Airport Worker Shares Travel Hack That Will Help Stop Your Luggage from Getting Lost
An Ontario, California baggage handler demonstrated how easy it is to stop your suitcases from disappearing in a TikTok clip
flyontairport/Tiktok
An airport worker at Ontario International Airport has shared a travel hack to stop you losing your luggage.There's nothing more frustrating than flying to a far-off destination, only to find that your checked bag got lost on its journey or ended up in a separate location altogether.
Many travelers may wonder how the horror of lost luggage happens in the first place. So an airport worker at Southern California's Ontario International Airport shared why one might lose their baggage in transit.
"Let's say you flew American [Airlines], and then a month later you flew Southwest," the airline worker began in a clip published on the TikTok account of the airport, located in Ontario, California, east of downtown Los Angeles.
In the Aug. 22 clip, the worker was unloading luggage in a section of the terminal not accessible to travelers.
"Well, there's a little sticker that goes on for American [Airlines] that tells the computer that it should go to there," he continued, gesturing to suitcases piled up next to the baggage carousel.
"So if your month-old American sticker is on there, there's a chance it scans it instead of this one. It just depends how it's clocked and where the stuff is. It might end up over there and not get on the plane," he added, pointing off camera to a distant location away from the carousel.
The person behind the camera admitted that she's "done that," adding, "I've left stickers on before, so that's good to know."
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Many airlines don't consider your luggage lost until up to 14 days post flight, according to the DoT. (Stock image)Since being uploaded to TikTok, the clip has garnered more than 20,000 Likes, with nearly 400 comments from users. Some assumed it was "common sense" to remove old airport tags.
"I always assumed this was common sense. Airlines won't even put new stickers on your bag until the old one is off," one commenter wrote.
"Why don't they encode an expiration date on the sticker," another TikToker asked.
As airlines continue to experience staffing shortages — in addition to a festive holiday travel season approaching — there have been reports of airports struggling to keep track of lost luggage. Travelers can use portable tracking devices to keep track of their baggage.
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“I’m obsessed with luggage trackers,” Kara Harms, CEO of the lifestyle blog Whimsy Soul, told PEOPLE in August. “I’m a checked bag person, and before I started using trackers, I was a nervous wreck at every baggage carousel, not knowing if my bag would show up or not. Now, I love being able to sit in my lounge and watch my bags be loaded on or off my plane.”
According to the Department of Transportation, most airlines won't declare your luggage is lost until at least five days have elapsed after a flight.
"Once an airline determines that your bag is lost, the airline is responsible for compensating you for your bags’ contents - subject to depreciation and maximum liability limits," the department's website notes. "Airlines are also required to refund any fees you paid the airline to transport the bag that was lost."
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