How Should I Pack My Bag?
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.