Why Attaching Ribbons to Your Suitcase is Not Recommended

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - When traveling by plane, passengers often find it confusing to pick up their luggage or suitcases at the baggage claim. This happens due to the large number of luggage that have uniform colors and shapes. Hence, it's not surprising that many passengers attach ribbons or cloth markers to their suitcases. This is done to make it easier to identify their luggage among the many others at the airport.

However, this practice is not recommended by many airlines and security personnel. Not without reason, as this practice is related to security risks and the potential for getting caught in the airport's conveyor system or scanner.

Attaching ribbons to this luggage is not recommended, says John, an Airport Staff at Dublin Airport, Ireland; he does not recommend it because it poses risks. "Ribbons that people tie onto their suitcases to help identify them can cause issues with the bag being scanned in the baggage hall. If the bag can’t be scanned automatically it can end up in manual processing, which could mean your bag doesn’t make it to the flight," said John, as reported by RSVP Live, Sunday, June 2, 2024.

He also advises to remove old baggage stickers from previous flights. John also requests passengers to remove old baggage stickers from their suitcases as they can cause errors during the scanning process at the airport. Baggage stickers provide information about the previous flight. The scanning machine might misread and direct the suitcase to the wrong flight.

Staff will affix new stickers according to the flight. Furthermore, he suggests placing the suitcase's wheels at the top to reduce damage.

"Remove old stickers from the suitcase, as they can cause confusion during the scanning process," he said.

Here are the reasons why passengers are not advised to use ribbons on their luggage or suitcases:

1. Damage to the suitcase handle

According to Birmingham Live's report, a passenger experienced damage to their suitcase handle by using a ribbon as an identifier. This happened because the ribbon used got caught in other equipment, ultimately damaging the luggage handle.

2. Confusion for scanning staff

Not removing old stickers or ribbons used in previous flights can confuse baggage staff. Staff may misread the destination or luggage information. Therefore, your suitcase is at risk of being sent to the wrong place.

So, are there any other alternatives to mark your suitcase to prevent mix-ups?

Instead of using ribbons that pose risks of getting caught or disrupting the scanning process, there are several safer alternatives to mark your suitcase:

1. Use easily recognizable stickers

You can attach stickers with striking designs to make your suitcase easily identifiable when picking up the baggage. You can also add a tag containing your name, contact information, or a unique hanger as a visual identifier and personal identity.

2. Use suitcases with unique shapes and colors

Another effective method is to use bright colors or unique suitcase shapes. This can be a strong identifier among other suitcases on the conveyor belt.

3. Use a suitcase cover

If the suitcase you use has a commonly used color, another way to deal with it is to use a suitcase cover. Use a brightly colored or slightly prominent patterned cover.

4. Use a Smart Tag

In today's modern era, there are many technological options available to mark your suitcase for easier owner identification. One of the popular devices used is the Smart Tag. The Smart Tag is a smart tracker that can detect the position of your belongings. In addition to aiding in identification, it can also assist in locating the suitcase at the airport.

Several reputable electronic device manufacturers have released Smart Tag products, such as Apple with the AirTag and Samsung with the Galaxy SmartTag. With these devices, you can directly monitor the movement of items attached with a Smart Tag.

The use of ribbons is considered less appropriate in marking passengers' suitcases, and it is hoped that suitcase owners will be wiser in managing their personal belongings. This not only provides convenience for the passengers but also for airport personnel.

Mila Novita contributed to this article.

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