How to Check a Bag at the Airport in 2024 | (Avoid Lost Luggage!)
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Checked Luggage Mistakes That Lead to Lost Suitcases. How to Check a Bag at the Airport (Avoid Theft & Lost Luggage!)
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Expert travel tips to keep your suitcase safe when you check it in at the airport. Carry-on bags and suitcases are also being checked since there isn’t overhead bin space available on flights. These travel and packing tips will help you prepare your suitcase at home to keep your luggage safe from thieves and prevent theft from checked baggage. You’ll learn how checked bags are checked and how to avoid a luggage search by TSA. It’s everything you need to know to stop your checked and carry-on luggage from being lost, delayed, or stolen.
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Welcome to Portable Professional, where I, Megan, use my experience from over 300 flights to offer you simple, practical and game-changing travel tips and hacks. Our mission is to help you reduce stress and make the most of every trip.
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🐶 Chapters
00:00 Introduction
00:25 Packing checked bag
00:43 Avoid lost luggage
00:55 How to label suitcase for check in
01:46 Baggage tags, sleeves and stickers
02:15 Luggage wrapping service
02:37 Prevent THEFT from checked bags
02:57 Don't forget to take this picture...
03:31 CARRY-ON SUITCASES are being checked!
03:52 Luggage I use
04:43 Luggage scan & search
05:31 Suitcase check in time
06:20 Check in HACK
07:08 Track checked suitcase FREE
07:41 Beware of this during check in
08:00 Airport codes and bag tags
08:25 ASK THIS to avoid lost luggage
08:48 Checked luggage and connecting flights
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Only write your name and phone number - not your home address. You don't want anyone breaking into your house while you're away. This is a tip that I recently got.
Good advice! I also like to include my email as I know i can always be reach that way.
This is what we do. We used to put my husband’s business card in the ID slot of the suitcase, but we’re retired now and just put our names and phone numbers.
I have two pitbulls at my house and my two grown sons that stay at my house.. Good luck looking an arm
@@PortableProfessional Email is better indeed 👍.
My mobile phone may be out of service when I travel but I always can have access to my email box either using WI-Fi or a tourist sim card in the country of my vacation.
I have, in the past, asked a colleague at work if I can add their phone number as an emergency contact. I have done the same for friends when they travel.
This past summer we were flying home from Europe and had a very tight connection at JFK, where we had to go through customs and retrieve/recheck our luggage. A bunch of bags from our flight out of Heathrow didn't come up on the carousel at JFK, and as the minutes ticked away an airline representative told us all that we should just go; our bags must not have made it onto the plane. We had AirTags in all of our bags, and I was able to pull up FindMy on my phone, clearly showing that our bags were directly below where we were standing. The rep we'd been working with radioed down to the bowels and a baggage handler found *all* the lost bags and sent them up. It was touch and go, but we all made the next flight, and I was the hero of the day!
❤ oh! You were awesome!
I was about to suggest that the best way to avoid lost luggage was to NOT fly Delta thru JFK on international flights. In 2014/15, I was doing this regularly and every time my luggage was "lost." It got to be a joke between me and the baggage rep at my home airport. That was the old days before air tags; now I use those.
You sound like a deaf person who tries to talk…..just an observation.
I will never again transfer at Heathrow.
Smart!
I've worked for an airline's customer service for three years, and lost baggages were the most common problem. Once we even received a call from a passenger complaining that the airline had lost her father! Her deceased father, his coffin, was lost... This was a surreal thing... How do you lose a whole coffin, for God's sake?! Therefore, I don't trust airlines at all, whenever I check a baggage it's like I'm saying goodbye and hope for me to see it again, if I'm lucky.
NOTE: the baggage handlers at the airports get pissed off at the baggage counter staff if they check in people TOO EARLY. They dont want to place your bags in a specialized "holding area". This is why the folks at the checkin stands always tell me to "sit down and wait" (Im alway arrive too early).
I purchased a BLUE luggage bag, and painted the wheels ORANGE. Then, I secure the bag with a brightly colored luggage STRAP. Also, all former RFID tags are REMOVED and I have a personalized luggage tag on the bag with my DESTINATION HOTEL, NAME, and 20 EURO DELIVERY PROMISE for my bags prompt return. Finally, I have an APPLE TRACKER affixed.
Only the paranoid survive.
Loved the last suggestion. Brilliant.
You certainly have it all covered! I have to wonder if you ever lost your luggage? Safe travels, Jim!
Yes, I got orange straps and tags for my luggage for an upcoming trip. I use orange because it’s what my French teacher had us all use (an orange ribbon around the handle) when we first went to France 30 years ago. We’re coming from East Tennessee and orange and white are the colors for the University of Tennessee. I continued with it myself (especially international travel) because it stands out and very few people want anything orange. I didn’t consider the wheels. I’ve seen the covers.
Many airports particularly in Europe will not accept bags more than two hours before flight, so the 3 hour ahead advice is quite poor as it just clogs the checkin desk area with passengers who arrived too early. TWO hours is the advice at most European airports, at least on short haul. Can’t count how many times at NCE I’ve had to walk around a bunch of people who were too early for check-in when I was there at the appropriate time (for a flight leaving before theirs).
If you’re somewhere like the Lufthansa FCT of course it’s nice to go early because they will take the bag at any time, there’s no waiting, and you can stay in the FCT for a nice meal before they drive you to the plane… but that’s a totally different reason for arriving early.
do not place ribbons, bandanas, or luggage tag on the same handle with the baggage tag with barcodes. if the barcodes get covered up while on the conveyor belt, the bag could get routed to wrong location because the laser scanners will not be able to read the barcode.
I used to put colorful ribbons on to identify our generic looking bags. I now have distinctive luggage straps. They will secure the bags as well as be easily identifiable.
@@IrishAnnie just make sure the buckle is on the side of bag and not on the main part of bag. the buckles tend to bump or gets the bag stuck between conveyer junction points. if it on side of bag, it will slide easier in the system
...Also, if the handle breaks, you'll lose both tags!
With my black suitcases, an affordable tip is to get colored duct tape and put a strip on each side of the bag so that way it’s easily visible and unique. I’ve never had issue with any residue being left behind on my soft sided bags, either.
Take pictures of your suitcase contents both before (spread out on the bed) *and* after packing the case; not only can the before picture help clearly itemize the contents for possible insurance reimbursement, but also you can save it as a packing list for future trips: keep the picture in your memos with a title like "Europe Spring Trip Packing List" and the next time you're going somewhere with similar weather you can just use the same items instead of wasting time puzzling over what to pack.
That is a great idea, Barbara! Nice having you on the channel!
This is exactly what I’ve started doing in the last year. It really gives peace of mind for bags I plan to check or know may potentially be checked
Love this idea!!!
I started doing this just this year and it is a very very good idea. The other thing is to ensure you know how to make a claim for you luggage either through before you need to do it.
@@kevincollins2299 YES! I had a checked bag badly damaged in Miami airport last year and by the time I had the time to figure out how to file the claim ... The time limit had already elapsed. Thankfully only the bag itself was damaged and the contents were fine
I live in the US and travel by train a lot. One thing I love about Amtrak is that you must show your checked bag receipt to retrieve your bag. Someone can’t just walk up to a bag on the carousel and walk off with it without showing the agent their receipt, so no stolen bags.
Easy fix for that. Ask for a BSO tag to be added to your bag. This tag is meant for firearms but can also be for valuable items being in the bag. The downside is that it makes your bag stand out.
They don’t check in Seattle
Years ago, LAX checked luggage at the exit door. Your tags had to match the luggage tags. But it did create another long line and so it was stopped.
I remember a time I had to show my luggage ticket before leaving the carousel area. I don't remember whether it was airline personnel or airport security, but I wish they'd go back to it.
Airlines: "Never leave your luggage unattended!"
Also airlines: *leaves EVERYONES luggage unattended!* BRUH. 🤷♂️🤦♂️
Don’t pack anything in your suitcase you can’t afford to lose. With everyone having access to TSA keys, the idea of “locking” your suit case is bygone feature.
Also consider putting an apple air tag into your suitcase so you can keep a track of the bag to ensure it’s on your flight, and if in the unlikely event the bag is stolen, you can see its location at any time or if the bag is lost, you’ll be able to find it straight away
Great idea for a little added security!
For those that don't have Apple devices there are other trackers as well. Tile Pro is probably the commonest, but there are others. Just Google 'alternatives to AirTags'.
Some newer bags now have a "hidden" pocket to place AirTags or Tile tags.
Surprised this wasn't in the video. Have been doing this for a year now and it has already saved me dealing with airline on delayed baggage.
100% I had a Samsung Tag .It save me when the airline lost my suitcase on a multi segment flight/ Vacation . I was going to Malaga from Madrid and it was lost in transit. Using the app it showed it was still at Madrid Airport. Since my next destination was Barcelona I had them send it to my hotel in Barcelona if they find it. When I landed in Barcelona the App tracked it that it was at Barcelona Airport. Since I was at the Airport I asked the Airline Lost & found if I can just pick it up since I'm already here. The agent looked it up and said it was still in Madrid ,I showed him the location on the app that my suitcase was here. Agent looked, made some calls & they found my Suitcase at DEPARTURES getting ready to go elsewhere , Agent was dumbfounded that it was at departures.. an Hour later they brought out my suitcase... Thankfully for that tracker...
Having a picture of your bag can be a life saver. My bag was delivered to the wrong cabin on a cruise once, I tried to explain to the crew that it was a plaid bag, but with their limited English they had no idea what I was talking about. Showing them a picture led straight to my bag.
My closest airport is MCI, no clue how that relates to Orlando. 😀
Glad you got reunited with your bag! Happy travels, DeeDee!
MCO is Orlando, not MCI which is Kansas City. MCO stands for McCoy Air Force Base, the site of the current Orlando airport.
A Tracking Tag is a must for your suitcase or bags. An Apple Air Tag or Samsung Tag depending on your phone. It save me when the airline lost my suitcase on a multi segment flight/ Vacation . I was going to Malaga from Madrid and it was lost in transit. Using the app it showed it was still at Madrid Airport. Since my next destination was Barcelona I had them send it to my hotel in Barcelona if they find it. When I landed in Barcelona the App tracked it that it was at Barcelona Airport. Since I was at the Airport I asked the Airline Lost & found if I can just pick it up since I'm already here. The agent looked it up and said it was still in Madrid ,I showed him the location on the app that my suitcase was here. Agent looked, made some calls & they found my Suitcase at DEPARTURES getting ready to go elsewhere , Agent was dumbfounded that it was at departures.. an Hour later they brought out my suitcase... Thankfully for that tracker...
Okay - a few comments. The plastic wrapping on luggage is destroyed by airport security. Mine was wrapped in India, and when it arrived in the US it had been torn off to search inside. (They always open my luggage and search it.) They left the plastic wrap hanging from the wheels of my luggage. Going to Morocco in early March 2020 with a connection in JFK, my flight to Casablanca was delayed a few hours but the checked bag was sent over on an earlier flight and got lost - i finally caught up with it five days later in Tangier. Even if you do your best to check your bag three hours in advance, it can still get screwed up through connecting flights. Third, for every trip i prepare a Word document that i make several copies of, put in ziplock bags, and put in everything I’ve got with me. It has my name, home address, cell number, email address, information about my final destination, and my flight itinerary. I put it in zippered outside pouch of checked suitcase as well as in a zippered inner pocket as you suggest. This has been helpful on several trips.
It’s not generally recommended to put your home address, since your home will be vacant. Other options are your work address, a friend’s address, or a family member’s address.
To add to Megan's final point, for flights with a layover: When checking your bag at the beginning of your trip, always ask the airline employee what the baggage rechecking policy is for both your outgoing flights and your return flights. When I have flown internationally, with one layover in each direction, my bag was checked through to my destination for the outgoing flights (so I didn't have to recheck it at my layover airport), but for my return flights, I did need to pick up my bag and recheck it at the (same) layover airport.
I make them show me the tag indicating the final destination. Never had an issue.
I have found this to always be true for me also. International flights bags go all the way from check in but returning I must pick up and recheck after clearing customs in the USA.
That is ALWAYS the case for US flights
Entering with connection inner-US -> recheck
Leaving with connection inner-US -> no recheck
@@AnnaBanana-rq9vhThe tag may have the final destination, but in some countries, especially US, you MUST claim your luggage at the first entry you arrive in the US, go through customs. Once you clear customs, luggage handlers (right after customs counters) will collect your bags and transfer to your next (Domestic) flight. If you don’t claim your bag at the first entry, it will not be transferred to the next flight with you since it has not gone through customs clearance.
My last few international flights have been from Amsterdam. It’s a direct flight to Seattle, so no worries there
A few tips when checking firearms: They must be in locked hard sided case & it the locks are not supposed suppose to be the luggage locks that the TSA has a master key for; this means that you must allow extra time because after checking in & filling out the form to declare your firearms & ammunition, you will have to wait with your bag until someone from TSA comes to inspect it because you will need to open it for them; after it has been inspected & relocked & they take the bag , you can then proceed to the security line. Since only cases that contain firearms are allowed to be locked with the more secure lock but the case may contain other things as well, I recommend getting a large Pelican case so you can have more of your stuff locked securely; just make sure the firearm(s) are on the top of the bag so they can be easily inspected. If travelling with loaded magazines, they need to have the caps that go on top so that the ammunition is fully enclosed on all sides; otherwise, all ammunition must be either in the original packaging or in a container specifically designed for storing ammunition. Make sure that every place on your case for putting a lock, has a lock on it; one lock is not good enough! Any adequate case is going to require at least two locks & some may require 4+ locks!Make sure that you are legally allowed to possess the particular firearms & ammunition in both the state you are travelling from & the state that is your final destination. If the airport you are flying into is not in your final destination state & you will be travelling by ground transportation to your final destination, even if your firearms are not legal in the state you are flying into, it is still legal to travel with your firearms so long as the remain unloaded & in a locked case while travelling through that state (as long as you are just travelling through) but make sure you have documentation such as a hotel confirmation that shows your final destination/ where you were actually coming from. All firearms, ammunition, firearm parts & firearm accessories (with the exception of scopes & red-dots) need to be in your checked luggage not your carry-on but only firearms & ammunition need to be declared at check in; firearm parts (except for frames & receivers) & firearm accessories do not need to be declared. Frames & receivers do need to be declared since they are legally considered firearms. Scopes & red-dots (because of how fragile they are) are the only accessories that are permitted in your carry-on. When you arrive at your destination airport, don’t be alarmed if the case with your firearms is not on the luggage belt, as bags with firearms are typically held at the baggage office for you to pickup (though once in a while someone messes up & they do end up on the luggage belt.)
I wish at the exit from baggage area there was a check with bag tags. Last time I was returning to YVR, after customs I had to detour to restroom. When I got to luggage carousel my luggage was one of the last coming out. It was blue and had ribbon on handle. Saw a woman taking it off carousel 😮 I went over and told her that was my suitcase! She pretended that she made a mistake. Doubtful. With ribbon on handle, and distinctive luggage tags it would be hard to mistake! Sadly there are luggage thieves at airports. SEATAC is well known.
Glad you were able to retrieve your bag in time! Safe travels, Susan!
That’s because SeaTac is a shit airport
@@susan7775Agreed.
@@susan7775SeaTac is notorious for luggage theft but I was in YVR!
I remember years ago you needed to show that your luggage matched with the ticket they gave you when you checked it in. It wasn’t as easy to take the wrong bag accidentally or otherwise. Can’t believe they got rid of this step.
RSW for the last 13 years. My fav airport that I use to live near was DFW. If or when I do check a bag, I always hide an Apple AirTag inside so I can keep an eye on things. One in my carry on too, in case they suddenly check it.
After reading about the luggage fiasco that took place over the last summer in Europe and elsewhere, we purchased Samsung Tiles for our checked luggage and even our carry-ons. One more way to track your luggage is lost by the airline.
Great tips! For years, I only carry a carry-on. I can always buy or have washed what I may need at my destination. And, no waiting for luggage!
Thanks for watching!
YYZ
Great tips! I wanted to add a few of my own thoughts for what it's worth:
1. if possible, always opt for a direct flight over a flight with connections if that option is available.
2. if you must have connecting flights, make sure your connection is around 2-3 hours (which is that same golden window for checking bags). This is enough time for baggage handlers to get bags off your flight and add them to the bags for the next flight which are at that point being sorted and ready for loading. Any shorter and you risk your bags not making it to the next flight, and longer connections mean the dreaded holding area (aka baggage no mans land).
3. if it's not possible to have a 2-3 hour connection, then opt for a longer connection and ask that your bags NOT be checked through. When you arrive, you collect your luggage and then take them to the bag drop for your next flight yourself at the appropriate time. If it's a very long connection, you can even get a room at the airport hotel and just bring your bags with you and hang out there until it's time to drop them off. It's a small additional expense and a small amount of inconvenience but IMO it can greatly reduce your risk of bags being lost as I believe most bags are lost or delayed with connecting flights.
I have traveled around the world all my life and I have always stuck to these rules and so far (knock on wood) I have never had a problem with my luggage.
In the US, if your luggage gets delayed, don't opt for the "home delivery" that the airline might offer you. Tell them you'll pick it up yourself from the airport. These days the airlines just hire anyone with a pulse from gig-apps like "Roadie" for pennies to do the delivery. In my case, Delta's "delivery partner" courier stole the contents of my luggage and dumped the empty suitcase in the airport parking lot. I found out where my suitcase was from the police who turned it into lost-n-found.
That's unfortunate! I agree it is best to pick up when possible. The fewer people handling your luggage the better!
Example for the baggage recheck thing.
If you're entering the US and you have a connecting flight inside the US you >always< have to claim and recheck.
If you leave the US and have your connecting flight inside the US you will not have to recheck.
I always print my itinerary. I leave one copy with my spouse, put one copy in my purse, a copy inside my bag, in the outer pocket of the bag, and in a pocket of my clothing for checkin. I do this for checked (seldom) bag, carryon, personal item, and purse.
I also keep a precise list of exactly what I packed in each bag. This helps with wardrobe planning and is essential in case a bag gets lost.
You sound like such a knowledgable professional so you might like to know that the correct term for a flight that has a stop is called a “stopover”, NOT a layover. A layover is a crew term for leaving the airport, staying the night, and continuing on the next day. Knowing this will prevent confusion when you are booking your trip.
Chicago-O’Hare is ORD…because it started out as Orchard Air Field!
Interesting! Safe travels, Claudia!
Wow! Been with the airline industry for 34 years and you hit many great points correctly. Great job!
I just write in bright Sharpie directly on the outside of my hardshell luggage *(and on the sides of our cloth 'bag-in-bag' duffles we keep in them for souvenirs on the flight back) my name/social media handle/email and phone number. Obnoxious large on all sides. No way someone is walking off going "oh I didn't notice that" even if their base luggage is the same color as mine. Don't care in the least of the esthetics of my bag, especially with how throwers ding and scuff it up every time it's used. I'm going to use these bags until they fall apart, so no "resale or donations" is not a concern either. No one follows me on social and I don't answer my phone to calls so this works perfectly for me! 😂
Hiding in plain sight. Love it.
We arrived several hours early, when we checked our bags, they were sent on an earlier flight then ours. When they weren’t on our plane, we looked around and there sat our luggage against the wall. Anyone could have walked off with them, thankfully they were still there as the Local brides veil was in them!
I've had to claim a bag and recheck it on domestic layovers too, so it is always worth verifying. The only times this has happened to me is when my route had me swap to airlines outside their alliance, for example flying Delta for the first leg and United on the next.
Pay extra attention when booking those flights! If a mixed-alliance route is unavoidable, make sure you have 3-4+ hours on that layover, just in case! It'll be a bad day if you have a short layover and you have to go claim your bags, re-check them, and go back through security to make your connecting flight!
Even when traveling carry-on only, gate-checks happen more and more often as more people fly carry-on. There simply isn't enough bin space on many (most?) airplanes for everyone to bring a full-size carry-on aboard. Personally, I'd only consider booking a short-connection mixed-alliance route if I was flying personal-item only.
Thank you , very useful tips. I am not a regular traveler but these are helpful hints. Cheers
When changing air carriers on a layover, make sure you have a boarding pass before you arrive. Partner airlines occasionally have communication problems when they are using different confirmation/reservation numbers for the same itinerary,
I'm glad you mentioned buy obnoxiously bright luggage because I do that. I also think (maybe wrong but) maybe it helps not get lost? Like, having a bright case is probably memorable so I feel if they see it once then later don't, they'll think "hey where's that bright pink case?"
I also have a hard time with heavy things so if case is bright, I can see before it reaches me and at least mentally prepare!
This video is a life saver!!! I'm so glad I found your channel. This will be especially helpful for my upcoming cruise. I always have lists of everything I take, but never once thought to take a picture of my suitcase and its contents. Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom!!! 🤗
Glad it was helpful! Have an amazing cruise!
We are in MAN.
Thanks for all the tips. Very useful.
Love your advice. Some of the best travel tips on the internet.
So kind of you to say! Thanks!
Really helpful tips. Thank you, Megan.
You are so welcome!
Thanks for the tipped the discount for Level 8! I have one of their carry on's and it's great - time to get a bigger one. SNA is the local airfield for me. Cheers and safe travels!
Happy travels from L.A.with that new luggage!
Thank you, Megan! You are the best!!
You are so welcome!
Great video! Thanks again for all of the valuable information!
I work as an expat and travel often. Best is bright colored, hard shell suitcases. There's not zip to force open and it's easy to identify at a distance. Tags get torn off. Write your name & cell number with a permanent marker on the outside of the suitcase & put an Apple airtag inside each suitcase. That way you always know where your suitcases are...
Hi Megan!!! So cool to hear that your home airport is YOW...so is mine! I love your videos and always keep up with them or review some before I travel.
A couple of weeks ago, I was told at the departing airport (Santiago, Chile) that my bag was checked in to my home destination (Ottawa). I had a layover in Bogota and then another in Toronto and then home. My bag was fine in Bogota but just before landing at Pearson Airport in Toronto, the flight attendant announced that everyone had to pick up their suitcases and had to proceed through customs even if you had a connection. I did check again with the oversized baggage desk in the Pearson carousel area and the agent did confirm all checked baggage coming from Colombia was flagged to be picked up and then checked again regardless. (Picking up checked baggage and then rechecking was easy and straightforward.) Apparently some countries are flagged for checked baggage to be picked up.
I was so glad to have picked up and rechecked my bag as another passenger didn't and had gone through the customs exit and was not able to get back to the carousel area and they were in a panic. Another passenger had told me that on a previous trip, they did not pick up their checked baggage as they were told that their bag was good all the way home. But like me the flight attendant announced to pick it up and the passenger ignored the announcement, therefore their bag got delayed arriving at the destination. For the most part is that if the flight attendant says pick up your baggage even if you were told it was checked to the final destination, it wouldn't hurt to just double check.
I love your content for travel. You are current and have great advice. Thanks, Megan...keep it up!
😊😊😊
If your FA tells you to do something, you do it.
Whenever you arrive on an international flight in any country, your first airport of entry is where you have to clear customs first. This is the universal truth for every country when you arrive internationally and not because some countries you arrive from are being specifically flagged for special customs checking.
Super clever tip about choosing the check-in lineup that is adjacent to the priority lineup! Genius. :-)
As always ... really good stuff Megan. My usual home jump off is YUL, but try to use YQB as there is less traffic (but no trans-border preclearance). As the others noted - never have home address on the outside of your case. I use hardside Pelican cases, so simply write last name and mobile phone # on the underside and back of my cases. Also, ... I only use MasterLock real Paddle Locks ... never TSA ones. If I have to check a bag at check-in, I'll take it to oversize, have it scanned, then back the case out, lock it then let it go through (Like One would do for fire arms). Pelican or Nanuk cases may seem expensive at first, but mine have +15 years on them and never failed ... plus life time guarantee. Again ... love your stuff! Take care! Safe Travels!!!
Thanks you, Christopher! I have flown out of YUL on many occasions but never YQB. Safe travels to you as well!
Good morning, your tips are so good!!! They make sense, but they are soooo worth it! thank you.
You are so welcome, Catherine! Glad you find them helpful!
Thanks Megan. Top tips as always. ❤
You are very welcome, Kenneth!
Yea the tags are a good idea especially when putting the info or itinery on the inside pocket - nice tips all around thank you
These are all great tips, especially the last one!! I never thought of that even though it’s the same airline, it could get stuck somewhere else.
Great video!! I'm going to rewatch and take notes!
Thanks! Great to hear you found it helpful!
Check, check, check! I think our suitcases are ready to go. I have debated getting one of those reusable luggage sleeves. Maybe I'll pick one up at the airport. 🌸Heidi
One of my first jobs was in a Worldwide Carrier mailroom and I had to know all the 3 letter USA & International airport codes. And I still remember most of them 35 years later! I also remember all the Canadian ones started with Y
That is a lot of airport codes! Happy travels, Linda!
Except ZBF😁
Great tips as always!! Thank you!!
You are so welcome! Thanks for watching, Janice!
Hello fellow resident of Ottawa. Been watching your videos for awhile…but that mention gained you a new subscription.
Nice video, nice ideas. You are becoming one of my favorite travel advisers
That is so nice of you to say! Glad you enjoy them!
LAS. We frequently fly to COS, SAN, PDX, and MSP!
Awesome relevant flight hacks and information!! Thank you, Megan!
Regarding the stickers and bagtags, unfortunately, a lot of people don't know it and thing it's 'cool' to have a suitcase filled with stickers from previous flights. I work at the airport and I've been told by my supervisors that it is not an check-in agent's responsibility to remove those things, however, whenever I see those, I mostly ask the passenger to remove at least the bagtag and I can place the new stickers over the old ones. The problem is if there are way more stickers, then you can only pray for your suitcase to get to your actual destination.
So please remember, if you want your suitcase to arrive at your final destination, remove everything. Don't go blaming the staff.
ITO-Hilo, Hawaii
Good tips. Thanks. MSY for New, Orleans, Louisiana.
Me too! Because airport used to be named “Moisant international “ -now Louis Armstrong and they can’t use LAX haha!
Love the tips! Tysm 😊
You're so welcome!
HPN is my nearest airport, surprised you did not mention AirTags
Always great tips.
Thank you , Carl!
Hello YOW - greetings from GEG in upper left USA. GREAT tip on the airport codes double check - especially with connections!
Glad it was helpful!
Great tips Megan
Thanks so much!
In the UK they have a bag wrapping service. I wish we had one here in the USA too.
Posting form DEN.
I rarely check luggage, as I believe there are two types, carry on and lost, but I gate checked a bag I realized I couldn’t lift after a mild shoulder dislocation on Southwest recently, and had the option of it waiting for me on the jetway. I took that option.
Gate checking significantly reduces the chance of lost luggage. A good option when available. Safe travels!
My home airport is LAX. My luggage tags have my work address instead of home for security reasons. I am one of the few people I know who always have their info both inside and outside of my luggage. The air tags are great and I have one for each of my bags. I also try and keep the luggage receipts in with my printed boarding passes. I use a digital one most of the time, but if the WIFI is unavailable, I can still board as scheduled. As for arriving at the airport, I use the boarding time and not the departure time. If I arrive 3 hours before the boarding time, I will not miss the flight.
The last Suggestion reminds me of a flight I took from Frankfurt (germany) via London Gatwick to Plymouth (UK). Although I knew I had to pick uo ny luggage and check it in again at London and obviously did so, I found out after my arrival at Plymouth that it was left behind at London airport.
No worries bc I gave them the address of my hotel in Cornwall to where I had to go by train. To my surprise it arrived one hour ahead of me.
What a start to begin my holidays. I laughed a lot after that experience.
Good tips. Most people I know travel with backpacks or in my case a duffel bag as check in luggage. Often they have more compartments closed with zippers. I use a padlock on the main compartment and the rest I close using small zip ties. At least now you can see when it's opened. In my carry on backpack I at least have a change of clothes just in case the check in luggage doesn't arrive (on time).
Great information 👍
Glad you liked it
Good tips. I put a copy of my itinerary in my bag, but never in the zippered pocket. I will do this from now on. Also, I have photos of the exterior, but not the inside. Another thing I'll add to my pre-flight.
3 hour advanced check in is OK for international travel, but too soon for domestic. I usually shoot for between 1.5 and 2 hours for the very reason that I don't want my bag waylayed before the plane departs. Your comment regarding asking the agent about rechecking bags is really important when booking the flight to ensure that you have enough time between flights to reclaim the bag and then recheck it. It is also important when returning to the US. If you have purchased duty free abroad and then are required to recheck the bag and go back through security, TSA will confiscate any liquids that are over 3 oz. You will have to pack these liquids in your checked bags and then hope to hell that they don't leak or break.
I really like these videos. She tell you what to do and (as important) why to do it. Please never pack your Passport in your luggage or your carry-on (even tho there are 2 pics of that in this video).
MCI is Kansas City, Mo
I was flying to Hobart, Tasmania, Australia from the US. I was going through LA and had to get my bag to recheck it. I noticed the tag had HBR (Hobart, OK) and not Australia! So now I always check the tag before they put my luggage on the belt!
Also when travelling to London LHR from Ottawa YOW I had a one hour lay over in Washington DC IAD but to my surprise was stopped on entering departure area by US imigration on Canadian soil! anmd had to fill out a visa form for a 1 hour layover
My luggage tag has my name - first initial only - and something like BA 92 YYZ to LHR and the date. I do the same with the return flight.
Thxs for the info
Great points! thank for sharing your knowledge. BTW I fly out of YYZ which is Toronto lol. Never understood that short form.
Thanks for watching, Karen!
Great tips! Going to implement a few of them. Already adding AirTags to my bags when I travel. Ok the airport geek in me has to post this for you. Why Canadian airport codes all start with Y
As air travel became common, Canadian airports began to use 3 and now 4-letter codes, typically begin with the letter “C”. It is also thought that the reason the letter Y is used for all (or most) Canadian airports, is that the letter “Y” indicated there was a weather reporting station at the airport or close by. Y = yes for weather.
Working hospitality for 32 years. 30-40% people still don’t use luggage tags and rely on the airport tags. Get one of those trackers, because luggage goes onto wrong destination airport sometimes and good luck getting delivery to you within 48 hours. Sometimes better to pick up yourself. Then you have proof with id your bags are there.
We are in TLH! Thanks for the great tips. Will be flying to LHR i a few months!
Have a super time in London! Safe travels, Laura!
I have a black bag, with a bright school bus yellow plastic tag, and a thick Christmas red yard bow on my bag. My suitcase is identical to my husbands so when mine was missing in Victoria Falls airport we could show my husband’s bag. As well as I had a photo of both our bags. I put my hotel name in my suitcase. Although my suit case arrived to Victoria Falls we had left to Cape Town that morning. The flights to Victoria Falls only come in on Tuesday and Thursday. We arrived Tuesday afternoon and left Thursday morning. The suitcase did finally arrive about 4 days later into Cape Town. My credit card allowed $500 purchases for new clothes. I had to buy WAY over priced clothes in Victoria Falls with US Dollars but they had very little things to buy. We used up almost all our dollars and ended up nearly broke by the time we left Victoria Falls (no ATMs). Bought a lot of clothes in Cape Town. Save your receipts.
We are checking our bags for our next trip. My husband had shoulder surgery plus we have winter clothes so we are taking the 24 inch bag and he can not lift our other 21 inch above his head or roll it far. We are splitting clothes into each other’s bag so if one of the bags does not arrive that person has clothes. We have AirTags and all airline apps. We are also carrying on the flight a fold up bag with one change of clothes each and underwear and pajamas.
Sounds great! Have a wonderful trip and I hope your bags follow you more closely this time!
good stuff. There are other bags that are high-quality and rugged, though.
Great traveling tip.
Thank you, Gary!
😂😂 "YOW for Ottawa because that makes sense" 😂😂 so when I leave Montreal it'll be YUL be missed.😂
Use bright colored luggage straps. This would help with making it stand out and also help if the zipper were to break.
Will post responses to all missed Sunday postings -- once back from vacation. Great posts anyhow...
Have a great vacation!
@@PortableProfessional Thank you very much Megan, 8 week vacation, have spent only three, will be back on Tuesday next week -- a week today, then I will reply to all three Sunday posts---two unreplied, and one imminent post---by then...
@@PortableProfessional ...back from vacation from productive engagements ---will post responses to all four consecutive Sunday postings tomorrow...
About the luggage tag -- I would not put your home address on the tag (if you must, maybe put your work address or some other address that is NOT your home, but that your bag could be delivered to if necessary). But still put your name and phone number so you can get contacted if your bag is lost. Generally if your bag is lost during your trip, they don't need your home address, and only will need it if it is lost on your return flight (at which case they can call you and you can make arrangements to get your bag back).
For identifying bags, just put something on the bag (like i put some red duct tape around the handle -- my bag is black so this is relatively easy to identify as i put the red tap on both handles (top and side). taking a photo of the inside of your bag is also helpful for when you have to repack to make sure you didn't forget anything. This is more crucial for things like roll on briefcase type bags or camera bags mainly, but can be helpful for regular luggage too, particularly if you are the type of person that tends to take everything out of your bag when you get to your destination (I don't).
I agree with your luggage tag info. I like to include my name, phone and email. Safe travels!
I don't see the harm with having your address as well.
One time when I was a teenager, I was at home and my parents were due back soon from a trip to Mexico.
Suddenly there was a knock on our front door and a complete stranger had pulled into our driveway with a suitcase in hand.
He handed it to me, said ""This has your address on it" got back in his car and drove away.
When my parents arrived home, I learned that they had lost a suitcase out of the back of the limo on the ride back from the airport.
They were late because they had been driving around looking for it.
Nowadays all my flights are in the EU with budget airlines, so the check-in is online or via the app, boarding passes are on your phone and baggage check is self-service. So you attach your own suitcase tags, keep your receipt somewhere safe and then head straight for security. It's very quick and easy. I always find that checking the case around 2 hours before the fight is ideal, not too early and not too late. The baggage check machines won't work for your flight if you're too early, or too late!
The aluminum one is great as it has no zippers and it's harder to break into
SJU, really like your videos.
When I was travelling from Ottawa to London UK one of my cases was opened up before me by security and it just had to be the one which held my chef/camping knives in ! But as it was my checked luggage it was passed and despite having to change flights at Washington DC it arrived with me in London. I was fortunate it could so easily have been flagged.
Your video is excellent! Especially about adding contact information on the inside of luggage. People don't ever think that bag tags do come off in transit. And even if you lock your bag sometimes we need to get TSA to open it and try to locate you. It's a major reason bags get lost.
I have a couple more tips...
(1) Every airline has a baggage cut off time and each airline's time is different. PLEASE find out prior to coming to the airport. People don't understand that 1 minute late checking in your bag could make a flight 5 - 10 minutes late. That's not fair to 50+ people you're flying with, especially if they have a tight layover time.
(2)A lot of DELAYED (not lost) bags happen because passengers come to the airport in a rush and will just automatically sit their bags on the scale or baggage area at the ticket counter. When there are a lot of people checking in at once this can cause a lot of confusion and definitely getting your bag getting mis-tagged. Arrive early and be patient.
(3) Usually damaged bags and pilferage go hand in hand. I can't begin to tell you how many pilferage claims are due to overstuffed bags. Airline personnel don't have time to pick up every item that falls out of your bag when it bursts open. So packing light is absolutely a plus for all involved.
(4) Airtags are fabulous, but I have had several experiences where they sometimes are incorrect or stop working either in the luggage or via the mobile phone. You may not have experienced it yourself, but has happened. Don't totally rely on it.
Excellent video
I normally travel out of Copenhagen, CPH. If my suitcase is delayed, my travel insurance allows me to buy necessary items for an equivalent of $250 per eay it's delayed up to a certain max. So I don't worry too much. Btw it only happened to me once in all my travels on a trip from Copenhagen to LA vua London and the suitcase was brought to my hotel the next night - beford I managed to buy anything 😃
Nice video. Great ideas.
Thanks, Lilly! Glad you like them!
I had two soft side bags, a check-in and a carry-on, that looked like a lot of the others on a carousel. I bought some Day-Glo squeeze-bottle fabric paint, intending to write something distinctive. I'm no calligrapher and realized too late that it would be unreadable. So I just made squiggly lines. It looked terrible, but it worked. I was even complimented on my psychedelic technique.
Haven't heard that one but anything that makes your bag stand out, works! Safe travels, William!
Thanks!
You are so welcome! Thank you so much for visiting the channel!
Your videos are often useful, and I appreciate your sharing your expertise. Please disclose that a video is an advertisement throughout the video, rather than just briefly during the promotion. Thank you.
Agree wholeheartedly on downloading the airline's app, and compliments to Air Canada's as its app gave out a notification that 1 of our 4 check-ins from ROM to SFO got loaded to a carousel while at our YUL stop. Had it not been for that notification, we would not have had the chance to go to an Air Canada customer service counter and have them track, retrieve, and redirect that luggage to its SFO destination. This event happened just this past weekend. Good save, Air Canada app :)
In Australia a lot of people send their luggage air-express a few of days before their flight. It's cheaper than excess baggage, they pick up and deliver, and you get a tracking number.