Theories abound around how to get your suitcase to plop down on the carousel first. But what do the pros say? One baggage handler writes on Reddit that the key is being one of the last people to check your luggage in. “Show up mostly late, but not at the last second. Your bag will be stacked on top of the cart, be the first loaded on the plane, be the last loaded off, and the first onto the carousel. It’s probably 70-80% effective.” Another handler adds that weight and size also play a part in determining when and where bags are loaded within the plane and therefore unloaded. “Timing can help,” he writes, “but size, shape and weight also come in. If your bag weighs 80lbs, it's going on the bottom if we can help it.”
Travel business or first and a "priority" bag tag will see your luggage fast tracked along the way. Your bag might also qualify for this VIP treatment if you’re a frequent flyer, even if you’re in economy. However, don’t try to be sneaky, warns one baggage handler speaking to The Globe and Mail. “Many passengers try to weasel their luggage into the first-class cart. Sometimes it works, most of the time it doesn't and it's a great satisfaction in the bag room to tear a false priority tag off of someone who's only paid regular fare.”
Handles are key, according to Zack who was interviewed by Conde Nast Traveler. He says choosing a case with a handle on the bottom as well as the top is a big help to baggage handlers. “I grab it and the top handle and can easily place the bag on the bag loader or in the hold. It's not just nicer for your bag's treatment; the movement is easier on my back."
Meanwhile, Zack confides to Conde Nast that the straps on child car seats are the most annoying thing as they get stuck on everything. He recommends they’re wrapped in plastic, along with any prams. And not just to avoid damage. “You'd be shocked at the nasty condition of some car seats and strollers as they come to us. We don't want to touch that more than we have to, but if it's bagged and all straps inside, it's more likely to be handled nicely."
How much weight does a "fragile" sticker actually hold with baggage handlers? Not much, according to one handler on Reddit. “Do your absolute best to make fragile items your carry-ons, [it's] as simple as that. In the rush of our work environment, not everyone is going to bother noticing the fragile tags. Basically, most people don't care about fragile items, and the airlines care even less,” he writes. A handler speaking to The Globe and Mail agrees: “If I lifted each piece of luggage as if it were the Queen's tea set, nothing would get done.”
According to one handler who spoke to Budget Travel, put simply no. “Pristine new bags don't stay that way for long inside a cargo bin, so buy luggage that's durable, not fancy. But don't go the cheapskate route: an overstuffed duffel bag held together with duct tape is a mess waiting to happen,” he says. “Baggage handlers can cram a Boeing 737 with 150 bags in under 30 minutes. Factor in even higher loads for bigger planes, and multiply that by several incoming and outgoing flights a day. Do you really think anyone's bag is going to receive special treatment?”
Another way you can keep baggage handlers sweet (and give their backs a break) is by packing light. One handler on Reddit recommends taking two medium bags rather than one heavy one. While the handler interviewed by The Globe and Mail explained: “Most of the bags I've broken have weighed well over 50lbs. If you have to travel with a heavy bag then use one of those special tags on your luggage. It's nice to have a warning!"
Ever wondered if they run out of space in the hold? “Very rarely but it happens,” writes a handler on Reddit. “If you have a rookie stacking the pit he might run out of room. But if a load is that heavy we will get a more experienced employee to do it.” Another reveals that baggage is sometimes bumped to conserve fuel. “[Airlines] can run out of weight for bags. Depending on the weather and flight distance, fuel might be a little more important. I worked in Alaska and in the summer, on some of our long hauls, we would bump all the bags. Only the passengers would go.”
Always seal or lock your suitcases and bags, advises one handler speaking to Skyscanner. “At a lot of airports there are professionals that can steal from your bag/suitcase. Sealing your bag with a layer of film helps prevent damage and is also an extra security precaution against people who want to sneak something into your bag.” Conversely, another handler on Reddit dismisses the notion, saying he has never seen any colleagues take anything or be accused of stealing. “Sometimes locks break and we find them at the bottom of the truck at the end of the day, but no one has ever opened one up. If we ever have to open a bag to find a name or anything, the bag gets taken to our superior who will look through it with a witness to find the name."
A report released earlier this year by airline information technology company SITA revealed that fewer than six bags per 1,000 passengers were mishandled last year. That's a reduction of 12.5% year on year. However, your bag is more likely to be misplaced if you have a connection. The report showed that 47% of delayed bags were in the process of being transferred to another flight. It's not taken lightly by the airlines: lost luggage cost airlines around the world $2.1bn in 2016, according to SITA's report.
“People that over pack their bags,” reveals a Reddit user. “People jam so much in their bags that the zipper busts and all their stuff falls out. It’s no fun for either party.” While Zack tells Conde Nast that un-zipped bags and spilt shampoo are his pet peeves. “I can’t tell you how many times luggage comes to me with open pockets, dumping out everything the moment I pick it up. The worst is when liquids are packed in on the outside, in those little pockets around the luggage. If they don't fall out, they're crushed during luggage stacking in the hold, and shampoo or whatever oozes everywhere."