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Choosing Luggage For Air Travel Advice & Tips
We at Heathrow Baggage Services (HBS) have many years of experience in dealing with airline baggage. Over the years we have gained a lot of knowledge of delayed and damaged airline baggage from both in the airport arrivals halls and in our warehouses. With this experience we feel we are well qualified to pass on some advice and helpful tips gained from our experiences.
In essence, it is only a small percentage of baggage that does get delayed or damaged however it can be annoying and frustrating when it happens.
The following tips and advice will be useful to air travellers.
Damaged Baggage
It is reasonable to expect some wear and tear, small scuffs and scratches on airline checked in baggage.
Airline baggage is manhandled on and off complex conveyor systems and in and out of containers with fellow passenger’s baggage. It is obvious that when your baggage comes in contact with another person’s baggage it is going to scuff or possibly scratch. It is important to take this into account if you are thinking of buying an expensive top brand, shiny piece of luggage.
Sometimes accidents do occur when baggage is passing through airport transit systems, resulting in damage.
Reporting Damaged Baggage.
If you arrive at your destination and find your baggage is damaged enough to warrant repairing, you should report it to the airline before you leave the baggage reclaim area.
Burst seams and zips are manufacturing faults, which the airline is not obliged to accept, as is, scratches and scuffs, which is really, fair wear and tear.
If your bag is overweight, your claim my not be accepted.
To minimise scuffs, scratches and give a little extra security you can at most airports, get your baggage ‘shrink wrapped’
If you are travelling with a pushchair/buggy, wheelchair, bike, rucksack or golf clubs it is highly recommended that you use a transit travel bag. They give great protection and prevent parts and fittings coming off and getting lost. Imagine arriving at the other end of your journey and finding parts missing, torn, buckled, stained or scratched. Whether travelling outbound or inbound. It is the last thing you want after a long flight.
Airline Baggage Policies
Passengers should check their airlines policy before leaving for the airport as to the number of pieces and maximum sizes of hand luggage, and the maximum permitted weight per piece of hold and cabin luggage. Policies do vary between airlines.
Useful Tips
1. Before travelling check the condition of your luggage; The handle anchorage for any play on hard luggage due to screws coming undone internally or rivets pulling through on soft luggage. Check zips and seams for strength and splits.
2. Travel with essentials only. Keep packing to a minimum as less weight is easier mobility. Flight travel can be tiring and stressful, burdened with heavy luggage will increase stress and strain.
3. Do not put valuables including personal documents, cameras, laptops and house/car keys in hold luggage.
4. Do not over pack your bags. It puts extra strain on zips, seams and handles. There is also a weight limit per bag. Check with your airline.
5. To prevent mistaken identity of luggage, put some coloured ribbon or other easy identifiable markings on the handle or elsewhere on the bag. You will be amazed how easy it is to mistakenly take the wrong bag from the carousel.
6. Always make sure you have your name and contact details on a label externally and internally on your luggage.
7. The airline affix a bar coded tag usually around the handle of your luggage when you check in. if your handle is ripped off in transit you could lose your bag as the handlers can’t immediately ID your bag for it’s destination. In which case a secondary tracing is carried out sometime later, which may involve opening the bag to try and find the owner’s contact details to return the bag. This could take weeks.
8. If you are travelling to the USA, it is highly recommended that you use TSA locks on your luggage. These are special locks that US Customs have keys to. If you have older luggage with a built in combination lock, you can use a TSA padlock through the eyes of the zippers. If US customs wish to open your bag and you don’t have a TSA lock, they will cut the lock or the zippers.
9. Cabin Size Luggage. The maximum size of hand luggage including handles and wheels etc: Height 56 Width 45 Deep 25
10. It is advisable to pack a change of clothing and permitted toiletries in cabin luggage in case your luggage is delayed, especially so, if your journey has a connect flight.
Types of Luggage
Since the days when air travel become more affordable to more people, Luggage manufacturers have taken advantage of the demand for luggage, developing many different models, colours and gimmicks.
Prices range from just a few pounds to hundreds of pounds per piece.
Whatever you choose, you want it to stand up to the stresses of airport handling.
The following are some points to bear in mind when choosing luggage. Anything protruding on your luggage is prone to damage. Handles, wheels and stands etc.
Having said that, most luggage has all of these, so try to choose luggage with the least amount.
Luggage purchased from market stalls maybe cheap and look good, but the quality of the materials, seams and fittings are not usually up to the strains of airport handling.
ABS Luggage
The advantage of ABS luggage is that they are light and usually attractive. There are a lot of attractive models and colours available in this material.
The disadvantage is that they are expensive and they do not travel well in airport systems, including those of major brands.
The most common of damage is splits, cracks and corners pushed in.
Polycarbonate
This is a hard light weight material, which is more flexible and stronger than the ABS as well as more expensive. Luggage made of this is usually attractive but not immune to damage.
Soft Materials
Soft fabric materials come in various strengths and are determined by the denier rating.
A great deal of luggage is made in a 600 denier, which is usually strong enough for normal luggage. However, in cheaper none branded luggage the most common of damage is the seams giving way, especially if the luggage is over packed.
High deniers are more expensive and not really essential for normal luggage, other than to make it look more attractive.
Some higher branded bags are made in a 1680 denier ballistic nylon fabric, which is a very strong material that also looks good, but comes with a price. The fittings wear out before the material.
Polypropylene
This is a hard and robust material. Luggage made of polypropylene is usually more airport friendly.
Types of Luggage
The old conventional soft suitcase with or without wheels has taken a backseat in the popularity charts. Many major manufacturers don’t make them anymore. They have fallen victim to the upright trolley case.
Upright Trolley Case
This is by far the most popular type of luggage. It is easy to manage than the old style suitcase. Whether it is in soft or hard material, the 2 wheel version is less likely to get damaged than the 4 wheel spinner.
This may seem to be stating the obvious but the construction of the 4 wheel spinner, is such that the wheel housings protrude more than that of the 2 wheeler. This is to accommodate the 360 degree turning circle that gives the trolley case more mobility.
The advantage of the 4 wheel spinner is it is easy to manage and gives you excellent mobility. The disadvantages are, the bag weight is heavier than the 2 wheeler, eating away at your weight allowance and they are more prone to damage due to extra and bulkier protruding parts.
Hard Suitcase
The hard polypropylene suitcase whether 2 or 4 wheel fare very well in airport transition.
Roller duffles are quite popular, especially with those who have limited storage space. They are easy to handle and fold compactly when not in use. Zip away handles are an advantage as they protect the trolley system. They are quite airport friendly too.
Rucksacks
Obviously a must for the explorer and adventurer it is a good mode of carrying your luggage if you don’t mind your clothes a bit squashed and creased up. All brands are very much the same. Newer models come with improved fittings, which adjust to fit the form of your body. To prevent straps and buckles getting caught up on airport transit systems. It is advisable to use a rucksack transit bag.