We've already discussed ways to prevent lost luggage. But since there are no guarantees, there are some things you can do in advance to make lost luggage less painful.
Be Smart About Your Carry-On: Always bring at least one change of clothes in your carry on. If the airline loses your checked bag you won't be stopped in your tracks until they find it. Having a change of clothes ensures that your trip can go on, even if it's not exactly what you want to be wearing.
Wear the Right Clothes: If you're headed to a warm-weather destination, don't board the plane in jeans, a sweatshirt, and a heavy jacket. If your luggage is lost, the Caribbean sunshine is not going to be a welcome sight with your layers of heavy clothes. By wearing clothes that match your destination you make sure that you can jump right into your activities even if the airline loses your bag.
Wear Comfortable Shoes: It's tempting to try to sacrifice comfort for cuteness when you're headed to the airport. But if the shoes you are wearing won't do the trick if the airline loses your luggage, wear different ones. You don't want to show up for a fast-paced walking tour wearing strappy sandals.
Properly Label Your Bags: If your bags do get lost, the airlines will rely on the labels to get it to the right place. Besides the bar-coded stickers they put on the bags, make sure your bag has at least one luggage tag. Your name, address, and phone number needs to be clearly legible.
Take Pictures of Your Luggage: Once you're done packing, it's a good idea to take a picture of your luggage. If your luggage is lost you'll be asked to declare what was inside. A picture is great evidence of what was in the bag. This is especially important if you are checking luggage containing valuable items.
Think About Whether to Check: Then there is the question about whether you should even check a bag at all. If you are going on a short trip, you might be able to get by with only carrying on luggage. Think of it this way, if you have a 3 day weekend and the airline loses your checked bag, you could be almost done with your trip by the time they get it back to you. Sounds like you could have an interesting weekend!?
If liquids are your concern, keep in mind there are a lot of alternatives to your favorite liquid items. Try sunscreen wipes, powder deodorant, anti-bacterial wipes, soap sheets, powder makeup, and nail polish remover wipes. If you can't find a non-liquid alternative or survive with 3 ounces or less (for TSA), then consider buying toiletries at your destination. Many hotels also offer travel size toiletries because they realize liquids are a problem for many travelers.
Send Important Things Ahead of Time: If there is something ultra-important that you need for your trip but can't carry-on, think about sending it ahead of time. Sending items through the post office, FedEx, or UPS isn't extremely expensive. If it's the difference between checking a bag and paying a bag fee and being able to carry-on only, it might even save you money. Just secure an address and contact name at your destination and send the package a few days ahead of time. You'll be able to track it and require a signature for delivery if you need to.
Hopefully you won't experience lost luggage yourself. But if you do, hopefully these tips made you more prepared.
Be Smart About Your Carry-On: Always bring at least one change of clothes in your carry on. If the airline loses your checked bag you won't be stopped in your tracks until they find it. Having a change of clothes ensures that your trip can go on, even if it's not exactly what you want to be wearing.
Wear the Right Clothes: If you're headed to a warm-weather destination, don't board the plane in jeans, a sweatshirt, and a heavy jacket. If your luggage is lost, the Caribbean sunshine is not going to be a welcome sight with your layers of heavy clothes. By wearing clothes that match your destination you make sure that you can jump right into your activities even if the airline loses your bag.
Wear Comfortable Shoes: It's tempting to try to sacrifice comfort for cuteness when you're headed to the airport. But if the shoes you are wearing won't do the trick if the airline loses your luggage, wear different ones. You don't want to show up for a fast-paced walking tour wearing strappy sandals.
Properly Label Your Bags: If your bags do get lost, the airlines will rely on the labels to get it to the right place. Besides the bar-coded stickers they put on the bags, make sure your bag has at least one luggage tag. Your name, address, and phone number needs to be clearly legible.
Take Pictures of Your Luggage: Once you're done packing, it's a good idea to take a picture of your luggage. If your luggage is lost you'll be asked to declare what was inside. A picture is great evidence of what was in the bag. This is especially important if you are checking luggage containing valuable items.
Think About Whether to Check: Then there is the question about whether you should even check a bag at all. If you are going on a short trip, you might be able to get by with only carrying on luggage. Think of it this way, if you have a 3 day weekend and the airline loses your checked bag, you could be almost done with your trip by the time they get it back to you. Sounds like you could have an interesting weekend!?
If liquids are your concern, keep in mind there are a lot of alternatives to your favorite liquid items. Try sunscreen wipes, powder deodorant, anti-bacterial wipes, soap sheets, powder makeup, and nail polish remover wipes. If you can't find a non-liquid alternative or survive with 3 ounces or less (for TSA), then consider buying toiletries at your destination. Many hotels also offer travel size toiletries because they realize liquids are a problem for many travelers.
Send Important Things Ahead of Time: If there is something ultra-important that you need for your trip but can't carry-on, think about sending it ahead of time. Sending items through the post office, FedEx, or UPS isn't extremely expensive. If it's the difference between checking a bag and paying a bag fee and being able to carry-on only, it might even save you money. Just secure an address and contact name at your destination and send the package a few days ahead of time. You'll be able to track it and require a signature for delivery if you need to.
Hopefully you won't experience lost luggage yourself. But if you do, hopefully these tips made you more prepared.
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