Flying is one of the most convenient ways to travel, but it comes with its own sets of downsides. One of them is the fact that you never know whether your luggage will make the trip with you. Airlines lose luggage all the time, and while they might find it at some point or refund you, that really doesn’t help when you are left without your belongings.
Now, there is nothing you can actually do that will guarantee you don’t lose luggage when flying (except traveling light and carrying everything in a backpack). However, there is a lot you can do to minimize the chances of this happening.
Keep Your Suitcase Clean
Make sure you always remove old tags from your suitcase before checking it in. Also, avoid decorative items that might get caught up somewhere and leave your luggage stranded.
Don’t Overstuff Your Luggage
One of the common mistakes that cause luggage loss is that people often overstuff their suitcases. This makes the bag heavier and might easily miss a turn or two due to its weight.
Avoid Layovers
The chances of losing luggage grow exponentially during layovers since the luggage has to be transferred from one plane to another. What happens in the meantime is often chaos. So make sure to always pick direct flights when possible.
Don’t Put Valuable Things in the Suitcase
Never put something valuable in the suitcase. Instead, take it with you in a carry-on bag. This won’t prevent luggage loss, but it will save you a lot of trouble if that ends up happening.