I believe that the baggage carousel jostling contest should be a new sport. Too many people, too many bags, too little patience. I try to stand back and watch for any red suitcase. What do you do to your suitcase to make it stand out? String? Suspenders? Stickers? Years ago my Mom put a smiley face sticker on my new suitcase. I was mortified, but left it because after all, she is my Mom. A few years later I bought a new suitcase and called her to ask for another smiley face. It makes me happy to see it, and quite honestly I have never seen another red suitcase with that sticker. What about your luggage? Would love to hear some other veteran traveler tricks.
Reply to this I have a bright yellow backpack cover that encloses my whole backpack and and it is secured with a single lock. When I say bright, I do mean almost glaring under the powerful lights of some airports. It is so vivid and vibrant that it can be easily sighted being loaded onto aircraft from gate's waiting lounge in the terminal, thus spotting it on a language carousel from closer quarters is extremely easy.
Reply to this First - it is purple. Second I now have a luggage tag made from my business card that has all kinds of color.
Reply to this I originally added a nice gold bow ribbon to our two black suitcases approx 12 years ago...but over the years 1 of these suitcases remains and the other has disintegrated. We have since purchased many suitcases over the years, a cheap one in thailand, a cheap one in bali, a cheap 5 suitcase deal over the net...all for them to fall apart, a wheel to come off, a zip to break over the last 5 years or so. So our biggest confusion is often "oh cr8p, what suitcase did we end up using?" lol!
So our trip this week consisted of my old favourite black suitcase with a gold bow and 100 security stickers from every airport imaginable, and a brand new purple suitcase that was purchased during the trip due to the other 'internet purchased' one getting a giant dent and no longer closing on the trip over.
Reply to this I dont actually have a suitcase, my dive bag is big enough to fit my dive gear and anything else im going to need in it. If it doesnt fit, I dont need it. Being a dive bag it has two mesh panels to allow air in when wetsuits are well, wet, so thats one recognisable feature but the Diver Below stickers and international red and white dive symbol flag on the side panel scream HERE I AM for me. I also like to leave as many security stickers from other destinations on there...and the priority load X Oil Company staff sticker is on there too as a memento of PNG and being a priority 😉
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I like this question.
As the bags roll off the carousel so many of them are identical-- ours included.
A good friend of ours had a philosophy to always purchase a suitcase that was an obnoxious color. For years she had a bright orange one that I loved. When it wore out she bought an ugly pink one that I didn't care for.
One year we made the mistake of purchasing a black bag and after one trip we needed to decorate it. At first we put a few ribbons on it but they got caught in the baggage transfer equipment. Finally we took a folded piece of paper cut out a creative design, put it on the bag and sprayed it with silver paint. It was a great way to identify the bag.
Brendan I like the smiley face that you had on your bag.
Shane, I like the idea of your backpack cover. We will be traveling later in the year and should consider that.
Lee Ann you should post a photo of your purple bag. Love to see it.
Tam love the gold bow idea.
As Cindy said we often shove whatever we are taking inside our dive bag. It makes it easy.
Reply to this i stopped using suitcases long time ago when i weighed the empty case and it came in at just under 6 kilos!! that's over a quarter of the average baggage allowance, instead i know use a rucksack with a rainbow colored strap fixed around it!! looks like the gay pride flag but its very easy to spot!!
Reply to this Spike,
As you say....whether you use a bag or a back pack there are times when you have to check the luggage. Your rainbow strap would be easy to identify.
Reply to this I rarely check luggage, but if I have to... I have a bag sold to airline pilots that has a noticeable steel frame. I hope the luggage handlers don't want to make one of their pilots unhappy. With my previous bag, I put painter's tape on the corners. It looked crummy, but I figured that made it less likely to be stolen.
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In response to: Msg #154532
Like you, I have a red suitcase. I have a friend in Spain who gave me a black bull sticker. It makes it easily recognizable too, but I love your story about your Mom because every time you see that sticker you think of her. Maybe you could also make a sticker with your favourite photo?
DD
Reply to this when I have to check my luggage i have a bright pink bag that i normally use. I usually chuckle to myself at the stares i get at the airports.
Reply to this Hello All- right before our last trip I bought a new bag. It is a grey silver color and is very easy to find. I have a unique name tag on it which makes it even easier.
No more black bags for me!
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