These two hacks may increase your bag’s chances of being early off the carousel.
Do you hate waiting at baggage claim for your luggage to appear, chafing at the delay or worrying if it’s going to show at all? Want to be that person whose suitcase comes out first from the chute?
Premium (first or business class) tickets and some frequent flyer programs ensure your bags are first onto the luggage carousel. But what about everyone else? Here are two hacks that better your chances at being one of the first to receive your checked bags.
Last One Wins
One way to make sure your luggage appears first is to be one of the last passengers to check in bags. Bags are loaded front to back on the bag carts so if you check in last your bags will be in the last bag cart, which will make them the last on the aircraft, and the first off the aircraft at your destination.
That may not always be wise, as you risk missing your flight if there’s a bottleneck at Security and often overhead bins fill up early and thus there will be no space for your carry-on if you are among the last to board.
Easy Does It
A second way to ensure you waste less time at baggage claim is to have your luggage marked as fragile.
A fragile tag is meant to be put on luggage which is to be handled carefully as it contains items made of glass, pottery, ceramic, or any other easily breakable material.
While checking in your luggage, ask the person on the counter to put a fragile tag on your luggage. You don’t have to prove you have fragile items in your luggage; just ask for the sticker. (Note: baggage handlers look for tags or stickers issued by their airline, located on the handle near the checked tag.)
Why? Luggage marked fragile is typically loaded into the aircraft last, and thus is the first to be unloaded. Plus, they’re also likely to get less wear and tear. The downside with this tactic though is that once in a while, these stickers may not be seen or honored by staff.
My niece tried the fragile-sticker method twice. Both times her bag was among the first four off the conveyor belt. #YourMileageMayVary
Twist’s Take: If you’re keen on your suitcase showing up at baggage claim ASAP, give these two hacks a try.
