My Air Travel Secrets

Don’t check in at the last minute. Even if you make the flight, your bag may not.

Be sure to get a claim check for each bag you check. Don’t throw them away until you collect your bags at your destination. You will need them if a claim is necessary, and you may need to show them to security upon leaving the baggage-claim area. Don’t leave them in the seat-pocket on the airplane.

It is very important to make sure the agent checking your bags attaches a destination tag to each one. You should also remove tags from previous trips as this can easily cause your bag to go somewhere you aren’t. Check your claim tags carefully. Make sure they have your name and the correct three-letter code for your final destination airport.

Be certain you know where your bags are checked to. It is possible they are checked to one of your intermediate stops rather than your final destination if:

you must clear Customs short of your final destination

you are taking a connecting flight involving two airlines which don’t have an interline agreement (Southwest Airlines does not transfer bags to other carriers).

you have a separate reservation for your connecting flight

Whenever possible, choose flights which minimize the chance for baggage problems. The likelihood of a bag going astray increases as the following numbers get higher:

1. nonstop flights
2. through flights (one or more stops, but no change of aircraft)
3. online connections (change of aircraft but not airlines)
4. interline connections (change of aircraft and airlines)

If your property is worth more than the airline’s liability limit, buy “excess valuation coverage” from the airline This limit is usually $3,000 per passenger on U.S. domestic flights, or 1,000 “Special Drawing Rights” per passenger on most international trips originating in the U.S.

Your chances of recovery can be improved depending on where and how you bought your airline ticket. Some credit card companies and travel agencies offer optional baggage insurance; others provide it automatically.

Packing your bag is an important topic. It’s definitely NOT a good idea to put any of these in checked baggage:

Valuables (cash, jewelry). Don’t rely on suitcase locks; they easily pop open or break off. Also, Airlines are not responsible for these, as well as expensive electronics and cameras.

Critical items (medicine, keys, passport, tour vouchers, business papers).

It’s important to know that ‘Medical Assistive Devices’ such as CPAP machines may be carried aboard, and do not count towards your carry-on limit.

Irreplaceable items (manuscripts, heirlooms).

Fragile items (camera, eyeglasses, glass containers). If these must be checked, wrap them carefully in padding.

Perishable items.

If your bag does not arrive on your flight, it may be delayed for a day or two. It is wise to put items that you will need during the first 24 hours in a carry-on bag (medicines, toiletries, one change of underwear, etc.). It’s always best to carry these items either:

on your person.

in a small bag that you carry on board.

A few more thoughts on carry-on baggage:

Check with the airline for any limits it has on the size, weight, or number of carry-on bags. (There is no single federal standard.)

Inquire about your flight; different airplanes can have different storage and closet limits.

If you are traveling on more than one airline on your trip, check each of them. They may have different requirements.

Remember, a heavy bag which fits in an overhead bin may still cause the bin to exceed its weight limit. The flight attendants may require you to ‘gate check’ this bag, and important items may be at risk.

Many aircraft these days no longer have closets. Don’t assume that the flight has unlimited space for garment bags; some may have to be checked.

Don’t pack anything in a carry-on bag that could be considered a weapon (e.g., scissors, knife). The list of prohibited items changes regularly. Visit the TSA website for the most up-to-date information.

Remember to have your name and phone number somewhere on and inside your carryon bag. Many bags look alike, and sometimes one bag is mistaken for another. This helps get your bag back much quicker (and you may have an idea who might have your bag, too)!

Here’s a simple and inexpensive way to help make your bags distinctly different from others; tie a piece of colored or patterned ribbon or yarn to the handle of your bag. Now your bag is less likely to be accidently picked up by another person.

Now, let’s take a look at your checked luggage:

Don’t overpack checked bags. This puts pressure on the latches, making it easier for them to spring open. All airlines have baggage weight limits. If you exceed these limits, be prepared to pay a fee for your overweight bag.

Your checked bags may need to be opened for a security inspection outside your presence. If you wish to lock your bags, check the TSA website for information on locks that security personnel can open and then re-lock. If you use an unapproved lock and your bag is selected for inspection, the security staff will break the lock if necessary.

Put a tag on the outside of your baggage with your name, cellphone, home and work phone numbers. The airlines provide free stick-on tags. Most carriers also have “privacy tags” which conceal this information from passersby.

Even more important, always have something with your name, home address, home, cellphone and work phone numbers inside each bag. Adding an address and telephone number where you can be reached at your destination city makes it easier to reunite you with your bags.

Follow these suggestions, and you’ll have a much more enjoyable flying experience.

There may be times when you cannot resolve a problem on the spot. In these cases, the only way to resolve the issue is by contacting someone at the Airline’s Consumer Affairs Department.

Here’s a tip that will almost always result in prompt resolution in your favor. It is very important you do not immediately go on the offensive. Your best strategy is to write a calm, well reasoned letter or eMail. Explain the situation without accusing or blaming anyone.

The person reading your letter handles these issues every day. They are more likely to respond favorably if they don’t feel they are being personally atttacked. Keep your complaint as short as possible, including details rather than opinions.

Airlines are in the Customer Service business. Their goal is to provide a pleasant experience for their customers. Sometimes events beyond the control of the airline and it’s employees result in an unsatisfactory experience. When all else fails, a polite letter to Customer Relations almost always resolves the problem.

Hi, Everyone!

Here are some of the topics you’ll find in upcoming posts, and in my FREE newsletter:

How to Plan Your Trip Like a Pro
The New World of Air Travel
Learning about the Aircraft You’re Flying On
What to Expect at The Airport
How to Get Through the Airport Maze
Important Passenger Information
Surviving Security Screening
Getting On And Off The Plane Smoothly
What’s with The Safety Briefing?
What to Expect Onboard
All About Seat Assignments
Service Animals and Pets
In-Cabin Services
Arrival—Where’s my Bag?

All this and more! I welcome questions, and would appreciate you taking a small, one question survey. Visit the ‘Travel Survey’ page under the ‘Pages’ heading.

Welcome aboard!
Mitch