Helpful Packing Tip When Flying

[comfortcove]

I recently heard that since new carryon restrictions were placed there is more checked baggage, and more screening of the checked baggage. This is from an interview with Tom Parsons on GMA. Anyway, this has resulted in an increase of 25% or so of lost/delayed bags. He suggests always cross packing suitcases, that is some of your clothes go in DH bag, and vice versa. The logistics of this get a little more complicated to me if you are staying a night or two pre-cruise. I plan on packing a small suitcase with what we need for our one night in FLL as a carryon. I just hope the suitcase of tolietries and sundries arrives alive!

[Happy ks]

I've packed that way for years. We travel with our kids sometimes and I'll cross pack their suitcases as well.

 

I was just reading the other day how someone was able to fit more clothing into their carry on, since we can no longer take liquids. Sounds good to me. We won't be increasing the amount of checked on bags and I'm hoping these new regulations may start having an effect on people's packing habits.

 

I'm a little suprised by the statistics, though, I'd always read that the incident of lost bags was 2%. So, is the increase to 25% of all bags, or the increase 25% more of the 2%, making it 2.5% (or would that be 2.05%)?

 

One tip I always give when packing is to remove any and all old tags from your luggage, it just confuses the baggage handlers. Wait until after your flight to put on cruise tags.

 

Another thing is to put a copy of your itinerary into your all your bags. A truly lost bag is unidentifiable. Most bags that go wayward for a while are just routed incorrectly.

[comfortcove]

If the airlines only loses or misdirects luggage 2% of the time, my luggage must be somewhat jinxed. I can recall at last 4 times this has happened just to me, and I fly at most 4 or 5 roundtrips a year. Fortunately, they have always gotten it to me within 24 hours, it was never on a cruise, and only caused great inconvenience once. I see this as another good reason to fly in the day before. I would much rather have my belongings than an insurance payout to go shop onboard.

[Happy ks]

With all the air travellers, 2% is a huge number!

 

Too bad you seem to be targetted, the only time we've ever had anything lost was a pair of fishing rods in an unusual package (we used PVC pipe with caps on the ends), with several clearly marked address labels affixed. We just figured some baggage handler really needed new fishing rods:rolleyes: .