Anyone planning on boarding a plane with hold luggage has been urged to make one change to their suitcases before they fly – as it will help keep belongings safe
Changing one thing about your luggage could help make it much safer (stock photo)(Image: Jackyenjoyphotography via Getty Images)
Plane passengers need to make one crucial change to their hold luggage. If you’re jetting off and you’ve got bags destined for the plane’s cargo hold, you’ll know just how nerve-wracking it can be to be parted from your belongings. There’s always that nagging worry that your luggage could be lost or stolen before you reach the baggage carousel at your destination, leaving you stranded without clothes, toiletries and other essentials during your holiday.
To tackle this, most travellers will attach luggage tags to their bags. These hold small pieces of paper where you can jot down vital information, such as your email address and phone number, so that should your bag go missing or end up on the wrong flight, airport staff can reach out to you if and when it’s located.
However, one woman on social media has flagged that these tags might not be the most secure option when you’re separated from your bags, particularly as some people inscribe their full name and home address on them.
In a TikTok video, Sammy urged fellow passengers to do something different with their tags, claiming it would help safeguard their personal details from anyone who might attempt to sneak a peek at their information.
She said: “This is something I’ve never seen anyone talk about, and I had to figure it out on my own. This is not safe for you for a plethora of reasons. You have your full name on there, you have your phone number, you have all of your contact information.
“These will flip over. You’re going to have your luggage, and it’s going to flip over, and anyone who sees it can not only take a photo of it, but also anyone who sees your content online that shows your luggage can get all of your information.”
Sammy described the risk of having your details stolen from your luggage tag as “so dangerous” and “so not worth it”. In its place, she advised opting for a luggage tag featuring a full cover. These typically open like a book and fasten with a popper or Velcro, ensuring nobody can access your personal details without deliberately taking your luggage.
You can also accomplish the same outcome by removing the piece of paper from your tag and flipping it around so your details aren’t visible from the outside. You could then write something along the lines of “information overleaf” or “please turn over” on the blank side facing outwards, so airport staff know exactly where to look should they need to get in touch with you.
Those commenting on the post put forward further alternative solutions, such as listing a dummy email address that you can monitor should you ever lose your luggage, but don’t use for anything else.
One person said: “I have a fake name with my spam email that I’ll check if I ever lose my bag.”
Another added: “I write my name and flight number on the front, then put ‘see reverse for personal details’ with my address.”
A third wrote: “Thank you!! I’ve been saying the same thing for years, and people think I’m nuts. Same with names on kids or pets clothing!”
Should you opt to include only your email address without your name, ensure the email itself doesn’t contain your name within the address.
Using a false name, as one commenter proposed, is not recommended, as should your bag go missing, you won’t be able to verify it’s yours if your ID fails to match the name on the luggage tag. That said, you can choose to display only your surname or initials on the card to safeguard as much of your personal details as possible.