How to Prepare your Hold Baggage
Hundreds of thousands of passengers will travel out of Manchester Airport every week over the school summer holidays, and if your family is one of them, the chances are you’ll have a number of bags in tow.
If you are, here are some of the most important things to remember, and some of the most common pitfalls to avoid.
Don’t pack anything essential – e.g. medication or important documents
Packing essential items such as medication or documents into your hold luggage will mean you don’t have them to hand on the plane in the event you need them. Keeping them with you will ensure you’re prepared for any eventuality if things don’t go to plan and your flight is delayed, or your hold luggage is delayed in reaching your destination.
Securely wrap anything that is breakable
When packing, make sure anything breakable is well protected. Using a soft-padded material or bubble wrap to encase them, or even just wrapping breakable items in clothing, can create a cushion to protect these items on your suitcase’s journey.
Always stay with your luggage
If you find yourself with some time to wait before you can check your bag in, you might be tempted to leave the check-in hall to grab a bite to eat or to freshen up – but whatever you do, don’t leave your bag behind. Leaving your suitcase unattended can result in it going missing, or even worse, it could spark a security alert. Keep your luggage with you and in your line of sight at all times until you’ve checked in.
Take a photo to help locate it at the other end if needed
Taking a photo of your group’s luggage can help you to locate your suitcases at the baggage carousel, as it’ll remind you how many bags your party is travelling with and what they all look like – which can be surprisingly easy to forget if you’re travelling with a large family and have just had a long journey. If your bag was to go missing, sharing the picture of your bag with the airline may also increase your chances of recovering it.
Add a distinguishing feature to your suitcase
Many people travel with similar-looking suitcases, so adding a distinguishing tag can ensure you don’t pick up the wrong suitcase and can prevent anyone from picking up your luggage. Putting a bright or colourful tag onto your suitcase will help you to spot it from a distance.
Lock your suitcase with a padlock
Airport security will scan your hold luggage before it is loaded on the plane, but can see what is inside without needing to open it – which means so long as you have packed your bag correctly, there is no reason anyone should need to open it up. Securing it with a padlock will prevent anyone from accessing the contents your bag unless they have a legitimate reason to do so.