It’s the bane of every traveller’s journey, but did you know there’s a clever trick to ensure your luggage pops out first?
We’ve all found ourselves endlessly waiting at the baggage carousel, eyes glazed over as suitcase after suitcase passes by – and typically, none of them are ours.
However weary globetrotters, take note: an airport insider has spilled the beans on how to beat the baggage blues. A savvy airport worker from a US regional hub has let slip on Quora, the go-to site for tips and tricks, that the order in which bags are loaded could be your golden ticket.
They revealed: “Bags will always be loaded front to back on the bag carts. So if you check last your bags will be in the last bag cart.”
But this hack comes with a caution, as timing is everything – and leaving it too late could see you missing your flight. Fear not, there’s another less risky strategy that involves nothing more than a simple sticker, reports the Daily Record.
All you need to do is request a fragile sticker at the check-in desk. Luggage marked as fragile usually gets the VIP treatment, loaded last and therefore sitting pretty on top, ready to make a swift exit when you land.
Quora expert Raqhav Kabra endorses the ‘fragile sticker’ strategy, noting you don’t even need to show any delicate items.
She shared: “You just have to ask the person to put a fragile tag, even if you don’t have anything fragile in your bag. If they ask what is it that you’re carrying just say some old artefact or a glass piece.
“No extra money, and your luggage comes first,” she remarked, highlighting this budget-savvy approach.
Katy Nastro, a travel expert from Going, pointed out rated flyers often bask in perks like early luggage retrieval. She shed light on how this works: airlines use special tags for loyal passengers, making their bags easy to spot and segregate.
But airline guru Jesse Neugarten from Dollar Flight Club insists flying First Class is the sole surefire way to ensure speedy baggage reclaim.
He revealed: “Baggage for first-class passengers often travels on a separate cart and is sorted for fast delivery. It’s one of the few consistent perks airlines still prioritise – and yes, it often works.”
If you’re dreaming of jetting off on holiday but don’t fancy forking out for a First Class ticket, these travel hacks could be just the ticket. While they might not work every time, it’s always worth giving them a go.