Ekta travels: When it comes to flights, airports, and planes, many people run cold. Even the most seamless flight can be stressful, mainly because of the organizational issues you need to solve. What’s more, some of them are beyond your control – for example, making sure your luggage followed the same route as you.
Imagine that you are flying to a ski resort, and upon arrival, you find that your luggage with equipment is lost. This means that you will have to spend your time and nerves searching for your lost luggage. Often, baggage can be returned, but sometimes it happens that it can take a long time. Fortunately, the risk of losing luggage can be minimized with the help of simple but effective tips. Let’s review them in this article.
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Top 8 Tips How to Minimize the Risk of Losing Your Baggage
How to prevent your luggage from getting lost? Someone will say that in this case, the most effective way would be to travel without it. Many people travel with carry-on luggage, as it is convenient and safe. But in a case you can’t avoid carrying your luggage with you, consider the following tips to protect it from getting lost.
Tip # 1: Create Your Baggage Cards
One of the easiest ways to ensure that if your baggage is lost, it will be quickly found is to create baggage cards. It is worth preparing several such cards in both directions. What should you write on them?
- First Name, Last Name.
- Flight number.
- Phone number.
- Email.
Once you have packed your suitcase, stick this card in a visible place. In case of loss of your baggage, such a card can significantly speed up the process of returning your baggage.
Tip # 2: Remove All the Old Tags from Baggage
Most travelers leave a tag on their suitcases. But the presence of an outdated tag with misinformation can become a real problem in case of loss of your luggage. There is no pleasure for airport employees to find an up-to-date tag among a wide assortment of old. This will slow down the process, so you should always get rid of such tags. Collect them in another place, but not in your suitcase.
Tip # 3: Try to Arrive At The Airport Early
Often such a problem as the loss of luggage is associated with the delay of the passenger. Because in a hurry, passengers do not always check the accuracy and correctness of all tags. Arriving early will allow you to accurately check everything and make sure that all tags are attached to your luggage correctly. If you are still one of those who are always late, then you should at least check all the tags. The hustle in the airport never leads to something pleasant.
Tip # 4: Think About Travel Insurance
Not all tourists know that there are such service packages that insure your luggage. Often, such offers include coverage not only for lost but also stolen items. When changing several flights, such a service can be a lifesaver. For example, look at travel insurance by EKTA TRAVELING for uninterrupted travel plans offers. This is a good way to protect your trip from canceled and delayed plans, feeling calmer in unexpected situations.
Tip # 5: Avoid Minimum Waiting Time Among Flights
Of course, spending hours at the airport waiting for your next flight can be a real test for your nervous system. Every traveler strives to minimize waiting time, but when it comes to the luggage safety, short pauses can cause luggage loss. It is worth planning your flight so that you have enough time to check all your belongings and not worry about your luggage getting lost.
Tip # 6: Don’t Put Essential Things in Your Suitcase
The essentials should always be at your fingertips. It is not only about documents, money, and other valuable things, but also about charging devices. Imagine the situation where your luggage is lost and your smartphone is dead. And as you understand, the charging device is in your suitcase. Therefore, you should carefully plan the contents of your luggage to always have everything you need in your hands.
Tip # 7: Try to Use Luggage Ties
Of course, ties are not a guarantee of safety, but in many cases, it is an opportunity to protect your bags from unauthorized access. If you use colored ties, they can be a good identifier for your luggage. If you notice on the carousel at the airport that your zip ties were removed, then immediately contact the airport employee and report that your luggage may have been opened. Such a situation will promise a thorough search, but if the attackers put contraband in your luggage, this will be a chance to save yourself from subsequent problems.
Tip # 8: Never Leave Your Bag Unattended
Well, the last valuable piece of advice on how to minimize the risk of losing your luggage is to always keep an eye on your items safety. No matter where you are, keep an eye on your belongings. Sometimes even in the waiting room you can turn away for a moment and be left without your luggage. So, in anticipation of the journey, do not lose your mind and be vigilant.
What to Do If You Lost Your Baggage
The first thing you need to start with is to stop the panic. Often lost things can be found in just 2-3 hours. If you find that your baggage is lost, contact the airport employee. You will be provided with a step-by-step algorithm of actions. The staff will also help you fill out the required application. If you used the first tip in this article, then this process can be greatly accelerated.
The Bottom Line
Regardless of your trip duration and destination, you should always take good care of your luggage. With a little of your time and attention, you can minimize the risk of losing it. What’s more, such issues are quite rare, and most often happen only to those who travel a lot. So, you have no reasons to worry about your luggage – just be attentive and careful.