It can be frustrating waiting for your suitcase to appear but one strategy could help you get your bags off the baggage carousel first
Airport crew may load luggage onto a plane based on weight to ensure it is evenly distributed(Image: Getty)
Airport security checks and baggage restrictions can turn holidays into a source of stress, and the anxiety only intensifies as you wait to see whether your suitcase has actually made it off the plane.
The dread of lost luggage hangs over many travellers right up until the moment they spot their bag on the carousel — and even then, there’s the worry that someone else might accidentally grab it. But there’s a straightforward trick that could see your suitcase come off the plane first, allowing you to get your holiday underway without unnecessary delays.
Guidance from Escape.com suggests checking in for your flight as late as you possibly can. The logic? Late check-ins mean your luggage gets loaded last, and in theory, should emerge first upon landing, according to Thomas Lo Sciuto, a ramp worker and gate agent at a regional US airport.
The airport worker explained: “Your best option is to be one of the last passengers to check your bags. This is because bags will always be loaded front to back on the bag carts.”
That said, bags aren’t solely loaded according to check-in times. Anyone who can’t stomach the idea of leaving check-in until the eleventh hour will be relieved to hear that weight is also a factor in certain circumstances, reports the Express.
SmarterTravel told HuffPost that US aviation giant Delta, which flies out of Terminal 3 at London Heathrow Airport (LHR), sorts luggage into large and small loads to ensure proper weight distribution across the aircraft. As passengers check in their luggage, it gets sorted into “cans” – large containers that hold multiple bags and can be transported as one unit.
SmarterTravel said: “In other words, how far back your bag ends up depends on the weight of the can and the needs of the plane, not when you check it.”
Aircraft with a single aisle typically “loose-load” bags one by one rather than bundling them into cans, as is the case with wider-bodied planes. When this happens, checked bags generally go into a holding area.
Luggage gets transported to the aircraft and loaded shortly before departure, meaning its chances of being loaded first hinge on when it was checked in.
If a bag was checked in early, it could end up at the rear of the storage space, meaning it would be last onto the plane and potentially first off.
Other tactics to ensure your bags come off the carousel first upon landing include marking them as “fragile”.
News.com.au suggests this clever trick often results in your luggage being loaded onto the aircraft last and therefore unloaded first, which can significantly reduce your wait at the carousel.
That said, when opting for “fragile” stickers, travellers ought to strip off any old tags from their bags to prevent mix-ups. To make luggage stand out, opting for vibrant colours, customised tags, or securely fastened ribbons could help your bags catch your eye more easily.
The most reliable way to get out of the airport as swiftly as possible is to travel with hand luggage alone. Make certain this meets your specific airline’s requirements to avoid being forced to check your cabin bag at the gate.
A personal item, sometimes referred to as a small bag, needs to fit beneath the seat directly in front of you and typically measures no larger than 40x30x20cm.
Cabin bags are stowed in the overhead locker and can generally weigh up to 10kg, with dimensions not exceeding 56x45x25cm.
Among UK carriers, British Airways typically provides the most generous complimentary hand luggage allowance on its basic tickets.
Travellers can bring one 23kg cabin bag (56x45x25cm) and one smaller personal item (up to 40x30x15cm) without charge.
Jet2 and Virgin Atlantic similarly permit a complimentary cabin bag (10kg, 56x45x25cm) alongside a personal item.
