Try This Simple Hack To Help Make Sure Your Luggage Doesn't Get Lost
When the travel restrictions caused by the COVID-19 global pandemic started to ease around the world, we saw a surge of people dusting off their passports, grabbing their bathing suits and sunscreen, and buying flights to far-off and exotic locations that had previously been off-limits. In 2022, the number of people traveling internationally doubled from 2021, but with that surge in travel came a rise in lost luggage. In the same year, airlines lost the highest amount of bags than any year from the previous 10 years, per the New Zealand Herald. So, of course, making sure you clearly labeled your luggage tags became a priority.
On top of the little flap sticking out of your checked bag with your phone number and email address, Apple's AirTags became a hot commodity, as they use GPS to pinpoint the exact location of your lost bag. One woman even got her lost luggage back using AirTags when the airline was deceitful about its location. With one AirTag costing around $30 and a pack of four around $120, there is a more economical solution to making sure your luggage doesn't get lost, and it involves placing a piece of paper with your contact info inside your luggage. Here's how it works.
Put your contact info inside your luggage
If an airline loses your luggage, they take many steps to locate it. However, if the luggage tag outside your bag has snapped off, the airline has to act. In the subreddit r/LifeProTips, a former airline employee who worked in the Lost Luggage department revealed airlines will open your bags to determine who it belong to if your tags come off. In that case, experts agree you should put your contact information inside your bag, placing it in a spot where someone will notice it immediately and won't have to go digging. Even the airlines are promoting this idea, with Turkish Airlines writing in their FAQ that you should write your name, telephone number, and email address in your baggage to ensure it can be returned to you promptly, in case the tag comes off.
Former Royal Air Force Pilot Jonathan Breeze agrees, telling The US Sun, "Always put at least one business card inside the case – that way, the airline can track you down and give you the bag back." This includes your "Name, number, email, and you are back in business." We'd take it even one step further: include your travel itinerary (hotels, cities, dates) so the airline can return your bag wherever you are. This hack has worked for people before, with one traveler on Rick Steve's Europe community message board saying they helped a friend track down lost luggage using this method.