5x this way your suitcase doesn't end up somewhere else than where you are
There you are at that slowly moving baggage claim. Every suitcase in the same color looks suspicious. Is this finally it? No. And watching enviously as other lucky bastards find their bags. Fewer suitcases, even fewer suitcases and then... The belt stops. This can't be right. Maybe there's a malfunction? In all hope, you look around, searching for a sign of confusion among the people around you. But those people, they are no longer there. Lonely, you walk another round around the belt. You can't be serious? Uggghh, on to Lost & Found. Oh meine gute, the frustration. But especially the fear that all your floral dresses, trendy new sunglasses, and patched denim shorts are gone forever. Your suitcase ending up somewhere else than where you are; it's a hellish start to your vacation.
When this happened to me, I was with my now ex-boyfriend and his family in Italy. City trip to Florence, riding scooters, a lot of soft Italian pasta and large pizzas with mozzarella di bufala and freshly picked basil. That was all on the agenda. Important side note: this was the first time I joined the grande familia. And then your suitcase doesn't arrive. So you listen with a red face as that nice man from ‘Lost and Found’ tells in broken English that your suitcase is on its way to Thailand. Trust me, you are not happy. That suitcase is still at least ten hours away before it does a few lonely rounds on the baggage belt in Bangkok. Then another ten hours back to la bella Italia. So it will take a few more days before you see it again. Arghhhhh #@RGFJ%#&R. An hour later, I was buying underwear with my boyfriend's mom. Not exactly what you have in mind as the first activity together.
“So you listen with a red face as that nice man from Lost & Found tells in broken English that your suitcase is on its way to Thailand.”
So I am traumatized. And I do everything to ensure that my suitcase and I don't lose each other. Airlines are getting better at handling baggage. But 6 out of 1000 suitcases still go missing, according to the Sita Baggage Report of 2017. Quite a lot. Especially when you consider that around 200,000 people fly from Schiphol every day during these busy months. That's 120 (!!!!) suitcases. Per day. But there are definitely tips to reduce the chance that this happens to you, and I'm going to share them with you. You didn't buy all those vacation outfits for nothing.
- Fly direct. It costs more, but the chance of your suitcase getting lost becomes significantly smaller. Without a layover, your suitcase doesn't have to go on an adventure by being loaded onto another plane.
- And if you really can't avoid it, make sure there are a few hours between the two flights. Then there is more time to get your suitcase to the right location.
- Buy a one-of-a-kind suitcase. One that no one else has. This way, the chance that some idiot accidentally takes your bag is also smaller. And it looks stylish with your travel outfit. By the way, here you will find the cutest.
- Attach a label to it. Write your name, phone number, and email address on it. Heck, for all I care, you can attach a long love letter to it. They can immediately contact you if they find it. And maybe it's also the beginning of your own Nicholas Sparks love story.
- Remove old tags from your suitcase when you check it in again. If that tag from your city trip to Paris five weeks ago is still attached to your suitcase, it becomes quite confusing for the staff to figure out where it should go. Just help those nice people a little bit.
By following these tips, my suitcase ended up safely in my arms every time for six years. Don't have that much luck? Then look on the bright side; you have an extra reason to raid those local shops. Not bad either. Happy travels!
Written by: Danique van Leeuwenstijn
Source image: Pinterest and Sabine Schulte
