Pack a punch — nifty tips to keep your luggage safe

Last month, I travelled internationally for work. After three connecting flights, I landed in Cape Town to find that my luggage had not arrived with me.

When I had boarded the plane in Austin, Texas, United Airlines asked if I would mind putting my cabin luggage (a small trolley bag) with the cargo luggage. Passengers were asked to do the same in Denver and again in Washington.

But when we landed in Cape Town, it turned out that 450 bags had not been loaded onto the plane in Washington. I tracked my baggage via the United Airlines app. One bag went to Italy, the second went back to Denver and the third never left Washington.

I filled out the requisite forms at the airport baggage counter and then contacted the airline via its website. I was impressed when my bags were delivered within the week – to my doorstep about 150km away from the airport – at no additional cost.

Lost luggage is not just a problem on international flights. In December 2023, Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) apologised after a glitch resulted in more than 3,700 bags not being loaded onto planes.

Acsa’s baggage service provider, A-Teck, notes that you can have your bags delivered or you can collect them – after you pay an administration fee.

Here are some of the lessons I learnt, along with advice from Acsa:

Remove old luggage tags and personalise your bag for easy identification. Everyone uses a ribbon, so consider stickers.

Take photos of your bags and the luggage tags the airline puts on them.

Put your name, email address and phone number on your luggage tags.

When you fill in a lost luggage form, the more information you include the better. Describe the size, colour and shape of your luggage, as well as any identifying features such as labels, tags or stickers. When you eventually get your bag, take a photo and immediately notify the airline of any damage or loss.

If you have bought expensive items that are going to be packed in your luggage, take photos of them and their receipts so you have proof for an insurance claim.

The anecdotes and advice tips below are from readers of my Money Cents newsletter: 

David, a retired travel agent, said he buys inexpensive black suitcases with a cloth finish. “I write my name and contact details on all six sides in bright glow-in-the-dark paint. Nobody can miss my luggage. Nobody wants my luggage,” he said.

Not only that, but when his cellphone battery died on arrival at Dublin Airport, his taxi driver was able to identify him when he spotted the luggage David was carrying. 

Peter sent stories of five different occasions when his luggage was damaged, lost or had contents stolen. As a regular traveller, he has since bought a slightly more expensive suitcase.

Illustration: Freepik

This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper, which is available countrywide for R35.