Have you ever tried tying a colorful ribbon to the handle of your luggage to make it easier to spot? If so, get ready to hear some news that might change the way you think about decorating your suitcase!

Many of us want our luggage to stand out, especially when searching for it among a sea of similar bags at a busy airport. It’s common to personalize our suitcases with tags, ribbons, or funny stickers to avoid confusion and ensure the safety of our belongings. After all, nobody wants the frustration of discovering that their bag is lost or mixed up with someone else’s.

However, according to John, a baggage handler at Dublin Airport, these well-intended decorations might actually create more issues than they solve.

Let’s first acknowledge why we decorate our bags. Finding your suitcase missing or blending in with countless others at the airport after a long flight can be incredibly frustrating. Some travelers even go to the extent of attaching a GoPro to their luggage to track its journey in real-time. While this may seem like a good idea, it’s worth considering John’s perspective before adding any ribbons or other embellishments to your suitcase.

Although adding a ribbon to the handle may help you spot your luggage faster, there’s a chance it could cause problems. John explains that if someone attaches a ribbon to their bag to make it stand out, the ribbon could interfere with the scanning process at baggage claim. Here’s what he had to say:

“When a ribbon is attached, it might block the suitcase from being automatically scanned. If that happens, the bag has to be manually processed, increasing the risk that it may not make it onto the intended flight.”

Think about that for a moment: if your bag fails to be properly scanned because of a decorative ribbon, it could be missed entirely and not make it onto your plane. That’s not a chance worth taking, is it?

John also recommends removing any old stickers from your suitcase. Expired travel stickers can create confusion during the scanning process, potentially leading to delays or even lost luggage. While it may be tempting to keep those stickers as souvenirs from your previous trips, it’s probably best to remove them to avoid any unnecessary complications.

Additionally, John offers another helpful tip: store your suitcase with the wheels facing upward. By doing this, you can protect the wheels from damage and ensure that your luggage remains functional and easy to transport throughout your trip.

Another surprising piece of advice for travelers: avoid packing marzipan in your suitcase. For those unfamiliar, marzipan is a sweet confection made from sugar, egg, and ground almonds. While it might seem harmless, marzipan has a density that can resemble certain explosives on airport scanners. Yes, you read that right! John mentions that carrying marzipan could lead to your luggage being flagged for further inspection, which might result in you missing your flight altogether.

Imagine the frustration of having your luggage pulled aside for a thorough inspection, all because of a small amount of almond paste. Missing your flight because of marzipan doesn’t sound like a risk worth taking, does it?

In conclusion, while it may be tempting to personalize your suitcase with ribbons or stickers, it’s generally better to avoid doing so. This also goes for packing potentially problematic items like marzipan. By following John’s suggestions, you can ensure that your trip goes more smoothly and without unnecessary delays.

So, the next time you pack for a trip, think twice about those ribbons and stickers, and have a worry-free journey!