Baggage handler issues warning to anyone who ties a ribbon on their suitcase at airport
Trying to make your luggage stand out from the crowd could do more harm than good, according to this Dublin Airport employee.
When you’re heading off on holiday, you want to make sure that you all stand out from the crowd and are easy to spot just in case someone gets lost in the crowds – and the same applies to your suitcase.
People put all sorts of decorations onto their luggage in the hopes that no one else will accidentally pick it up and leave them with one pair of underwear and zero clothes for their week-long holiday.
We’ve all been there – and there’s nothing worse than trying to put an outfit together with the offerings from the hotel gift shop, so can you really blame people for emblazoning their name in big diamantes on their case?
One vigilant passenger even strapped a GoPro onto their luggage to keep track on it after it left their possession and began its journey along the maze of conveyer belts.
Which says a lot about some of our trust issues, but that’s another story.
Travellers add trinkets, key rings, luggage tags, colourful strings, or stickers to their bags so that they’re easy to clock when coming around on the carousel – and tying a ribbon on the handle is also a popular method.
But according to a baggage handler at Dublin Airport, distinguishing your luggage in this way could end up completely derailing your holiday.
The employee, named John, explained that personalising your precious baggage could actually do more harm than good, as your belongings might not even make it onto the plane.
He told RSVP Live: “Ribbons people tie onto their suitcases to help identify them can cause issues with the bag being scanned in the baggage hall.
“If the bag can’t be scanned automatically it can end up in manual processing, which could mean your bag doesn’t make it to the flight,” he added.
“Take old stickers off the bag, it can cause confusion with the scanning process.”
John also shared a couple of handy tips for travellers to take note of if they want a stress-free experience with their luggage, such as placing your suitcase wheels up to avoid damage.
But his golden rule is to never pack Marzipan in your luggage – so if you’re something of a baker, you better think of a flight-friendly back up to take with you.
The baggage handler explained that the thick paste made from ground almonds, sugar and egg has the ‘same density’ as some explosives – so don’t be surprised if you and you’re bag are pulled aside for a thorough search.
Missing the family holiday for a bit of Marzipan just isn’t worth it really, is it?
So it sounds like it’s best to leave the ribbons and cake supplies at home if you want to make your flight this summer.