonds, sugar and eggs, has the same substance as some explosives, John adds. This means you can easily be picked out by customs. Oops!
