Airports And Luggage Identification: What's The Protocol?

Identifying your luggage at the airport is crucial to ensuring a smooth travel experience. With countless similar-looking suitcases on the carousel, it's easy for your bag to get lost in the crowd. Fortunately, there are several clever ways to make your luggage stand out and facilitate quick identification. From colourful duct tape to whimsical travel stickers, a simple addition to your luggage can make all the difference. Read on to discover some of the best strategies for making your suitcase easily recognisable.

Luggage tags

Opt for Bright Colours

Brightly coloured luggage tags are a great way to make your bag stand out. Go for vibrant shades that are easily noticeable, especially if your luggage is in a neutral or dark colour. This will help you spot your bag quickly, even from a distance.

Include Essential Information

Make sure your luggage tag includes essential information such as your name and phone number. You can also add your destination address or any other relevant contact details. This information will help airport staff and other travellers identify and return your luggage to you if it ever gets lost.

Personalize Your Tags

Personalizing your luggage tags adds a unique touch and makes your luggage easily identifiable. You can include your initials, name, a favourite quote or image, or even a company logo. This not only helps you spot your luggage but also adds a bit of personality to your travel gear.

Choose Durable Materials

When selecting luggage tags, opt for durable materials that can withstand the wear and tear of travel. Look for sturdy options like plastic or fabric tags that are built to last. This way, you won't have to replace them frequently, and they'll stay securely attached to your luggage.

Consider Additional Identification

While luggage tags are essential, you can also use other creative ways to identify your bags. Try using colourful ribbons, scarves, or duct tape to make your luggage stand out. You can even purchase a personalized luggage handle wrap or invest in a unique piece of luggage that's easy to spot.

Bright straps or belts

Bright luggage straps are typically made from durable materials like polypropylene, nylon, or steel and are adjustable to fit a range of suitcase sizes. They often feature buckle closures, making them easy to take on and off and providing an additional layer of security for your luggage. Some straps also include built-in clear pockets for inserting ID tags, providing further identification for your luggage.

When choosing a bright luggage strap, consider selecting a distinctive colour or pattern that will help your bag stand out. You may also want to look for straps that offer a combination of toughness and visual flair, ensuring they can withstand the rigours of travel while remaining easily recognisable. Additionally, some straps provide a way to display your contact information, either openly or shielded from view, which can be helpful in the event your luggage goes astray.

Overall, bright straps or belts are a practical and effective solution for identifying your luggage at the airport and can help ensure a smooth and stress-free travel experience.

Stickers

Luggage stickers come in many different forms and have different purposes. Some are decorative, some are used for identification, and some are used as backups in case the main luggage tag is torn off.

Decorative Stickers

It used to be a tradition for travellers to keep stickers from their destinations on their luggage as souvenirs. These types of stickers have no meaning to airport personnel and can be left on luggage without causing confusion.

Identification Stickers

The small barcode stickers that come with luggage tags are used to identify luggage and direct it to the correct location. They are also used as a backup in case the main tag is torn off. These stickers are placed in various locations on the luggage to increase the chances of the luggage being scanned, even if it gets flipped over.

Backup Stickers

Some sources suggest removing backup barcode stickers after each trip to avoid confusion. However, others mention that these stickers are rarely used anymore and can be left on.

In addition to the standard barcode stickers, travellers can purchase personalised luggage tags to help identify their luggage. These tags can be customised with passenger information and are designed to be durable and eye-catching.

Ribbons or scarves

Many people tie ribbons or scarves around the handles of their suitcases to make them easier to identify at the baggage carousel. However, a baggage handler at Dublin Airport has warned against this practice, explaining that ribbons can obstruct the scanner and cause the bag to be sent for manual processing, potentially causing it to miss its flight.

If you do want to use a ribbon or scarf to identify your luggage, make sure it is tied securely and is not too long, as you don't want it to get caught on anything during transit. You could also use a combination of identification methods, such as a brightly coloured luggage strap and a personalised luggage tag, to make your bag stand out.

GPS-enabled tracker tags

Some tracker tags also use Bluetooth, cellular technology, or Wi-Fi positioning to help locate your luggage. For example, the Samsung Galaxy SmartTag 2 uses ultra-wideband technology to provide precise location data and includes an augmented reality feature that uses your phone's camera to track your missing item. The Tile by Life360 Pro is another example of a tracker tag that uses Bluetooth to connect to your smartphone and help you locate your luggage.

When choosing a GPS-enabled tracker tag, look for features such as real-time tracking, geofencing alerts, long battery life, lightweight design, and water resistance. Some devices also offer tamper alerts and the ability to track multiple items through a single app. It is also important to ensure the device is compatible with your smartphone.

While GPS-enabled tracker tags are a great way to keep track of your luggage, it's still a good idea to use a colourful luggage tag, strap, or ribbon to help identify your bag quickly and easily, especially if you need to report a missing bag to airport staff.

Frequently asked questions