After a long-haul flight, it always feels like you've got to wait an age to get your luggage.
The seemingly never-ending carousel will keep plugging out every suitcase except yours—not to mention that it can sometimes cost you an arm and a leg if it's slightly overweight.
However, those agonising waits could be a thing of the past, as a travel expert has provided tips on ensuring your luggage gets dropped off first.
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A US-based ramp manager, Thomas Lo Sciuto, took to Quora to explain the deal.
"From the perspective of a ramp worker and gate agent at a regional airport in the US, this is what I have to say," he began in his post eight years ago.
The airport employee advises that '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'.
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However, this doesn't mean that you need to be the last passenger to check in, which would drive early airport arrivers mad.
Instead, Thomas advises: "The best way to ensure your bag gets to you the quickest is to ask the counter agent very nicely if they will let you gate check your bag.
"Also remember to be nice to your counter agents and gate agents.
"The friendlier you are the more likely you will get what you want.
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"Chances are the agent has already been yelled at multiple times for things they can't control, so they will go out of their way to help someone who is nice."
He adds that 'bags will always be loaded front to back on a bag cart' as more weight is needed to make the carts stable while driving.
"If you loaded them back to front you couldn't guarantee that the front cart would be fully loaded." he said.
Usually, if you want to identify your luggage, you'd include an attachment—like a ribbon, for instance—to ensure no one else walks off with it.
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However, a baggage handler at Dublin Airport has issued cautionary advice to anyone who ties a ribbon on their suitcase at the airport.
The employee, named John, told RSVP Live: "Ribbons people tie onto their suitcases to help identify them can cause issues with the bag being scanned in the baggage hall.
"If the bag can't be scanned automatically it can end up in manual processing, which could mean your bag doesn't make it to the flight.
"Take old stickers off the bag, it can cause confusion with the scanning process."
Looks like I'll have to reconsider my lucky ribbon for future travels.
Topics: Travel, Plane Etiquette
Anish Vij