Safeguard Your Checked Luggage Efficiently During Air Travel This Season
Losing Valuables While Traveling: Strategies to Keep Your Checked Luggage Safe
Traveling can be an exciting experience, but it comes with its fair share of challenges, like dealing with lost or stolen baggage. Eamonn Turley, an RV rental company CEO, recently faced this problem when his laptop charger and designer sunglasses vanished from his checked luggage during a flight. To avoid such situations, especially during summer travel, here are some handy strategies to keep your valuables safe.
Last year, a whopping 36 million checked bags were delayed, lost, or stolen, according to multinational IT company SITA. Travel expert, Alonso Marly from Skylux Travel, emphasizes that losing luggage while traveling is an unfortunate experience that most people would prefer to avoid, whether for work or leisure.
A Quick Checklist Before You Go
Here are some essential steps to take before leaving home:
- Avoid packing valuables: Most airline contracts of carriage exclude liability for valuables such as electronics and jewelry. So, do not risk packing them in your checked bag.
- Take photos: Snap pictures of the exterior and interior of your bag filled with your belongings. You may need them to report a missing item. Save these images in the cloud so you don't lose them if your phone goes missing too.
- Airport snapshots: Take a snapshot or video of your bag with the airline-issued tag showing the destination airport. While airlines track your luggage, having a photo of your bag with the tag before surrendering it to the airline can come in handy in case of any issues.
The Latest Luggage Security Measures
1. Theft-deterrent luggage: Invest in luggage with built-in security features such as tamper-proof zippers or hard-shell cases with clasps to protect your belongings. These features, although not fool-proof, can serve as effective deterrents.
Frank Harrison, regional security director for the Americas at World Travel Protection, reveals that thieves can easily penetrate zippers with a simple pen, allowing them to access and steal items. By using luggage with clasps, you can protect your possessions from such opportunistic thefts.
2. Track your bag: Strategies like Turley's, who uses a luggage tag to indicate that his bag is being tracked, can help. Concealing a tracking device within the luggage is another tactic. By tracking your bag, you can discourage less-than-honest baggage handlers and potentially recover your items in case they go missing.
For added security, use TSA-approved locks on your luggage zippers, photograph your bag contents before check-in, and place one or even two GPS tracking devices like Apple AirTags inside the luggage.
3. Make it hard to grab: Traveler Kevin Mercier, who works for an auto manufacturer in Paris, has a smart packing strategy that has served him well. He wraps valuable items in clothing and places them in the middle of his suitcase. This makes them less accessible and less likely to be easily pilfered.
4. Outsource your luggage: If you're unwilling to play luggage roulette, consider using luggage forwarding services like Luggage Forward or LugLess. These services pick up your luggage from your location and deliver it to your destination, bypassing the risk of theft at the airport. Keep in mind that these services tend to be pricier than checking your bag at the airport.
When the Worst Happens
If your luggage has already been pilfered, report it immediately to the airline or local authority and obtain a filed report. This is essential when filing a claim with your credit card or travel insurance company, many of which include a baggage and personal effects benefit that allows compensation for lost or stolen items.
Stay vigilant and be cautious when handling your luggage, keeping an eye out for anyone loitering near baggage areas or luggage carousels. By adopting these measures, you can protect your belongings and cruise through your travels with peace of mind.
Happy and safe travels! 🌍🎒🛫
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- To enhance security measures for your checked luggage, consider investing in luggage with tamper-proofzippers, hard-shell cases, or luggage with built-in tracking devices like Apple AirTags.
- For added protection, use TSA-approved locks on your luggage zippers, photograph your bag contents before check-in, and place the photos in the cloud. You can also discreetly conceal a tracking device within your luggage.
- Adopt smart packing strategies, such as wrapping valuable items in clothing and placing them in the middle of your suitcase, making them less accessible and less likely to be pilfered.
