Losing luggage is, as it seems, inseparable part of air travel. Approximately 1 per cent of bags that are checked in at airports worldwide get lost every year. Nevertheless, airlines are not eager to publicize how much baggage they lost. There are several ways how to avoid or at least minimize the possible loss. First, a traveler should prefer direct flights. It is also advisable to remove all the old airline stickers from the luggage. Travelers should not check their luggage at the last minute and they also should make sure that the handler attached the correct destination sticker on every bag. The luggage should be easily distinguishable from all the other black suits so if it gets lost the search would be easier. Valuables should naturally be carried in a hand luggage. Last but not least there is the insurance. For example some 33 per cent of Australian travelers do not insure their bags because they believe nothing can happen or because they simply do not know how to insure their luggage.
There are also companies that offer services that should prevent baggage loss or make its finding easier. TRACE ME provides extremely durable tags. If the luggage gets lost the authorized baggage handler who finds it can easily, using the unique code from the tag, notify TRACE ME server via the internet. The server than generates automatic message to the owner of the bag. It is safer than putting one’s name all over their luggage.
Other method that prevents loosing a traveler’s baggage and also makes traveling much more convenient is sending the luggage forward. There are e.g. the services like Luggage Forward and Luggage Free. Some travelers are using U.S. Postal Service, FedEx Corp. or UPS Inc to get their belongings where they need them.
