ADVERTISEMENT
**Why You Shouldn’t Tie Anything to Your Suitcase If You Are a Baggage Handler**
Here’s why tying anything to your suitcase can be problematic for baggage handlers, the luggage process, and ultimately, the safety of your belongings.
### **1. Increased Risk of Damage to Your Belongings**
– **Tangled straps or objects** can become wedged in machinery, causing delays or even breaking the item off entirely.
– **Ripped luggage**: If something is tied too tightly to the bag, it could lead to rips in the fabric of the suitcase or damage the handle if it gets snagged on something.
While your suitcase might be designed to withstand the rough handling of the baggage process, anything tied to it could significantly increase the likelihood of wear and tear, resulting in a less-than-ideal experience for you when you finally reach your destination.
Airport baggage systems are designed for efficiency and speed. The baggage handler’s job is to ensure that each bag gets to the right destination in the quickest, safest manner. When you tie things to your suitcase, you risk **creating obstructions** in the system.
Even something as small as a carabiner or a keychain can cause enough interference to delay flights, which is something no traveler wants to experience.
In the fast-paced environment of an airport, safety is of the utmost importance. Tying items to your suitcase could pose a **tripping hazard** for baggage handlers or other airport employees. For example, if the object is loose or dangles down too far, it could get caught under a handler’s foot or in a piece of equipment, potentially leading to an accident.
Furthermore, items tied to your luggage could also potentially be a **security concern**. Unusual objects or attachments might catch the eye of security personnel, who could then inspect the item more closely or even delay the baggage claim process. It’s always better to keep your suitcase streamlined and simple, which allows baggage handlers to handle your bag with greater efficiency and without unnecessary complications.
Many travelers tie items to their bags as a method of identification, such as brightly colored straps, ribbons, or even large tags. While these items might make it easier for you to spot your suitcase at baggage claim, they could lead to **misidentification** — especially for baggage handlers who are moving a large volume of luggage.
– **Easily removable tags** or **loose attachments** can fall off or be torn away in transit. If you rely too heavily on these additions for identification, you might find that your suitcase looks like someone else’s by the time it reaches you.
– If your luggage is similar to someone else’s, the additional attachments could make it more difficult for baggage handlers to quickly and accurately identify it, leading to confusion and delays.
**5. Increased Risk of Theft or Loss**