Baggage handlers reveal the luggage all plane passengers should use – and ones to avoid
WHEN you are packing to go on holiday, your focus is generally on what you are going to take.
But it's worth sparing a thought for the suitcase you plan on putting all your stuff in.
There are some bags that are more likely to be damaged than others, and luggage tags that have a slim chance of making it off the plane.
Some baggage handlers have shared their advice on Reddit on what bags you should buy, which luggage tags to avoid, and how to stop the stuff inside getting broken.
What bags to buy
Buying luggage is difficult - there are so many brands and styles, it's hard to know what to pick.
Baggage handler and Reddit user recommends buying four-wheeled suitcases, as they are less likely to be thrown.
And in what might surprise some of you, he also suggests that hard, plastic suitcases are less durable than fabric ones.
He recommends going for a durable, fabric case if you can.
They wrote: "I can recognise most luggage, I can tell you that Tumi and the Kirkland Dura-Line in my opinion seem to hold up the best.
"On a semi related note, if checking luggage, buy four-wheeled if you can - less likely baggage handler will 'toss' the bag and will roll whenever possible.
"Better quality fabric is better than hard plastics, for instance, the tumis have a canvas exterior, but a sturdy skeleton in the bag, this is why they hold up well.
"Poor quality bags have a rigid skeleton that eventually breaks or is made of poor quality cloth that tears."
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Avoid luggage tags
A lot of people put tags on their suitcases with their name and address on, so if the suitcase gets lost in transit, it will be returned to them.
But some tags are very unlikely to make it off the plane, as they simply snap off.
Baggage handler and Reddit user has a cheap and effective alternative to buying a luggage tag.
They wrote: "As someone going on 11 years experience, designer bag tags are frivolous and annoying.
"Too often they impede the handle, are too large, fall or break off (at which point it now becomes debris that is a danger to aircraft engines), and simply don't serve a purpose.
"The best tag is a sharpie on the side of your bag."
However, as previously reported, some travel experts warn that you should never put a tag on your luggage - they suggest a safer alternative.
How to prevent your stuff getting broken
Opening your suitcase to find your stuff inside is damaged will not put you in the best mood at the start of your holiday.
Putting fragile items into your suitcase is not a good idea, as the bags get thrown around and stacked on top of each other, in a Tetris-like manner.
Baggage handler and Reddit user recommends travellers pack as many of their fragile items as possible into their hand luggage.
He also suggests that taking an extremely heavy case is a bad idea, and it is better to take two lighter ones.
They wrote: "Do your absolute best to make fragile items your carry-ons. In the rush of our work environment, not everyone is going to bother noticing the fragile tags.
"Basically, most people don't care about fragile items, and the airlines care even less.
"Besides that, generally I would say bring two well secured medium-sized bags before bringing one too heavy one."
A frequent flyer has revealed why you should always take a picture of your suitcase before you fly.
A baggage handler has explained why you should never put a padlock on a suitcase.
Use this sneaky tip to get your suitcase off the plane first.
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