An airline worker has warned passengers of the type of suitcases he believes are “more likely” to get lost.
In a Reddit thread related to Delta Air Lines, the airport maintenance worker in the US shared some advice on how to avoid the dreaded scenario of losing your luggage.
He pointed out that one airline alone can have ”3000 to 5000″ bags per hour passing through the airport at peak flight times. And this simple mistake could see your bag fall off the radar.
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While he suggests a hard shell suitcase as the best choice for luggage, the worker warns the colour or pattern of your bag could be a cause for it to be lost.
“Mirrored colours and paint schemes with a metallic flake act like reflectors and send the beam back to the sensor. Basically turning the bag invisible,” he wrote.
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“Once that happens, it can’t be diverted to its assigned location to be loaded on the plane it belongs on.
“We only see it when it passes through the tag scanners again, but with the sheer volume of bags, it gets hard to catch them.”
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The airport staffer also echoed the advice shared by a baggage handler last year – don’t use a ribbon on your suitcase. Or ropes, bungee cords, and scarves.
”While helpful to identify your bag, it can get caught downstairs and can delay bags,” he wrote, adding he once had to cut a bungee cord off a bag that had gotten caught in a roller and affecting operation.
He also said decorative bag covers can come off as well.
“Do what you feel is best to help identify your bag, but just be warned some items can help cause delays.”
He went on to explain that this is by no means official advice, as “I am just a guy who knows what it feels like to travel somewhere and either your bags never made it, or made it and was damaged.”
If the worst happens and your luggage does go missing, there are a few things you can do.
While your luggage is delayed, it remains the airline’s responsibility to locate it and deliver it to you.