An airport worker has shared a simple hack to make sure your luggage is one of the first to come off the plane – and it’s all to do with when you check in your bags
Standing around the baggage carousel can prove quite irritating at the beginning of any getaway, particularly when your case happens to be amongst the final items removed from the aircraft.
Observing fellow travellers swiftly collecting their luggage and departing the terminal only heightens this frustration.
Luckily, there is a technique that significantly increases the chances of your suitcase being amongst the first to emerge.
An airport employee suggests checking in as late as you possibly can. This approach means your baggage will probably be amongst the final items loaded onto the aircraft, making it more probable to be amongst the first removed upon arrival at your destination, reports the Express.
In a post on Quora, Thomas Lo Sciuto, who works as a ramp operative and gate agent at a regional American airport, explained: “Your best option is to be one of the last passengers to check your bags.”
He detailed the loading process, stating: “Bags will always be loaded front to back on the bag carts, so if you check in last, your bags will be in the last bag cart, which will make them the last on the aircraft, and the first off the aircraft at your destination.”
Thomas additionally recommends gate-checking your luggage to guarantee it emerges first from the plane.
He said: “The best way to ensure your bag gets to you the quickest is to ask the counter agent very nicely if they will let you gate-check your bag.”
However, he warns of limitations with this approach: “The downside of that method is that you will not be able to pack liquids or any other items that cannot go in a carry-on bag, as you will need to bring the bag with you through the security checkpoint and to the gate.”
The New York Post has revealed a nifty trick for retrieving your luggage swiftly – simply grab a complimentary “fragile” sticker from airport staff and affix it to your suitcase.
They said: “Often the fragile tagged luggage goes into the plane last and as a result, it comes onto the belt first.”
However, they caution against including one particular detail on your luggage tag, advising: “But if you’re going to tag your luggage, make sure to leave one thing off – your address. Opportunistic thieves will know that you are not at home and could try to burgle the property as a result.”