Blog · 2024-04-08

How not to lose your luggage at the airport: proven tips

What can ruin a trip right at the start? Losing your luggage, of course. These days, flying from Russia to Europe, for example, is only possible with layovers in third countries. That means more flights - and, with them, a higher chance that your suitcase goes astray. You reach your destination, but your favourite and most needed belongings do not. What should you do in that situation, and how can you protect yourself in advance?

Cause: the bag didn't make it onto the plane

This happens especially often on short connections.

How to avoid it

There is little you can do about it, other than steering clear of very tight layovers.

What to do

If your bag never appears on the carousel, head to the Lost & Found desk. Staff will check the computer system to see where your suitcase is. If it simply wasn't loaded in time, it will arrive on the next flight - and many airlines will deliver it straight to where you're staying.

Cause: the bag was sent to the wrong city by mistake

At check-in, a coded tag is attached to your suitcase; a robot on the conveyor reads it and routes the bag to the right flight. There are two situations in which a suitcase can end up somewhere else entirely: a missing tag, or the wrong one.

How to avoid it

Make sure the check-in agent actually attaches the coded tag. If they only wrap a strip around the handle, ask them to do it properly.

Before every flight, also check that you've removed all the old tags - the sorting robot can easily read an outdated code by mistake.

What to do

The Lost & Found desk can track this bag down too, but delivery will take considerably longer than in the first case.

Cause: another passenger took your bag

How to avoid it

In the baggage hall, position yourself so you can see every suitcase the moment it comes out onto the belt. It also helps to make your bag stand out so it can't be confused with anyone else's: use a cover with an unusual print, a bright tag with your contact details, stickers, and so on. In case someone does walk off with it anyway, tuck a slip of paper inside with your contact information and a note asking them to get in touch.

What to do

This is where things get harder: reviewing security-camera footage, identifying the person, and so on - a lot of trouble you could have avoided.

It also happens that the airport's computer system simply can't locate your bag. To hedge against that, use a few simple gadgets - trackers, beacons, and similar tracing devices. The best-known are the Samsung SmartTag and the Apple AirTag.

We hope these tips help you travel without any unnecessary adventures or headaches. Stay alert.

FAQ