Baggage Handler Warns Travelers Against Tying Ribbons, Other Identifiers On Luggage; Here's Why

Baggage delays have been one of the greatest issues for travelers, especially during peak travel season and holidays. Handlers of the Dublin airport have advised travelers to be careful of the consequences of adding accessories to their luggage. Speaking to Irish news outlet RSVP, a baggage handler named John, suggested that the popular trend of adding ribbons as identifiers to luggage can ultimately cause problems for passengers.

Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Label Your Bags with Ribbons

In the report, John says that people often tie ribbons to their luggage to make it more identifiable. They think it speeds up the baggage claim and can prevent mix-ups. However, the airport employee says that such baggage receives negative attention from handlers.

“Ribbons that people tie onto their suitcases to help identify them can cause issues with the bag being scanned in the baggage hall,” he told RSVP.

“If the bag can’t be scanned automatically it can end up in manual processing, which could mean your bag doesn’t make it to the flight,” John added.

In other words, airport workers who are already in a rush are unable to scan luggage marked with ribbons automatically. As a result, they are likely to set the baggage aside for manual inspection after the rush calms down. This could possibly cause delays which can extend for several hours sometimes.

John advises removing all ribbons from the luggage along with travel barcodes which can cause confusion for handlers.

Here’s How to Correctly Mark Your Luggage with Identifiers

There are other ways you can make a suitcase stand out. As per Travel & Leisure, getting a suitcase in a bright color or any color other than black could be enough to make it easily identifiable.

Travelers can also buy a personalized bag/case if they are willing to pay a premium.

Those who already have a black or grey suitcase can opt for covers that come in colors that set the luggage apart. Furthermore, simple options like stickers and patches or even bright-colored duct tape can help a suitcase become more identifiable.

More Baggage-Friendly Advice

Apart from advice on making luggage identifiable, John shared another piece of crucial information that can prevent delays. “Don’t ever pack marzipan in your luggage.” Marzipan is a ready-to-eat sweet treat, popular across Europe.

John says that the sweet treat and other similar items have the same density as certain types of explosives. Thus, these treats will probably get a bag flagged for a search, which can even lead to a passenger being called off the plane or prevent them from boarding the aircraft in the first place.

What to Do if the Baggage is Delayed Anyway?

In case someone takes all the precautions and still the baggage and luggage don't appear on the conveyor, they may need to report it.

Passengers need to report the missing bag to the airline, at their final destination (not during a layover). Airlines have a desk in the baggage claim area where passengers can file a Property Irregularity Report (PIR).

With this, they can get the airlines to find the luggage and deliver it to the shared address of provide compensation for the lost items.